Dancing away Loneliness: AI-Powered Virtual Dancefloor
Table of Contents
- 1. Dancing away Loneliness: AI-Powered Virtual Dancefloor
- 2. Combining Technology with movement
- 3. Dance Your Way to Connection: CAROUSEL blends Virtual Reality and AI for Immersive Dance Experiences
- 4. Accessible Dance for Everyone
- 5. Digital Dance Partners: AI-Powered Avatars
- 6. Dancing for Well-Being: CAROUSEL’s Future Potential
The festive season, while joyous for many, can also be a time of heightened loneliness for others. Excessive time spent online can exacerbate this feeling of isolation, as digital interaction often lacks the depth of real-world connection. Recognizing this, a team of EU-funded researchers is pioneering a unique solution: an AI-powered virtual dancefloor that allows users to connect and dance together, regardless of physical location.
“We have this fantastic tool – the internet – which is changing how people interact,” says Pieter van der Linden, co-founder of French digital solutions company Vivitnet. “But the way we use it can hinder real human connection. Today’s online interaction is mostly passive. It focuses primarily on thinking and less on genuine feelings and emotions.”
The CAROUSEL project, led by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, aims to overcome these limitations by incorporating movement into online interaction. Dance, a deeply human activity used for celebration, ritual, and sheer enjoyment, has been chosen as the primary use case.
“Dance is profoundly human,” explains van der Linden. “It’s something we do naturally, even as babies and toddlers. It requires focusing on another person and following their movements, creating a unique connection.”
the team’s motivation stems from a desire to address the growing problem of loneliness, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.A 2022 EU-wide survey revealed that 35% of respondents felt lonely at least some of the time, while 13% reported feeling lonely most or all of the time.
Combining Technology with movement
The CAROUSEL team is using a combination of AI and immersive technologies to create a realistic virtual dance experiance. Cameras capture dancers’ movements, which are then transformed by AI into avatars that accurately mirror their actions on screen. One of the biggest technical challenges was eliminating any time lag in communication,which would disrupt the flow of the dance.
Currently, the researchers use virtual reality headsets, movement trackers, and 3D cameras. Their vision,however,is to make this technology accessible to everyone,aiming to use more common equipment like mobile phones and standard headsets in the future.
“Our dream is to make this accessible to the mass market, so we have to bring down the price of the equipment to something in the area of a mobile phone,”
– Pieter van der linden
German professional dancer Alexandra Schmuklermann, a research assistant on the CAROUSEL project, emphasizes the project’s potential impacts on the dance community: “I think it’s a great addition for the dance world for many reasons.”
Dance Your Way to Connection: CAROUSEL blends Virtual Reality and AI for Immersive Dance Experiences
Imagine stepping into a virtual world where you can dance with partners from across the globe, all without leaving your living room. That’s the vision driving CAROUSEL, a revolutionary project merging virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) to create immersive dance experiences. Led by researchers at the Max planck institute for Intelligent systems,CAROUSEL aims to break down physical barriers and connect people through the global language of dance.”it’s amazing,” says researcher Johanna Schmuklermann. “Two people from different parts of the world can dance together in the same digital surroundings. Even professional dancers find it incredible.” Beyond proximity,CAROUSEL offers a unique escape from the everyday. “You are transported to a entirely different world,” Schmuklermann explains. “It’s a psychological benefit, especially in hectic environments. This game allows you to shut out the world and focus on the joy of movement.”Accessible Dance for Everyone
Accessibility is paramount for the CAROUSEL team. To ensure the system is engaging for all ages and fitness levels, the dance moves are designed to be both creative and easy to follow. “It’s a balancing act,” says Schmuklermann.“We want moves that are exciting but not intimidating.” The team has also implemented safety measures, setting virtual boundaries within the dance space. Users are alerted if they cross the boundary, instantly shifting back to their physical surroundings to avoid any accidents. Recognizing that not everyone finds comfort in fully immersive VR, CAROUSEL also offers an AR mode, allowing users to invite others into their own rooms for a more grounded experience.Digital Dance Partners: AI-Powered Avatars
To enhance the social aspect, CAROUSEL features AI-powered dancing avatars. These virtual partners serve as “digital icebreakers,” making it easier for users to feel comfortable dancing with others. The AI dancers were trained using various algorithms and dance styles, with the research team even recording themselves and professional dancers to provide realistic movements. one standout avatar, Adam the disco dancer, was trained by professionals wearing motion capture suits in Finland. This dedication to detail ensures that the AI partners move fluidly and convincingly, adding another layer of immersion to the experience.Dancing for Well-Being: CAROUSEL’s Future Potential
while CAROUSEL is still under advancement, the team has aspiring plans. They envision a mass-market request catering to both entertainment and health needs. “We want to combat isolation and loneliness, while also promoting a healthy lifestyle,” says researcher Joost van der Linden. CAROUSEL encourages movement and combats sedentary behavior, offering a fun alternative to sitting at a desk. As van der Linden emphasizes, “Dance has numerous benefits, backed by scientific studies.It elevates mood and fosters connections. That’s essentially what CAROUSEL is all about.”## Dancing Away Loneliness: An Interview with Pieter van der Linden
**Archyde:** Welcome to Archyde, Pieter. Thank you for joining us today. You’re one of the leading minds behind the CAROUSEL project, an innovative initiative tackling the pervasive issue of loneliness using the power of dance and cutting-edge technology. Can you tell our readers what inspired this project?
**Pieter van der Linden:** The inspiration stemmed from a stark realization. While the internet has undoubtedly revolutionized communication, the way we use it often hinders genuine human connection. Online interaction tends to be passive, focused on thought rather than genuine feelings. We saw dance, an intrinsically human act, as a powerful tool to bridge this gap.
**archyde:** Dance is certainly a lovely and expressive art form.Why choose dance specifically for this project?
**Pieter:** Dance is profoundly human. It transcends language barriers, cultural differences, and even physical limitations. As babies,we move rhythmically before we can even speak. Dance requires focus, attentiveness to another person’s movements, and a shared experience. It fosters a unique and powerful connection that simply can’t be replicated through passive scrolling or text communication.
**Archyde:** CAROUSEL utilizes AI and immersive technologies like VR. Can you elaborate on how these elements work together to create this unique virtual dance experience?
**Pieter:** our system uses cameras to capture dancers’ movements in real time. AI algorithms analyze this data and transform it into avatars that accurately mirror those movements on screen.
One of the biggest technical challenges was eliminating any lag, which would disrupt the natural flow of dance. Now, users can interact with each other in virtual space as if they were physically together.
**archyde:** That sounds incredible! Looking forward, what are your long-term goals for CAROUSEL?
**Pieter:** Our dream is to make this accessible to everyone, not just those with specialized VR equipment. We envision a future where anyone can participate using commonly available devices like mobile phones and standard headsets.
We believe CAROUSEL can transform the way people connect, combat loneliness, and rediscover the joy of human interaction through the universal language of dance.
**Archyde:** Thank you for sharing your vision with us, Pieter. We’re excited to see CAROUSEL blossom and bring the joy of dance to a wider audience.
**For our readers who are interested in learning more about the CAROUSEL project, we encourage you to visit their website at [link to the CAROUSEL website] .**
