Immersive Broadcast

The Digital Creativity research programme, based at Falmouth University in Cornwall, UK invites applications for a three-year full-time Doctoral studentship. This project will contribute research and development into software for events broadcasts in immersive virtual worlds, with a focus on developing novel approaches to streaming digital events.

Streamed media has increased in popularity over the last decade. However, despite the increasing maturity of immersive technologies and platforms to support the immersion of audiences into virtual worlds, traditional multimedia video formats (i.e., those associated with YouTube and Twitch) remain dominant formats---even for digital events which arguably would benefit from cutting-edge immersive multimedia approaches. A potential reason for this is the availability and accessibility of open-source tools and equipment to facilitate such broadcast (e.g., OBS---Open Broadcast Software), and the relative lack of open equivalents for streaming virtual worlds for immersive platforms.

This doctoral-level research and development project proposes to explore approaches to digital event broadcast and participation. It will then use the insights to found an open-source project to provide tools and generate equipment. Such tools and equipment will not only extend the state-of-the-art in immersive broadcast but also facilitate its adoption and deployment, therefore challenging the dominance of traditional multimedia video formats in appropriate domains.

This work will help provide an opportunity for an open-source software enthusiasts with an interest in immersive technologies to contribute to the development of the field of immersive events broadcast; likely, appealing to graduates seeking to develop skills and expertise spanning multimedia technology, human-computer interaction, and digital games and immersive technologies.

Applicants will need to have the technical skills sufficient to leverage cutting-edge computer graphics and simulation techniques as well as a good contextual understanding of the transition into higher education. It will also provide access to a range of contemporary software tools as well as training in both qualitative and quantitative research methods needed to deliver the project, as well as entrepreneurial skills mentoring and incubation opportunities to commercialise intellectual properties emerging from the research.

The successful candidate can expect to develop their own dissertation topic within the wider remit of the project. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate:

• Imaginative and viable preliminary ideas for research into this subject area
• An appreciation of the nature of PhD study and of both independent and collaborative research
• Clear motivation for undertaking PhD study in Falmouth in this subject area
• Evidence that you have, or can develop, the skills required to start the proposed research

Applicants should have a good undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline alongside a postgraduate degree and/or relevant experience in a cognate area.

Project brief & project proposal enquiries

To discuss this project brief, ideas or project proposal responding to this brief, please contact: Dr Michael Scott

E: michael.scott@falmouth.ac.uk

Application enquiries

For all other application related enquires please contact the Research & Development team.

E: research@falmouth.ac.uk

T: 01326 255831