Lights, Camera, Motion, Action.
Skeletal tracking links dance expressions with dynamic lighting
Description
As an undergraduate at UMBC, I led a team that merged Microsoft Kinect's skeletal tracking technology with intelligent stage lighting in a cross-disciplinary project that combined computer science with performing arts. Inspired by my interest in interactive hardware, the project aimed to give dancers real-time control over stage lighting during their performances.
In my role as team lead, I managed the collaboration between computer science and dance students, overseeing the development of prototypes, software, and overall project coordination. I focused on creating basic lighting control sequences triggered by body poses, programming the interface between Kinect's Windows 10 SDK and the DMX-controlled lighting system using Visual Basic.
Our work culminated in a live performance at UMBC's Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD), where dance students demonstrated the system by dynamically controlling stage lighting during their routine. This project, supported by an Undergraduate Research Award and a Department of Dance grant, explored the intersection of technology and artistic expression, offering a new way for performers to engage with their environment.
For more information, read the poster abstract and view some performance photos.
