Envisioning the Future

The ARTS Lab and its partners develop innovative research-driven applications for scientific visualization and
transformative media. Examples of partnerships in development include:
--Engineering simulations, such as projecting the movement of oil from oil spills and climate change modeling;
--Medical research, using digital media to visualize brain activity and other elements of the body;
--And, cultural media research, enhancing and developing new tools for better understanding of our social,
cultural and physical environments.

Engaging Students
The ARTS Lab opens its space for use as a performance and research lab for faculty and university students.
The Lab also hosts educational activities and tours for K-12 students from all over the state to expand STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) educational opportunities and career paths.

Encouraging Community Collaborations

Tha ARTS Lab also encourages community use of its resources. It has been used by the science and technol-
Creating Connections
ogy and the local arts communities. Experimental music and art performances were created, and commer-
cials and graphics have been developed here. Building Collaborations
At the heart of ARTS Lab is the Digital Media Garage, which, for both the arts and science communities, sup-
ports experimentation and research in digital graphics, sound, real-time immersive projection systems and
other efforts. The Digital Media Garage has an experimental dome and a black box with a full-corner green
screen, motion-capture system and advanced lighting system. The space includes a 15’ diameter hemispheric
domed projection surface (the G-Dome), a Vicon Motion Capture system, 30’ x 40’ Green Screen Studio and
an AV/CGI production suite.
artslab.unm.edu
505-277-2253 Partnerships and Collaborations Partnering Schools and Colleges
AGL [Advanced Graphics Lab] Anderson School of Management
ARTS Lab DFL [Digital Fabrication Lab] School of Architecture and Planning
1601 Central ave. N.E. IFDM [Interdisciplinary Film + Digital Media] School of Engineering
Albuquerque, NM 87106 IAIA [Institute of American Indian Arts] College of Fine Arts
sf_X [Santa Fe Complex] College of Arts & Sciences
Sparking Innovation

Throughout history, new types of media—from books to social media-- have changed perspectives, fueled
collaboration and and created new industries. New media alone, however, do not change history. Break-
through innovations come from those who build synergistic connections, address social needs and open
up new fields of inquiry.
At the UNM ARTS Lab (Art, Research, Technology and Science Laboratory), resarch takes a transdisci-
plinary approach. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst between traditional academic fields to develop new
media and transformative solutions in education, ecology, entertainment and enterprise.
Under the direction of Prof. Tim Castillo, the ARTS Lab team brings together scholars and students from
various colleges and departments -- as well as community and industry participants. These diverse teams
engage in cutting-edge research to develop new media technologies and techniques, such as immersive
media.

Research

An NSF Consortium for Immersive Media Development: A $600,000 grant award from the National
Science Foundation’s Partnerships for Innovation Program funds the development of immersive and
interactive media technologies to be commercialized by New Mexico start-up companies. Grant partners
include the Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA) and the Santa Fe Complex, as well as local businesses
like Game Production Services and LAVA 3D. The group explores ways of having multiple projectors create
immersive environments in a variety of locations and applications.

Tales of the Maya Skies: With a $3,000,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Informal
Science Education Division, ARTS Lab and an international group of partners produced an immersive edu-
cational film on the science and culture of the Maya people of Mexico. The team produced the film using
advanced including 3D laser scanning, photogrammetry and gigapixel panography: techniques ARTS Lab
employs these in film production and research relating to New Mexico’s history and culture.