This is an extended sequence of assignments, typically peformed by a group of 4-5 students. Each team will conceptualize, design, build, evaluate, and document an interactive installation, and author an associated art research paper. We will be preparing conference track *and* multimedia art exhibition art program submissions for the ACM Multimedia Conference. The actual submissions are due 5/16 (abstracts), and 5/23 (exhibition documentation including video & papers).

According to the conference web site, the theme for the art exhibition is Presence/Absence:

We seek art works that use multimedia to explore issues of location, relocation and dislocation, particularly where multimedia technology overcomes or reinforces physical presence or separation. The emphasis for the exhibition is on interactive art works that realize powerful artistic concepts using multimedia content and technologies.

There is a further art program exhibition statement, which you will want to consult. Additionally, consider that noted interactive art curator Jeffrey Shaw is on the exhibition curatorial committee, and likely to play a leading role. You may be interested in checking out art works (or in this format) that he has been involved in, as well as stuff that he has written.

The conference also provides a spec for the Interactive Art Program Conference Track:

We solicit papers describing interactive multimedia art works, tools, applications, and technical approaches for creative uses of multimedia content and technology. Emphasis will be given to novel works that use a rich variety of media and those that are interactive, particularly works that exploit non-conventional human-computer interfaces or sensors in new and emerging areas. We strongly encourage papers with a strong technical content written by artists.

Each project team will prepare both kinds of submissions. The conference's requirements statements will serve as the specification for your two final deliverables for this final project sequence. In addition, there will be some steps along the way, as well as an oral presentation:

For this final project sequence, there are extra rules. All deliverables must be completed, and on time. 1 point per day will be deducted from your grade for each day late for each deliverable. The reason for this is to force you to do all the steps, which will certainly result in better projects.