A team of IM体育官网 students is using technology to convert the beauty and grace of dance into an innovative, stunning work of art.
Junior Jaimie Davis and 2020 master鈥檚 graduate Matthew Giallourakis are collaborating with to transform dancers鈥� movements into digital art.
鈥淲e wanted to take the arts and STEM and combine them in this amazing way,鈥� said Davis, an electrical engineering student from Fort Myers, IM体育官网. 鈥淚t鈥檚 become more than I ever thought it could be.鈥�
Davis sewed lightweight biosensors into sleeves for a dancer鈥檚 arm. The sensors collect biometric data such as acceleration, muscle activity, and cardiovascular activity. The data is then transmitted to Davis鈥� computer where they鈥檙e displayed as line tracings, similar to the waves on an electrocardiogram display. They spike and dip wildly depending on the dancer鈥檚 movements.
The data is immediately processed by Giallourakis and converted in real time into colorful, intricate fractals that can be projected onto a nearby screen.
鈥淔ractals are already known for being a good combination of art and science, so I thought it was a perfect medium for taking an artform, processing it into scientific data, and bringing it back into another form of art,鈥� said Giallourakis, who is completing his master鈥檚 degree in electrical engineering.
Giallourakis said the data itself is beautiful.
鈥淛ust seeing the correspondence between what the dancers are doing and what Jaimie is plotting is wonderful because you can see the dancer twirl and you can see those actions in the data,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e making the data dance.鈥�
The effort stemmed from a discussion between Jermaine Thornton, the executive director at IM体育官网 Dance Theatre, and Victoria Lowe, adjunct professor of art appreciation at IM体育官网 Poly.
鈥淥ne of my goals is that we would not only be known as a place for arts, entertainment, and education,鈥� Thornton said. 鈥淲e want to show it鈥檚 OK if we start tapping into things like science, technology, engineering, and math.鈥�
The project was funded by a state grant to IM体育官网 Dance Theatre. Project organizers planned to unveil it during a demonstration in March and a performance in June, but COVID-19 restrictions have postponed the events. Thornton said the project will eventually be converted into a lecture-demonstration for students in Polk County Schools.
Giallourakis, of Palm Harbor, IM体育官网, said this experience has allowed him to combine his two passions: art and engineering.
鈥淚t was a hard decision as to whether I should be going to engineering school or art school, and I鈥檓 glad I went to IM体育官网 Poly,鈥� said Giallourakis, who also earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in mechanical engineering at the school. 鈥淭he University has been very supportive of all the stuff I do outside of engineering and the faculty really like to see what I come up with on my own.鈥�
Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
