REPLICA-TING GLOW: University XR Collaboration for Scalable Mixed Reality Touring

Project partners: University of Nottingham, King’s College London, De Montfort University, Displace Studio

A research and development collaboration led by the Virtual and Immersive Production (VIP) Studio at the University of Nottingham is building on both the foundations of REPLICA by Displace Studio, a mixed reality prototype and Lumen Prize nominee, that merges volumetric capture with live dance; and GLoW: Illuminating Innovation, led by Prof. Sarah Atkinson, an exhibition showcasing groundbreaking digital creativity.

A live light and music installation at St Marys in the Strand, London which was led by Bec Smith a GLOW artist residency recipient.

Through a partnership between the VIP Studio, King’s College London, De Montfort University, GLOW in a BOX and Displace Studio, the project is evolving the original single-user experience into a scalable, multi-user framework designed to overcome industry hurdles related to extended reality (XR) touring and ecological sustainability.

Traditional XR works demand exhaustive technical reconfiguration at every new venue. The REPLICA-TING GLOW project is building a standardised and replicable touring system that will enable the transition of XR performance from expensive, localised events into mobile, sustainable tours. 

While developing REPLICA as a multi-user prototype, the project synchronises live choreography with digital doubles and real-time interaction within a modular virtual production environment.

While many XR experiences are solitary or passive, this project introduces a collaborative spatial atmosphere. Multiple participants use Quest 3 VR headsets to inhabit a layered mixed-reality space, interacting with both live dancers and volumetric assets. 

The collaboration is utilising cutting edge university facilities and specialist expertise. The University of Nottingham’s Virtual and Immersive Production Studio is providing specialist expertise in volumetric capture, immersive sound design and access to a fleet of Quest 3 virtual reality headsets for comprehensive user testing. 

The project is one of twelve collaborations that received R&D funding from XR Network+ through the XR Labs Fund. The funding call awarded grants of up to £25,000 for university-led collaborations to develop extended reality prototypes using facilities at UK universities.

Photograph: “Replica” by Displace Studio. Credit: Julian Hughes

Categories: Performance, Research, Technology