Research
Dan Collins
Dan Collins, professor of Intermedia in the ASU Herberger Institute School of Art, is interested in the gap between the virtual space of the computer and the tangible, body-felt reality of sculptural objects and installations. To interrogate this space, he employs 3D digital imaging and prototyping systems, video projection and interactive technologies. Recent projects have utilized satellite data and high-end animation techniques to create large scale models of fictive but highly plausible disasters. For example, Flooding Phoenix is a video sculpture that brings to life a hypothetical flood event of epic proportions. An animation of an exaggerated flood is projected upon a physical model of the Valley. Another work, Mirage, invites one to physically interact with a virtual pool of water. One's position is sensed by an infrared camera and triggers the water to “dry out” revealing a cracked desert landscape. Other current work includes experiments with tangible user interfaces and creating visualizations of natural 3D forms such as watersheds and cloud patterns.
As founding co-director of the PRISM lab, a center for 3D visualization and rapid prototyping established in 1995, Collins has collaborated on the development of a set of tools and techniques that have been useful to a wide range of discipline-based scholars. The expertise in 3D visualization and analysis PRISM provides researchers has led to increased understanding of objects and phenomena ranging from human anatomy, to earth science, to biology, to industrial engineering, design and art. While the lab's internal research builds on deep understanding of computer-aided geometric design, the broader goal has always been to leverage new insights and capabilites from transdisciplinary dialogue. As an artist, Collins is particularly proud that this “hi-tech” lab has been a destination for not only scientists pursuing quantifiable outcomes, but for artists who see the potential of our high tech tools for creative expression.