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This practice-led research investigates a design framework within an artistic context for the implementation of Whole Body Interactive (WBI) performance systems that employ real-time motion capture technology. Following an Interaction Design perspective I engage in exploring the requirements for composers, dancers, musicians and performers and their expectations, within a series of transdisciplinary collaborative artistic projects. Integral to this investigation is a comprehensive review and analysis of the progression of interactivity in fine art, music, dance and performance practices, presented in this thesis. As I am particularly concerned with the seamless transfer of the tacit skills and the implicit knowledge of non-digital artists and practitioners to a WBI performance setting, my practical explorations emerged in the contexts of music improvisation - Untitled#1, contemporary dance - Untitled#2, contemporary music composition - Hiroshima, and traditional dance - Duende. Adopting a Holistic Design approach, the experience and knowledge gained from my first practical explorations led to the design and implementation of a WBI prototyping software environment called EnActor, used in tandem with the Orient wireless inertial motion capture system, developed by the Research Consortium in Speckled Computing, at the University of Edinburgh. EnActor provides a simple and effective solution to the problem of linking physical actions to rich digital media responses and can serve as a blueprint for the development of other WBI design software, since it has operated successfully as a prototype, addressing a wide range of WBI design briefs in various contexts. In this thesis I introduce the role of the WBI designer as a specialist interaction designer able to conceptualise WBI scenarios and implement complete systems that operate within various levels of body sensing and control. I also propose the development of WBI systems that are autonomous and unsupervised, and I explore various compositional concepts and mappings that are implemented as automatic, semi-automatic or manual modules and ultimately arranged into layers and to series of blocks that represent complete compositions. Following the understanding of interactivity as a property between systems, I identify the design of three basic types of WBI performance systems that differ in how a user engages with them: methodical, empirical and dialectic. Overall this research aims to facilitate designers and artists interested in the use of real-time motion capture systems in dance, music, theatre and performance art applications.

Whole body vibration (WBV) is a mode of exercise by which an individual stands on a vibration platform that may be oscillating and therefore creating vertical displacement which affects gravitational forces acting upon the whole body. Manipulations of platform amplitude or frequency can affect the rate of change of the WBV (i.e. acceleration) acting upon an individual. The specific influences of frequency or amplitude, however, are unknown. The aim of the study, therefore, was two fold; (1) to identify chronic WBV effects of neuromuscular performance within a community dwelling older adult sample, and; (2) to identify WBV methods that would elicit chronic neuromuscular performance changes within such a sample. The study incorporated a randomised controlled experimental design to examine the aim. Seventy-three community dwelling older adults freely consented to the requirements of the study (mean age = 72.0 years). Neuromuscular performance was quantified with the 5-Chair Stands test, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and the Tinetti test. Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) was qualified with the SF-36 Health Survey. A six week WBV intervention significantly changed the quantifiers of neuromuscular performance in a community dwelling older adult sample. The WBV intervention significantly reduced time taken to complete the 5-Chair Stands test (p <.05) and the TUG test (p <.05). The six week WBV intervention significantly improved Tinetti test scores (p <.05). The six week WBV intervention significantly improved all components of HRQOL. For the 5-Chair Stands test, a three WBV sessions per week intervention elicited significantly larger (p <.05) neuromuscular performance gains than a two WBV sessions per week intervention in the target sample. For the TUG test, a three WBV sessions per week intervention elicited significantly larger (p <.05) neuromuscular performance gains than a zero and one WBV session per week intervention in the target sample. A significant difference (p <.05) was found between pre-test and post-test Tinetti test scores for all WBV intervention groups. There was an insignificant difference (p >.05) found within the control group of community dwelling older adults for the Tinetti test. Detraining effects were observed three weeks after the cessation of the six week WBV intervention for the three WBV sessions per week group. Neuromuscular performance reduced after the detraining period. Vibration platform dynamics (manipulated frequency and controlled amplitude) showed that gravitational forces created by the WBV were safe since no injuries were associated with the intervention and since participant compliance was 100% during the six week WBV intervention. The methods of this study showed a chronic WBV intervention to be a safe and easily administered exercise to improve neuromuscular performance and HRQOL of a community dwelling older adult sample. Specifically, WBV could be used as a safe and effective tool to improve aspects of normal daily function such as body balance and gait speed.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Stockholms universitet och Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-142). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-164). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-164). Also available on the Internet.