2026-09-22T04:59:22Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/551982022-01-13T07:55:03Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131023
Tod Machover.
Torpey, Peter Alexander
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture. Program in Media Arts and Sciences.
Program in Media Arts and Sciences (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
2010-05-25T21:03:11Z
2010-05-25T21:03:11Z
2009
2009
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/55198
609408342
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2009.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-158).
Early in Tod Machover's opera Death and the Powers, the main character, Simon Powers, is subsumed into a technological environment of his own creation. The theatrical set comes alive in the form of robotic, visual, and sonic elements that allow the actor to extend his range and influence across the stage in unique and dynamic ways. The environment must compellingly assume the behavior and expression of the absent Simon. This thesis presents a new approach called Disembodied Performance that adapts ideas from affective psychology, cognitive science, and the theatrical tradition to create a framework for thinking about the translation of stage presence. An implementation of a system informed by this methodology is demonstrated. In order to distill the essence of this character, we recover performance parameters in real-time from physiological sensors, voice, and vision systems. This system allows the offstage actor to express emotion and interact with others onstage. The Disembodied Performance approach takes a new direction in augmented performance by employing a nonrepresentational abstraction of a human presence that fully translates a character into an environment. The technique and theory presented also have broad-reaching applications outside of theater for personal expression, telepresence, and storytelling.
Peter Alexander Torpey.
S.M.
158 p.
eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. theses are protected by
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http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Architecture. Program in Media Arts and Sciences.
Disembodied performance : abstraction of representation in live theater
Abstraction of representation in live theater
Thesis
application/pdf
Publication
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<Abstract>Early in Tod Machover's opera Death and the Powers, the main character, Simon Powers, is subsumed into a technological environment of his own creation. The theatrical set comes alive in the form of robotic, visual, and sonic elements that allow the actor to extend his range and influence across the stage in unique and dynamic ways. The environment must compellingly assume the behavior and expression of the absent Simon. This thesis presents a new approach called Disembodied Performance that adapts ideas from affective psychology, cognitive science, and the theatrical tradition to create a framework for thinking about the translation of stage presence. An implementation of a system informed by this methodology is demonstrated. In order to distill the essence of this character, we recover performance parameters in real-time from physiological sensors, voice, and vision systems. This system allows the offstage actor to express emotion and interact with others onstage. The Disembodied Performance approach takes a new direction in augmented performance by employing a nonrepresentational abstraction of a human presence that fully translates a character into an environment. The technique and theory presented also have broad-reaching applications outside of theater for personal expression, telepresence, and storytelling.</Abstract>
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