The team behind the BA in Games Design course at Brunel University London has just launched a Games Research Lab, a new space equipped with the latest technology to deliver on new challenge-led approaches through practical research and increased partnerships with other research institutions and the creative industries.
The Games Lab will enable cutting edge research and impact in an increasingly digital world. The infrastructure includes the latest immersive devices, a biometric sensor unit for games user research, adaptive controllers, IoT sensors, a large format printer, gaming consoles, sound and streaming equipment, and large digital displays.
The lab will host a range of research projects that will bring academic researchers, industry and communities together. Ongoing projects include exploring the fusion of Mixed Reality and participatory theatre in historic sites to support decolonisation, investigating concepts of ownership and embodiment of avatars in virtual worlds, including but not limited to various VR/AR/XR environments and the Metaverse, artistic exploration of subverting and recording in-game narratives through photography and video.
The lab is envisioned as a space for collaboration, experimentation, and applied research, and a hub for gaming research in gaming and beyond. A plan for residencies is under development and the lab space and equipment can be hired for any gaming research project by non-research organisations.
For more information, please contact the Lab Director, Dr Mariza Dima Mariza.Dima@brunel.ac.uk