Researchers develop a new way to instruct dance in virtual reality

Researchers at Aalto University had been on the lookout for higher methods to instruct dance choreography in digital actuality. The new WAVE technique they developed will likely be introduced in May on the CHI convention for human-computer interplay analysis.

Earlier methods have largely relied on pre-rehearsal and simplification.

“In virtual reality, it is difficult to visualize and communicate how a dancer should move. The human body is so multi-dimensional, and it is difficult to take in rich data in real-time,” says Professor Perttu Hämäläinen.

The researchers began by experimenting with visualization techniques acquainted from earlier dance video games. However after a number of prototypes and phases, they determined to check out the viewers wave, acquainted from sporting occasions, to information the dance.

“The wave-like movement of the model dancers allows you to see in advance what kind of movement is coming next. And you don’t have to rehearse the movement beforehand,” says Ph.D. researcher Markus Laattala.

Usually, one can not observe a brand new choreography in actual time due to the delay in human perceptual-motor management. The WAVE method developed by the researchers, alternatively, is predicated on anticipating future motion, comparable to a flip.

“No one had figured out how to guide a continuous, fluid movement like contemporary dance. In the choreography we implemented, making a wave is a communication, a kind of micro-canon in which the model dancers follow the same choreography with a split-second delay,” says Hämäläinen.

From tai chi to exaggerated actions

A complete of 36 folks took half within the one-minute dance check, evaluating the brand new WAVE visualization to a standard digital model through which there was just one mannequin dancer to observe. The variations between the methods had been clear.

“This implementation is at least suitable for slow-paced dance styles. The dancer can just jump in and start dancing without having to learn anything beforehand. However, in faster movements, the visuals can get confusing, and further research and development is needed to adapt and test the approach with more dance styles,” says Hämäläinen.

Along with digital dance video games, the brand new method could also be relevant to music videos, karaoke, and tai chi.

“It would be optimal for the user if they could decide how to position the model dancers in a way that suits them. And if the idea were taken further, several dancers could send each other moves in social virtual reality. It could become a whole new way of dancing together,” says Laattala.

“Current mainstream VR devices only track the movement of the headset and handheld controllers. On the other hand, machine learning data can sometimes be used to infer how the legs move,” says Hämäläinen.

“But in dance, inference is more difficult because the movements are stranger than, for example, walking,” provides Laattala.

Then again, in case you have a mirror in the actual dance house, you may observe the motion of your toes utilizing machine imaginative and prescient. The dancer’s view could possibly be modified utilizing a digital mirror.

“A dancer’s virtual performance can be improved by exaggeration, for example, by increasing flexibility, height of the jumps, or hip movement. This can make them feel that they are more skilled than they are, which research shows has a positive impact on physical activity motivation,” says Hämäläinen.

The digital dance recreation has been developed utilizing the Magics infrastructure’s movement seize equipment, the place the mannequin dancer is wearing a fancy dress with sensors. These have been used to report the dance animation.

The WAVE dance recreation could be downloaded for Meta Quest 2 and three VR gadgets on GitHub.