This course focuses on Challenge-Based Learning in interdisciplinary teams (3-5 students), working on challenges with both technological and artistic/design aspects.
Students from all study programs are welcome, even if you think you don’t have any creative or artistic skills. In this course you reflect on your existing knowledge and competencies, define your own learning goals, learn to collaborate with other disciplines, and approach technological (societal) opportunities from a fundamentally different perspective through art methodology. By learning skills such as abstract, conceptual and speculative thinking, you develop competencies to operate fully as an engineer in the world of tomorrow with challenges we can’t yet imagine.
Studio-style group work
In this course, you have the opportunity to work with students from other study programs such as Fontys & Design Academy. You work on open-ended challenges (with different technological aspects) brought in by designers/artists. With the team -including the designer/artist- you determine the goal within the semester, resulting in concepts, prototypes and/or products, sometimes to exhibit (e.g. Dutch Design Week, GLOW, art galleries).
The course is not based on lectures, but on studio-style group work, self-study and personal and team development. It includes workshops, guest lectures and visits/guided tours to design studios, museums and art galleries, festivals and other venues that may be relevant to the projects.
You are leading and self-responsible in your learning process, where you are coached by various professionals. In addition to the coaches, the professional designers/artists help in the process, bringing in their experience and network. And all challenges are connected to experts who can assist in acquiring (fundamental) knowledge required for the project.
The course is facilitated by TU/e innovation Space, where students can use all available workshops, tools and workspaces.
Schedule & registration
Course 1ZM250 is a semester course in timeslot C (Tue 09:00-12:30 & Fri 13:30-17:00) and starts in Q1 and Q3. The subscription deadlines are similar to the ones of other courses. Registration for this course is possible via Osiris 1ZM250.
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Which challenges
Every semester, a new list of challenges is available on this page. Here, you will find short descriptions per challenge. At the start of the course, you can choose which challenge you want to work on during the course.
Challenges 2023-2024 Semester 1
This semester we are innovating the course - practice what you preach ;) !
We will be collaborating with the Amarte Fund, the Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAISI), and the Intelligent Lighting Institute (ILI) to get the most out of the Art & Tech projects, both in terms of in-depth knowledge and hands-on prototyping. Out of many amazing applications to Amarte's Open Call, a jury -with the help of EAISI and ILI- chose two artists you can collaborate with this semester. In addition, students can also choose to work in collaboration with Jack Smale on innovative technologies for the entertainment industry
1. Biomimetic Acoustic Robots
Challenge owner: Matteo Marangoni
Summary
Artist Matteo Marangoni created a series of works which connect sound, music and space, by creating artificial creatures inspired by how animals interact and communicate through sound. Recently, coinciding with the Covid-19 pandemic, he has moved his work from indoor settings to outdoors and became fascinated by how his robots interact directly with nature. In his project Komorebi (with Dieter Vandoren) a swarm of robots makes music together in response to the shadows of trees moving in the wind. In presenting Komorebi, it became apparent how his work can help people feel deeply connected to the change that is constantly taking place in nature, and the work also helped reduce stress and foster a sense of well-being. From this experience he became interested in exploring how his artificial creatures could not only interact with the weather and vegetation, but also include interaction with animals. Matteo is interested in how current developments in AI could be used not only to simulate human intelligence, but to connect to other forms of intelligence on our planet, with the ultimate aim to seek a more balanced relationship between nature and technology.
About the challenge owner: Matteo Marangoni is an artist and community organiser interested in sonic rituals, DIY media and applied utopianism. His artistic practice focuses on creating spatial experiences probing the relationship between subject and object.
2. Shaping Sunlight
Challenge owner: Jólan van der Wiel and Chris Kievid
Summary
We live in a time when there is more and more building in height. Close together. With that comes a lack of sunlight. With this research project, we want to contribute to possible solutions in the future to use (and control) natural daylight and sunlight as much as possible and optimize the experience. This artwork is not just an aesthetic innovation, but a prototype for a larger ambition, to transform the indoor environment to a more sustainable, natural ambiance through special optics tuned to the solar cycle.
With this, we hope to take a step towards a healthier living environment by reducing use of artificial light, artificial shading and cooling.
About the challenge owners:
Jólan van der Wiel leads a collaborative design practice that conducts artistic experiments within multiple themes and environments. He works closely with architects, scientists, fashion designers, brands and institutions, such as Iris van Herpen, Benthem Crouwel Architects, Volvo Cars, the Metropolitan Museum and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.
Chris Kievid combines interaction and architectural thinking across domains to foster social activism through impactful design. Previously, Chris was also the design and creative leader at Studio Roosegaarde, where he led the development of projects from conception to realization and led the assembly and management of a diverse, interdisciplinary design team.
3. Innovative technologies for the entertainment industry
Challenge owner: Jack Smale
Summary
After decades of working worldwide as a highly experienced creative producer in the entertainment industry, Jack is surprised that innovative technologies are not used much more in concerts, theater shows and sports competitions. For example, the huge space above the heads of the audience during a major event is almost never used, so he created autonomous flying balloons with light effects (pictured), which were eventually used by the band MUSE for their world tour.
Jack has several projects and ideas that you can participate in (see for example his RXD project below) and is also open to new creative ideas with innovative technology.
About the challenge owner: Jack Smale, President of The United States of Entertainment (USE), is an all-round producer in the entertainment industry. He has been involved in producing and initiating projects such as The MTV awards, the musical Soldier of Orange, U2 Sarajevo and MUSE’s world tour.”
Challenges 2022-2023 Semester 2
1. Remote Experience Design
Challenge owner: U|S|E –Entertainment Business
Summary: Remote Experience Design (RXD) is the online remote-control experience that allows users worldwide to explore the world in an environmental way while learning and having fun. With remote-controlled vehicles, you can go on a journey of discovery, full of challenges and adventures. RXD enables you to explore the jungle live (to scale), but the setting could also be the Moon or Mars.
In this project you can work on prototyping with vehicles, inventing and engineering special effects -such as rain & fog, mechanical bridges, and augmented animals, or work on scenery challenges like landscape and scaling. Are you in for an adventure?
Description: You can find the long description here.
2. Dommel – Future of urban nature
Challenge owner: Municipality of Eindhoven
Summary: KnoopXL, a large area around the city center is part of a major transition and will become the beating heart of Brainport Eindhoven. A project within is the Dommel River, which has been compromised by the city's growth. Widening the banks of the river around the (rail)road tunnels will give nature more space, allow biodiversity to grow, and connect habitats of animal and plant species.
Within this challenge, you can explore and design this area with ShapeReality's AR/VR capabilities to support participatory processes to turn the opposition of nature & city into positive action. How do we optimally increase biodiversity? Can we build an observatory so people can
enjoy a piece of wild nature?
The ultimate goal is a booth during Dutch Design Week 2023 where visitors can try out scenarios using AR/VR. Who knows, you may be designing a piece of future Eindhoven...
Description: You can find the long description here.
3. Living Auxetics
Challenge owner: Fillip Studios
Summary: In this challenge you explore the possibilities of the combination of two new and innovative technologies: soft robotics and randomly generated auxetic structures.
Auxetic behaviour in materials creates endless design possibilities. Inspired by nature we will explore the application of a machine learning tool that is capable of creating randomly formed auxetic structures in the development of soft robotics. Can we create new machines with unexpected behaviours that can adapt to their environment?
In this project, you can work on designing and prototyping a variety of applications and objects.
Description: You can find the long description here.
4. Helium Filled Objects
Challenge owner: U|S|E –Entertainment Business
Summary: When you visit a concert hall, stadium or large theatre, you often see immeasurable unused space above the audience. That's the vast playing field of Helium Filled Objects, and in this challenge, you can start experimenting with designs and technologies to contribute maximally to the concert, theatre play or sports game; a choreography with coloured light balls that match the stage lighting plan, spaceships flying around, or floating fishes to create an underwater experience.
In this project you can work on designing and prototyping the objects, lighting effects or systems & controls. Who knows, maybe you'll join us(e) on a world tour in the future!
Description: You can find the long description here.
Challenges 2022-2023 - Semester 1
IN SYNC
Challenge owners: Albert van Abbe & Timo Lejeune (Lumus Instruments)
Experts: Mathias Funk (TU/e ID) & Elke den Ouden (TU/e ILI)
Description: You can find the long description here.
Short summary:
IN SYNC bridges the gap between music, light and visuals. Through the exploration of the world of music, live performance and show control, we are taking innovation to the dance floor. Should and can we reshape the art of live-performance? And how can data, computation and interaction design help us to create more synchronised audiovisual performances?
Programmable Inflatables
Challenge owner: Tom Kortbeek & Roos Meerman (Fillip Studios)
Experts: Bas van der Linden (TU/e) + Harold Benten (Fontys)
Description: You can find the long description here.
Short summary:
Join the research program Programmable Inflatables of Pi Lab: an interdisciplinary laboratory in Eindhoven where designers, scientists and engineers collaborate. You are going to explore new functions and applications of materials, use digital technologies in new explorative ways, and work together with people from other disciplines and institutions. The research of Programmable Inflatables is led by design studio Fillip Studios.
Sensible Time
Challenge owner: Ricky van Broekhoven
Expert: Wijnand IJsselsteijn
Description: You can find the long description here.
Short summary:
Sometimes an hour flashes by and sometimes every second seems to last forever. Time is relative and subject to personal perspective. This phenomenon raises important philosophical and psychological questions.
Would it be possible to ‘control’ time?
Let’s develop an experience that addresses this phenomenon and makes us re-evaluate what is of incomparable value to us humans; the concept of time.
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More information
Want to know more? Contact Isolde via the contact form below.