Affect, attitude and evaluation of multi-sensory performances

The EU-IST project MEGA (Multisensory Expressive Gesture Applications; see www.megaproject.org) addresses innovative technologies for multimodal interactive systems in artistic scenarios. Basic research on expressive communication in music, gesture and dance has been focused by EU-IST-funded European researchers in psychology, technology and computer engineering. The output from this cooperation with artists has also revealed ideas and innovations for applications in social, artistic and communicative entertainment. However, even the most careful basic research and computer engineering could never estimate the real efficiency and benefit of such new expressive applications. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to get feedback from the audience and the artists/ performers/ players at three public MEGA events: the interactive music concert Allegoria dell'opinione verbale, a dance performance by Groove Machine and a public game (Ghost in the Cave). General attitude, perceived communication/affect and practical efficiency were evaluated by questionnaires. Results showed that: (a) the performers were able to control the expressive output within the application, (b) the audience was positive to each event, (c) information about or explicit engagement in the application revealed even more positive judgments, and (d) aesthetic and expressive qualities were transmitted through the MEGA output. This article suggests that real-time transmission of expressive and emotional content is very promising for social, artistic and communicative applications.