AET + dadageek present: LIM Open Lab Workshops

January 27 - Intro to Motion Capture with Qualisys
February 3 - Interactive Electronic Music with Motion Capture
February 10 - Interactive Graphics in Touchdesigner with Motion Capture
February 24 - Markerless Motion Capture with Captury

Four Motion Capture workshops to choose from! Pick and choose or sign up for them all!

UT Austin's Department of Arts and Entertainment Technologies is teaming up with dadageek to offer a new FREE workshop series exploring the creative technology within AET’s Lab for Immersive Media (The LIM). The Spring 2025 Semester series will offer 4 unique workshops that dive into subjects from motion capture to interactive audio design.

The LIM, AET’s newest space for innovation and creativity, is an interactive and immersive media laboratory that enables novel research and entertainment experiences in virtual and physical spaces. For this workshop series, AET has teamed up with dadageek, a nonprofit supporting immersive artists and electronic musicians in Austin, to design 4 workshops exploring the cutting-edge immersive media technology inside the LIM.

These workshops are free, open to the public, and designed for artists or technologists interested in the intersection of art, tech, and immersive media. Some workshops present introductory topics and no background in technology is required. Some workshops will explore intermediate subjects and require access to a laptop and downloaded software. Learn more about the specifics of each workshop below. Limited spaces are available! RSVP is required.

Intro to Motion Capture with Qualisys: January 27, 2025
Led by AET Professor Kyle Evans

Interested in mocap technology? This hands-on workshop will introduce you to the LIM’s Qualisys motion capture system! The LIM’s state-of-the-art motion capture system can track points within the space at sub-millimeter accuracy! In the LIM, this technology is used by faculty and students for applications ranging from interactive experiences to science and research. This introductory workshop will explore the foundations of working with the LIM’s Qualisys motion capture technology and explain both the hardware and software used in advanced motion capture systems. Attendees will have the opportunity to get hands-on with the technology and learn to track objects and people in space.

Requirements: None! This workshop requires no previous experience in motion capture or media technology. No required software or technology to bring.

Interactive Electronic Music with Motion Capture: February 3, 2025
Led by AET Professor Kyle Evans

Learn to mix music tech with motion! In this workshop, you will learn to integrate the LIM’s motion capture technology with almost any type of music software and hardware. You will be introduced to the basics of the LIM’s Qualisys motion capture system and how to translate that data into music-friendly information like MIDI and OSC. Participants will have the opportunity to connect to the LIM’s motion capture system and design their own musical motion interactions! The techniques we will cover can also be adapted to other sensor inputs such as Kinect, Nintendo JoyCon, and more.

Requirements: Some understanding of MIDI-capable music software is recommended to make the most of this workshop. Additionally, to fully participate in the hands-on aspects, you will need to bring a laptop (Mac or PC) with MIDI-capable software installed (Ableton, Logic Pro, etc).

Interactive Graphics in Touchdesigner with Motion Capture: February 10, 2025
Led by LIM Lab Manager Brandon LeJeune

Bring your visuals to life with motion capture! In this workshop, you’ll learn how to integrate the LIM’s Qualisys motion capture technology with TouchDesigner to create interactive generative graphics. This session will cover the basics of using motion-tracked objects and people to manipulate real-time visuals in TouchDesigner. Participants will explore how motion data can influence dynamic 3D geometry, opening up new possibilities for interactive media and performance design. The techniques we will cover can also be adapted to other motion sensor inputs such as Kinect, Leap Motion, OAK-D, etc.

Requirements: A basic understanding of TouchDesigner is recommended to get the most out of this workshop. To fully participate in the hands-on components, please bring a laptop (Mac or PC) with TouchDesigner installed (free non-commercial license is fine).

Markerless Motion Capture with Captury: February 24, 2025
Led by LIM Lab Manager Brandon LeJeune

This workshop introduces you to the LIM’s Captury system, a cutting-edge technology that tracks human movement without the need for traditional motion capture markers. The LIM’s Captury system is perfect for applications in gaming, live performance, and interactive media. In this session, you’ll explore the fundamentals of working with Captury, including an overview of its hardware and software. Learn how to capture motion data and send it to game engines and audiovisual software for use in real-time applications. Attendees will gain hands-on experience and discover the creative possibilities of markerless motion capture technology.

Requirements: None! This workshop is designed for beginners and does not require prior experience with motion capture or related technologies. No specific software or equipment is needed to participate.

Kyle Evans is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Arts and Entertainment Technologies at the University of Texas at Austin teaching courses in immersive media, sound design, and live event technology. He is co-founder of the immersive art studio dadaLab, Managing Director and instructor at the creative technology educational non-profit dadageek, and artistic director of the sound-art collective Rolling Ryot.

Brandon LeJeune is the Lab Manager for the Lab for Immersive Media (The LIM). He is a creative technologist focused on generative, interactive, and audiovisual immersive experiences. Creating deeply interconnected systems to meld various hardware, software, and protocols into a tangible embodiment of art and technology.

Host or Publisher UT School of Design and Creative Technologies