SPX LAB'S LABORatory
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Research is almost always stimulated by expressed or observed needs and concerns mainly the advanced interfaces (HCI, Tangible Bit, AR), the User Experience UX), the prediction aimed at process optimization (AI), the Internet of thinks (IoT), the application of neuroscience for marketing and rehabilitation, the relationship between science, technology, design and art.
In order to effectively carry out its R&D activities, SPX Lab experiments new creative processes, making its programmers constantly interact, designers, User Experience experts, always with a clear vision of business.
SPX Lab’s academic background drives the company to continuously seek innovative solutions to meet society’s needs, participating in courses, research programs and innovation awards, as well as organizing popular events, collaborating with universities and research centers. For this reason, SPX Lab offers itself as a reality at which internships, theses and PhDs can be carried out.
INTER-CH TOLD BY IMATI RESEARCHER CHIARA EVA CATALANO
From the artwork to mathematics
Innovative Interfaces for the Enhancement of Liguria's Historical-Artistic Heritage
The regional project INTER-CH
The INTER-CH Regional Project coordinated by CNR Imati promotes the adoption of innovative techniques in the enhancement of Liguria’s historical-artistic heritage, fostering a dynamic and experiential approach to the area’s cultural assets.
Starting with the ceramic work “Il libro d’oro del Terzo Paradiso” (2006) by Michelangelo Pistoletto exhibited at the Museum of Ceramics in Savona, INTER-CH’s research activity initially focused on the study of the symbol of the Terzo Paradiso by identifying the mathematical equation that describes it as a composition of geometric curves.
In addition to the mathematical reading of the symbol, the ceramic work was digitized by performing a photogrammetric acquisition and processing a 3D reconstruction with very high resolution and accuracy.
Following a direct discussion with the artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, who provided further food for thought, it was then decided to communicate the results of the research through the use of a tool that would allow the user to engage multiple senses at the same time, creating an emotional and innovative experience.
Thus, we thought of using Ta.Bi from SPX Lab for the purpose of the research: an interactive natural interface that implements Object Recognition as a virtual and augmented reality tool, designed for exhibition spaces and fairs, thus perfectly declinable for education and cultural offerings.
Il Terzo Paradiso, according to artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, symbolizes the fusion of the Primo and Secondo Paradiso.
The Primo Paradiso is the one in which human beings were one with nature, a world made of intuition and instinct.
The Secondo Paradiso, on the other hand, is the artificial one, developed by human intelligence and skill, and which allowed the development of science and technology.
The Terzo Paradiso is about the meeting of artifice and nature, the coexistence, the symbiosis of two entities that pushes us toward a hybrid future, where the most primal part of the human, made of sensations, coincides with technological and scientific progress.
The interactive experience lived through Ta.Bi aims to solicit reflection on the themes conveyed by Michelangelo Pistoletto's work, visualizing and manipulating the curves in different ways and delving into the potential of three-dimensional models.
Through interaction with tags on the table surface, it is possible to reproduce the work and influence its representation by rotating, moving or combining multiple tags for different results. The experience is divided into three main sections in which different aspects of the Terzo Paradiso are told.
It starts with the genesis of the symbol, continues with Terzo Paradiso realizations around the world, and then uncovers the digital replica of the "Libro d’Oro".
The symbol is then explored and understood through mathematical interpretation. The journey concludes with a reflection on the diversities and antinomies that are harmonized in the Terzo Paradiso.
The project aims to stimulate physical-virtual interactions between the works and visitors through immersive experiences that combine artistic skills with computer graphics and human-machine interfaces.
Development and experimentation is proceeding to succeed in integrating an AR (augmented reality) view of the work "Il libro d’oro del Terzo Paradiso" through the use of fiducial markers or location-based application.
The project intends to continue cooperation between different disciplines such as art, science, technology and design to promote local heritage and innovation.
The research project in collaboration with IMATI and CNR, began in January 2020 and continued for two years.
The collaboration was developed with four hands; a constant synergy between SPX Lab, the Institute of Applied Mathematics and Information Technology of the National Research Council, and the Museum of Ceramics in Savona, which boasts unique works from local and international heritage.
A relevant aspect of the project was the direct involvement of the artist in the unfolding process, according to the S+T+ARTS (Science Technology and Arts) principle, of which SPX Lab is a careful promoter. The project is also presented in 2021 at the S+T+ARTS Talks conference in Genoa.
PEOPLE BECOME THE FACE OF YOUR BRAND
ME CONNECTS CREATES CONTACT
ME CREATES CONTACT
THE ME CONNECTS project
ME Connects is a project conceived to make available to B2B, especially in a marketing and retail context, an effective tool for collecting people’s data and opinions in order to improve their shopping experience, leveraging the very popular practice of the selfie, or self-timer.
As it was envisioned, ME Connects is designed for profiling people in a fun way, thanks to the selfie: the data entered by users, guaranteeing security and privacy of information, can then be used for future target marketing campaigns.
Since its conception, it has been successfully tested in different application contexts and with different business entities. During the development period, with early adopters, we also experimented with automated features based on image processing and recognition.
ME Connects collects master data and opinions of users with targeted questions and market surveys in order to analyze their habits and improve their experience in their respective contexts of use.
Thanks to the collection of email addresses, interested users can then be offered services, products and information with targeted web campaigns.
All data collected is GDPR compliant: to take a selfie, the user must agree to privacy and authorize publication and/or participation in any contests.
ME Connects is a project conceived in our lab in 2016 as a result of the analysis of the application context of trade fairs and points of sale.
ME Connects was created with the aim of developing a new solution in the area of "marketing automation," which is the area that identifies the ability to collect and generate information to and from one's customers or potential customers.
Particularly with research and development we are addressing aspects related to image recognition and processing with artificial intelligence algorithms, aimed at scalability in data collection and analysis, privacy compliance by using technology.
Objective (automatic collection of information through the application and interface) and subjective (questionnaires and interviews with application users) analyses were planned for each phase.
Several development, testing and integration activities were carried out on the following advanced features:
- image processing, automatic acquisition of information based on face recognition such as gender, ethnicity and number of subjects
- privacy protection, detection and concealment of elements and backgrounds
- emotion recognition, automatic detection of emotional state with on-screen feedback
All modules were designed according to a User Experience approach and tested with focus groups and early adopters before being put into production.
MAGICAL AND STYLISH
THE NEW FRONTIER OF SMART INTERIOR MADE IN ITALY
THE MIRROR BEYOND THE REFLECTION
THE MIRÒ PROJECT
Mirò is the result of intensive research and development in the field of high-tech interior design: a unique and innovative design object.
With its cutting-edge technology and reflective surface typical of a furniture mirror, Mirò offers a new and exciting user experience.
Mirò is much more than a furniture mirror because it offers advanced features that distinguish it from any other traditional mirror. Mirò respects the essence of the furniture element “mirror” but enhances its potential.
The technology used for the advanced functions is invisibly and discreetly integrated within it and doesn’t affect at all the identity of the mirror itself.
The result is an innovative high-end furnishing object that restores beauty to technology through design.
Mirò is currently available in two distinct models: Fellini, characterized by a modern and minimalist design, and Aurora, with a versatile and elegant appearance.
Mirò, the mirror beyond reflection, is our version of the mirror of the future.
Mirò's advanced functions have been deduced while respecting the identity and traditions of the mirror, considered an emblematic and indispensable piece of furniture in any environment.
Miró features a traditional reflective surface for frontal viewing, thus keeping its primary function intact.
However, we have transcended the limitations of the mirror by introducing innovative technologies that enable never-before imagined functionality.
Mirò allows the person looking in the mirror to magnify portions of his or her reflection, thus enabling greater detail accuracy during make-up or dressing. Furthermore Mirò allows the person looking in the mirror to mirror himself or herself from behind.
We have transformed Mirò into a unique design object, opening it up to collaboration with artists and equipping it with a gallery of NFT digital artworks, thus uniting the digital with the everyday space.
The technology of NFTs, which stands for "Non-Fungible Tokens," has generated a revolution in the digital art world.
These cryptographic tokens ensure the originality and traceability of digital artworks, making them unique and unrepeatable. In addition, NFTs offer the ability to record the ownership and provenance of a digital artwork securely and transparently, thus ensuring its authenticity and artistic value over time.
Through collaboration with artists, Miró has become a design work that combines the functionality of a mirror with NFT-certified digital art.
Miró's reflective surface has been transformed into a canvas for digital artwork, creating a perfect symbiosis between the viewer and the work that reflects him or her.
Mirò is an expression of sophisticated, high-quality design, the result of a conscious choice to use traditional materials such as oak, birch wood, and gold leaf, combined with state-of-the-art technology for its specific functions.
This design choice made it possible to create a piece of furniture that respects the inherent forms and characteristics of the mirror, while distinguished by the presence of advanced functionality, integrated in an elegant and discreet manner.
The end result is a unique product characterized by a perfect combination of traditional materials and advanced technologies.
Mirò is currently available in two versions, Fellini and Aurora.
Aurora is part of the 2022 collection and is the only version of Mirò that is fully customizable: from the friezes, to the materials used, to the color tones.
Fellini, on the other hand, is the more linear and modern gold leaf version, suitable for any context and is the first version ever designed.