The Polar Ice Museum is a series of artworks using polar data to create meaningful public engagement on the topic of climate change. This project is developed in a collaboration by iHarp and the IRC, under the leadership of Principal Investigator, Dr. Vandana Janeja.
Project Description
Several monitors will be displayed in a random semi-circle showcasing an ice cave created by the IRC. It’s designed in 3D space (using the Unreal gaming engine software) and therefore the multi-channel output will be continuous. Polar data will activate animations across the screens. In front of the monitors will be a 4-foot white, circular tabletop sculpture with a 3D relief of a topographical landscape carved into it. Colored water will fill the relief sculpture, revealing a photographic image of a local landscape. Therefore, data flooding the Polar Ice regions (5 locations in Greenland) will affect local topology.
Significance
Scientists emphasize that solving climate change requires broad public engagement, yet the abstract nature of climate data often fails to resonate with non-expert audiences. By utilizing polar ice research to create data-driven visualizations of local landscapes, we foster meaningful experiences with the public about climate instability.
Collaboration and Methods
Utilizing ¡ Harp’s extensive geological data will describe the phenomenon from regions in Greenland where the geography underneath the snow and ice becomes visible due to a warming climate. Lakes begin to form in the polar region. Therefore, when data from the polar region expresses small amounts of melting, a small amount of colored water will fill the sculpture. When the data shows acceleration, the white sculpture is slowly transformed into a topographical photograph of a lake region. Simultaneously, an underwater audio track of ice in Greenland will be composed, where volume and speed are in sync with the lake spreading.
Early Prototypes
Early prototypes were developed using 3D and virtual reality (VR), designed in Unreal gaming engine software.
The graph shown here provides a very promising statistic that makes change seem possible.
Sketches for interactive exhibits in the ice museum, Taylor Goad, Intermedia and Digital Arts MFA Candidate.
Researchers and Creators
iHARP Principal Investigator: Vandana Janeja, Professor of Information Systems, Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Information and Technology.
Co-Principal Investigators:
Art Direction: Lisa Moren, Director, Imaging Research Center
User Experience Scientist: Anita Komlodi, Associate Professor of Human-Centered Computing, Information Systems Department
Climate Scientist: Sudip Chakraborty, Research Assistant Professor, ¡HARP project
Policy Advisor: Yusuke Kuwayama, Assistant Professor, Public Policy
Animation and Modeling Lead: Ryan Zuber, Technical Director, IRC Staff
Students
Research and Design:
Taylor Goad, Graduate Student of Intermedia and Digital Arts
Lynn Nguyen, Graduate Student of Intermedia and Digital Arts
User Experience Science:
Iman Asfari, Volunteer Postdoctoral Researcher, Information Systems Department
Rishitha Achari, Human-Centered Computing student, Information Systems Department
Data Science: Tobi Williams, Undergraduate Student, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering; Data Science Fellow in the College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT)
