The Digital Innovation Platform is made up of the Intelligent Big Data Visualization Lab, the Design A.I. Lab, the Centre for Digital Innovation, the Digital Animation and Entertainment Lab, Immersive Simulation Lab, the Unity XR Innovation Design Lab, the Photography studio and Tongji-Dadawa Sound Lab. The platform establishes an open, resource-rich and advanced digital innovation and experimental teaching base to help students carry out interdisciplinary experimental creative creation using the latest digital frontier technologies.
The Intelligent Big Data Visualization Lab is led by Professor Cao Nan. Focusing on big data science and introducing big data processing clusters, the lab takes charge of teaching in the field of data science in the College of Design and Innovation, including interaction design and digital communication design, as well as offering relevant courses and experimental teaching activities. The cross-curriculum system across the three fields of design, information science and data science is gradually introduced in the College to train design students with a digital and informative mind-set.
The Intelligent Big Data Visualization Lab
The Design A.I. Lab was jointly established by the College of Design and Innovation of Tongji University and Tezan Information Technology, which is dedicated to the interdisciplinary research of data, computation, network, artificial intelligence and design. The lab nurtures a new generation of design and creative talent through PhD and Master’s education, and collaborates with established and start-up technology companies to support the transformation through industry, academia, research and innovation. The lab is committed to connecting design to the digital economy, turning design into a data resource, and achieving machine intelligence through design.
The Centre for Digital Innovation (CDI) is led by Professor Sun Xiaohua of the College, which introduces AR head-mounted display equipment, MR head-mounted display equipment, VR waist and back accessories, VR motion sensor shoes, precise hand motion capture equipment, mobile rendering unit, cross-platform data processing system and server, to build an experimental teaching and innovative design platform based on AR/VR/MR, which better supports the teaching and practice of innovative design and serves students to learn AR/VR/MR design methods and technical implementation.
The Centre for Digital Innovation (CDI)
The Digital Animation and Entertainment Lab is a multi-functional experimental platform for teaching, research and creation, which is planned, constructed and managed by Associate Professor Liu Zhejun. The major teaching and research fields of the lab include 3D modelling technology, 3D animation art, digital film and television special effects, digital game design and development, virtual reality and augmented reality, etc. The lab aims to improve students’ creative thinking based on modern imaging and interactive technologies and transform ideas into digital media products for entertainment or non-entertainment purposes. The laboratory covers an area of about 90 square meters consisting of four areas: teaching area, research area, demonstration area and VR experimental area, with main equipment including high-performance graphics workstations, digital drawing tools, digital recording equipment, digital input terminals, virtual reality equipment, etc., which can fully meet the learning, research and creation requirements for teachers and students in the field of digital animation and entertainment.
The Digital Animation and Entertainment Lab
The Immersive Simulation Lab is a joint laboratory funded by the College of Design and Innovation of Tongji University, Shanghai Institute of Aerospace Information, and TOP Institute of Virtual Reality. The lab aims to track continuously the frontier development of virtual simulation technology and conduct basic and applied research in digital media, VR, AR and other fields. It is dedicated to the exploration of cognition and experience in the combination of VR and program-controlled devices, the application and innovation of cutting-edge technology in aerospace, military, industrial and educational fields, the innovative application of above-mentioned technologies in the field of pan-entertainment, as well as the designation of relevant technical standards.
The Unity XR Innovation Design Lab is jointly established by the College of Design and Innovation of Tongji University and Unity Shanghai for the functions of teaching, research and creation. The lab is dedicated to stimulating students’ imagination and creativity with the use of cutting-edge hardware and software technologies and producing excellent games, installations, VR, AR and other kinds of interactive works.
The Unity XR Immersive Simulation Lab
The Photography Studio is fully equipped with studio shadow-less walls, green screen, flash, soft-box, reflective umbrellas, honeycomb hoods, radar hoods, and spotting tubes etc. It can provide a full range of shooting support such as set up, lighting, etc., and can complete tasks such as video creation, product photography, and video shooting.
The Photography Studio
The Tongji-Dadawa Sound Lab was initiated by Professor Lou Yongqi and crossover musician Zhu Zheqin, using sound as the engine of action, combining algorithm design, media interaction and other technologies, through the transformation of sound into images, objects and interactive performance in various experiments, attempting cross-border, interdisciplinary, cross-cultural cutting-edge research and social and public application practice, while exploring further possibilities in the design of sound itself.
The Tongji-Dadawa Sound Lab
