Institute for Psychoacoustics and Electronic Music (IPEM)

EMCOMETECCA: Embodied Music Cognition and Mediation Technologies for Cultural/Creative Applications (METHUSALEM I)

Project Description:

The EmcoMetecca project is a long-term ("Methusalem") project that aims at closing the gap between musical experience and the digital/electronic environments that provide this experience (see Leman, 2007). Solutions will be based on empirical methods and advanced mediation technologies for embodied experiences and applications that enhance the cultural and creative sector.  The project aims at studying how people interact with music.  The focus lies on embodied music interaction (social music cognition and technology mediation).  Research is based on empirical methods and advanced computational modeling. The work envisions the development of new insights in multi-modal action/perception coupling, music interaction models, tool development and applications (artistic, educational, edutainment) that enhance the cultural and creative industry.

Major objectives:

  • The development of innovative hardware (e.g. autonomous, miniature, flexible, stretchable, low-cost sensors) for interactive music making and music information retrieval. This part is in collaboration with IMEC/TFCG Microsystems (http://tfcg.elis.ugent.be/).
  • The development of innovative software for real-time interactive music and multimedia systems that foster social embodied interaction with music.
  • The development of empirical methodologies for the study of social embodied music interaction.
  • The development of a platform for cultural/creative applications involving an active user-community.

Background text about the project (pdf).
Promotors: Prof. Dr. M. Leman (Director)
Collaborators: Dra. Leen De Bruyn
Drs. Frank Desmet
Drs. Alexander Deweppe
Drs. Luiz Naveda
Drs. Frederik Styns
Prof. dr. G. W. Raes (interactive music)
Researchers: Prof. Dr. ir. Leon van Noorden
Dr. Michiel Demey
Dr. Micheline Lesaffre
Dr. Dirk Moelants
Prof. Dr. Francis Maes
Financial Support:

Ghent University - Methusalem-BOF council. "Het Methusalem-initiatief is een langlopende programmafinanciering met als doel uitstekende, gerenommeerde toponderzoekers aan de UGent een stabiele en omvangrijke basisfinanciering ter beschikking te stellen die zij flexibel kunnen aanwenden om in onafhankelijkheid hun internationaal topniveau te consolideren en hun referentiepositie op internationaal vlak te versterken."