A 4-day intensive program designed to equip professionals with hands-on skills in XR (VR/AR), motion capture, physiological monitoring, and multimodal data analysis. Participants will gain the tools and knowledge to integrate immersive technologies into research and creative workflows
Course Description
Step into the future of creative and research-driven practice with MIT’s intensive 4-day program—Immersive Technologies for Creative and Research-Driven Practice. Designed specifically for professionals, researchers, and artists, this hands-on course empowers participants to master cutting-edge XR (Virtual and Augmented Reality), motion capture, physiological monitoring tools, and advanced multimodal data analysis techniques.
Located in MIT.nano’s state-of-the-art Immersion Lab, you'll engage directly with industry-standard and emerging research technologies, gaining practical skills in operating and creating with VR/AR systems, capturing dynamic motion data, interpreting physiological signals, and analyzing and learning from integrated datasets. The curriculum emphasizes real-world applications, providing you with the expertise to seamlessly integrate immersive tools into your professional workflows—whether in healthcare, sports science, education, design, or innovative creative fields.
Participants will:
- Set up and operate cutting-edge XR, motion capture, and biometric monitoring systems.
- Master multimodal data acquisition, synchronization, and analysis in live research or performance scenarios.
- Design and prototype immersive experiences using Unity or Unreal Engine.
- Transform complex data into compelling visual stories and actionable insights.
- Explore ethical best practices in human-centered data collection and analysis.
- Collaborate in interdisciplinary teams, fostering innovation and creative problem-solving.
- Apply synchronization and export standards for high-quality data workflows.
- Analyze motion and biometric data using real-time and post-processing tools.
- Create compelling data visualizations for communication and storytelling.
- Explore applications in fields such as healthcare, sports science, education, design, and creative tech.
- Form domain-specific groups to provide focused, hands-on opportunities and applied practice.
Course Dates & Times: July 21 to 24, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM each day
Location: In-Person at MIT.nano Building 12, Immersion Lab 12-3207
Contact: immersion@mit.edu
Program Overview
Title: Immersive Technologies for Creative and Research-Driven Practice
Duration: 4 Days (Full-time, In-person)
Audience: Mid- to senior-level professionals in research, design, health, performance, creative industries, and innovation roles
Format: Hands-on labs, guided demos, group discussions, real-world case studies
Cost: $3,750
Location: MIT.nano Immersion Lab
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will:
- Understand the foundations and applications of immersive technologies in professional practice;
- Operate VR/AR systems, motion capture rigs, and physiological monitoring tools;
- Design and test basic immersive experiences with real-time feedback;
- Identify ways to incorporate multimodal data into research and creative workflows;
- Collaborate across disciplines in a lab setting;
- Apply learnings to a domain-specific project that demonstrates technical and conceptual integration.
Tools & Technologies Used
- Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) headsets
- Motion capture systems
- Physiological monitoring equipment (e.g., heart rate, GSR sensors)
- Software for real-time data visualization and analysis
- Unity or Unreal Engine for immersive environments
- Multimodal synchronization tools
Grading & Assignments
There are no assignments and no grading in this professional education course. The focus is on exploration, collaboration, and experimentation.
Accessibility Statement
We strive to make all course activities and materials accessible. If you have any accessibility needs or accommodation requests, please contact us at immersion@mit.edu prior to the course start.
Resources Included
- Access to all lab technologies during the course
- Templates, analysis scripts, and workflow documentation
- Post-course resource library + optional follow-up call
Schedule
Day 1: Infrastructure & Tech Foundations
- Welcome & Orientation: Overview of goals, team introductions
- Tech Ecosystem Tour: VR/AR headsets, motion capture, EEG, EMG, and heart-rate sensors
- Hardware Deep Dive: How to power, calibrate, and run systems
- Multi-Modal System Operations: Integrating tools into a single workflow
- Tour of MIT (optional)
Day 2: Data Acquisition Best Practices
- Session Design: Planning motion + biometric capture sessions
- Mocap & Physiology Setup: Working with suits, sensors, and participants
- Timecode & Sync: Aligning inputs across platforms
- Case Study Breakdown: Real-world example of a capture workflow
- Data Export: Organizing outputs for analysis
Day 3: From Data to Insight
- Data Workflows: Pipeline from raw motion and physiology to visual insights
- Multimodal Analysis: Correlating motion with biometric trends
- Custom Analysis: Scripting for automation and insights (Python, Unity C#)
- Visualization & Storytelling: Transforming data into compelling outputs
Day 4: Real-World Implementation
- VR/AR Technologies: Deployment strategies, tools, and use cases
- Digital Twins & Reconstruction: Techniques for replicating real-world systems
- Group Feedback & Q&A: Application planning, project consultation
- Closing Remarks: Certification, next steps, and ongoing support