SMALLab™ stands for Situated Multimedia Arts Learning Lab. It was developed out of Arizona State University by an interdisciplinary team of researchers, media experts, educators, and artists led by Dr. David Birchfield. Through motion capture technology, the platform allows students to experience “embodied learning” in an interactive, real and virtual space. Please see the videos below for examples of what the platform can do.
Motion-capture technology tracks students’ 3D movements as they learn in immersive, interactive space. For example, as students are learning about a physics concept like velocity, they can hear the sound of their actions getting faster. They can see graphs and equations that represent their motions in real time. They can feel the weight of an object in their hand as they interact in real physical space. We will be using this platform to create multi-player interactive learning experiences that further support the learning objectives that the Elizabeth Forward School District has set for its students. The platform allows up to three students to act as direct controllers of an interactive system as their instructor teaches them the applicable topics.