October 2010–

A team of Hewlett Packard representatives from HP Labs recently toured the UNM ARTS Lab. HP established a technical service center in Rio Rancho, NM, and UNM is developing partnerships with the company. Among HP Labs’ interests is in Immersive and, according to its website, it is “designing a radically simplified user experience, where human interaction through and with technology becomes completely seamless and intuitive.” Immersive technology is one of the areas of study at the UNM ARTS Lab, and the HP executives heard from Director Tim Castillo, associate director David Beining and Computer Engineering professor Joe Kniss and others about the team’s work with multi-projector immersive technology and its applications in both the humanities and in the sciences.

The ARTS Lab  (Arts, Research, Technology and Science Laboratory) is an interdisciplinary center for developing creative relationships connecting Art, Science, Business and Technology in New Mexico’s unique environment. The vision of ARTS Lab is to become a key catalyst for the education and research that will grow and sustain an advanced media industry in New Mexico. ARTS Lab finds opportunities to cultivate these assets by utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, encouraging ongoing participation across the University of New Mexico campus as well as building on ties with industry, community, and other educational institutions.

Among its collaborations is the PFI project. Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) is a grant awarded by the National Science Foundation. The partnership, led by UNM Electrical and Computer Engineering Department’s Pradeep Sen, also includes the Santa Fe Complex, Institute for American Indian Arts, as well as local businesses like Game Production Services and LAVA 3D. The group will explore ways of having multiple projectors create immersive environments in a variety of locations.