APPLICATIONS: Computer & Information Sciences Experimental & Interactive Activities

PAAPAB

PAAPAB (Pick An Avatar, Pick A Beat) is a shared virtual-reality disco environment inhabited by life-size puppets, animated by users in CAVEs and ImmersaDesks around the globe. Users can tour the dance floor to see the puppets they animate, dance with the puppets, and dance with avatars of other users. This research focuses on creating interactive drama in virtual reality; that is, immersive stories. PAAPAB serves as a testbed for technology development as well as character and world design. In addition to interacting with the PAAPAB demonstration, iGrid attendees are treated to performances with the Interactive Institute’s Incarnation of a Divine Being, an environment built using the same software infrastructure. Incarnation is a virtual-reality space based on ancient Greek theater, where people meet and together perform an improvised drama in cyberspace. Acknowledgment: Ygdrasil (YG), a VR authoring system by Res Umbrae; Quanta. Contact Dave Pape Res Umbrae, USA dave.pape@acm.org Collaborators Josephine Anstey, Dan Neveu, Department of Media Study, University at Buffalo, USA Dave Pape, Res Umbrae, USA Christina Bloebaum, Eliot Winer, New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation, University at Buffalo, USA Torbjorn Johansson, Annika Westergren, Kalle Jalkanen, Marcus Johansson, Fredrik Lindegren, Sol Morn, Jonas Nimrodsson, Jim Robertsson, Jonas Westling, Tools for Creativity Studio, Interactive Institute, Sweden resumbrae.com/projects/paapab www.ccr.buffalo.edu/anstey/VR/PAAPAB www.nyscedii.buffalo.edu