Events

Trajectory Talks

Trajectory Talks is an ongoing series, which explores the nuances in the XR space and creates knowledge through the open exchange of ideas. We are planning to bring a new line up of topics to events in 2021, keep an eye on our social media for more on this.

Read about previous events below.

Content vs. technology — XR’s false polarity?

Thursday, 4 April 2019

Does the answer to broadening audiences for XR lie with content or technology? It’s a challenging binary choice, but it’s also potentially limiting. Here, we unpacked the arguments, with the help of our speakers: Roderick D. Morgan, director and producer at Trajectory Theatre; freelance performer and director Silvia Mercuriali; Jack Straw, director and developer at No Ghost; and immersive experience designer Andrew Somerville. Through lively discussion with the help of everyone in the room, we were able to reach a collective understanding of what a successful content-driven ecosystem looks like.

Read the re-cap here.

Under the Clouds of War: the Role of Military Funding in XR Development

Thursday, 27 June 2019

Looking to dive even deeper into issues around emergent technology, viewed through an artistic lens, we endeavoured to tackle the Military's funding and its role in XR development.

Like most technologies, XR has seen a lot of its research and early exploration performed under the banner of the armed services. Without long term investment from governments, attempting to use it as a tool of military strength, we would not have consumer VR and AR today. Does this, then, have moral implications for the artists and makers using XR? And what should be our stance on further funding for the military?

Our chair, Jo Kerr, and Roderick D. Morgan were joined by: Bill Thompson, a technology writer, best known for his weekly column in the Technology section of BBC News Online and his appearances on Click on the BBC World Service/News Channel; Alice Thwaite, who specialises in technology and society, and frequently speaks on the topic of internet ethics and polarisation in a digital democracy; and Oliver Kibblewhite REWIND’s team member responsible for the delivery of special projects and technical activations across the globe.

Learnings from the Body: Perspectives in XR Embodiment

Thursday, 26 Sep 2019

Direct evidence suggests that embodiment is a key factor in immersion and presence in XR. It is important to recognise, however, that existing design principles around this embodiment betray implicit ableist and heteronormative bias. In cases where creators attempt to move past this, their efforts are often made in the questionable pursuit of empathy and the inhabiting of another’s experience. So whether extended, cross or augmented, the virtual space is as problematic as the traditional performance space when it comes to perspective and representation.

Starting with the lived expertise of makers with different or changing experiences of their own bodies or identities, this Trajectory Talk examined and debated current and future uses of embodiment in XR. We asked what insights can be inferred when decontextualising narrative and design elements from LGBTQ+ makers and makers with disabilities, and to what extent these forms of embodiment effect meaningful representation.

Led by chair Rob Eagle, PhD researcher at UWE Bristol, the panel consited of: Jane Gauntlett, whose work explores the impact of storytelling, shared experience and human connection; and Michelle Baharier, whose artistic practice brings new context to a space and gives a voice to people whose stories are hidden and unheard.

Reality Salon

Please note that due to the current Covid-19 situation, all Reality Salon events have been postponed.

Trajectory Theatre hosts an intimate and informal gathering on the first Tuesday of every month for makers, enthusiasts, artists and novices, finding their way through the world of immersive technology. All realities, be it virtual, augmented, mixed or real, are welcome. All those with an interest in extending the collective understanding of those realities are invited to attend.

This is a chance to find answers to your questions, find questions for your answers, or simply meet with other seekers for a warm drink and friendly conversation at Loading Bar in Dalston, London.

What To Expect

Our host will kick off each salon at 7pm, spending a few minutes getting to know who’s in the room and what topics people want to cover. The host will facilitate the discussion for an hour, aiming to give time to all topics raised. We, then, encourage attendees to stick around to follow interesting threads of conversation, socialise or enjoy a game or two provided by Loading Bar.

We frame our discussions around four tenants:

We value knowledge and curiosity equally.

We value our successes and our mistakes equally.

We earn respect by respecting others.

We will not exclude anyone who adheres to these tenants.

Finding Us

Loading Bar can be busy – if you are coming along for the first time and are worried about finding us, just look out for our mascot, Vivienne the VR headset-wearing football. We will endeavour to hold the Salon on the first Tuesday of every month, but make sure you check out our Twitter for updates.

Hack and Scratch

To find out more about our first Hack and Scratch event please check out our blog post, Hack and Scratch: learnings and failures from an event in inspiration.