Research
Projects

On the weekend of 6 DEC 2024, the Black Box Theatre at the Macau Cultural Centre hosted the highly anticipated premiere of ChongChong’s Hamster, a poignant and visually stunning theatrical experience. Presented by Rolling Puppet Alternative Theatre in collaboration with OTTOsonics, this innovative production marked a milestone in Asian theatre by integrating puppetry, visual storytelling, and immersive ambisonics sound technology.

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Prof. Gérald Estadieu & Prof. Sandra Ng (USJ, Macao)

Photo credits: Simson Lam, #RollingPuppet滾動傀儡另類劇場 

#蟲蟲的倉鼠 #大人細路一起看系列 演出

2024. 12.7-9

#澳門文化中心黑盒1

DodekaOTTO is a multi-channel sound installation structure shaped like a dodecahedron that places immersive audio experiences in the heart of our city. Visually striking and sonically fascinating, it invites us to take a deep breath and plunge into a spatial audio adventure!

 

With the exhibition Macao’s Wetland Treasures: 2024 Biodiversity Photography Exhibition at the Venetian Macao, we showcase two selected pieces: Water, Earth and Sky (2024) by Gérald Estadieu, and Máni (2022) by Kim Ho to highlight the sound of nature. 

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Prof. Gérald Estadieu & Prof. Sandra Ng (USJ, Macao)

Ubimus 2024 MACAO was held on the 31st of October, 1st and 2nd of November 2024 at the University of Saint Joseph, in Macau S.A.R. (China) and hosted by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The goal of the conference is to promote interest in ubiquitous music as an important research field embracing all humanities and technological aspects of our societies and cultures. We put an installations of the DodekaOTTO on the patio of the University as the foyer of the conference.

 

Prof. Gérald Estadieu & Prof. Sandra Ng (USJ, Macao)

Prof. Enrique T. Calderón (University of Arts Linz, Austria)

Unlock the full potential of sound with our hands-on workshop, where you'll discover the transformative power of Ambisonics technology. This cutting-edge immersive audio system wraps listeners in 360-degree sound, redefining your relationship with music and space.

 

Experience a 20-channel OTTOsonics setup shaped like a dodecahedron, and learn how to harness its capabilities through interactive demonstrations. We'll showcase various soundscapes and compositions that will inspire you to rethink audio as a multidimensional art form.

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Prof. Gérald Estadieu & Prof. Sandra Ng (USJ, Macao)

Prof. Enrique T. Calderón (University of Arts Linz, Austria), Artist. Manuel Mitterhuber

The exhibition commemorates the devastating Great Typhoon of September 22-23, 1874, which ravaged Macao, killing nearly 5,000 people and destroying over 1,200 junks and sampans. The exhibition reflects the typhoon's brutal impact on the city, featuring 12 haunting photographs by Chinese photographer Lai Afong, taken just days after the disaster. Co-sponsored by various institutions, it also highlights the typhoon’s role in advancing early efforts in meteorology across Asia, marking the beginning of international reporting and study of natural disasters.

 

This virtual exhibition, launched alongside the physical one at USJ's Ilha Verde campus, presents a larger archive of exhibits and AI-restored and AI-animated post-disaster photographs of Hong Kong. Through this multimedia integration, the exhibition showcases a new approach to digitising intangible heritage at USJ.

 

On-site Exhibition Curator: Professor Priscilla Roberts

On-site Executive Curators: Emily Chan, Catarina Lei

3D modelled, curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

A collaboration with the USJ Library as part of the exhibition about the anniversary of the global typhoon in 1874. Step into the swirling vortex of sound that is “Stormsphere”, an immersive audio installation that plunges you into the midst of a raging typhoon. Imagine yourself standing in the heart of Macau in 1874, as a massive storm system bears down on the city. The winds howl, the rain lashes down, and the very fabric of reality seems to be torn apart.

 

In this experiential journey, we invite you to surround yourself with the raw energy of nature's fury. Using spatial audio technology, our artists have captured the sounds of recent typhoons in Macau and recordings from around the world to create a breathtakingly immersive experience.

As you enter “StormSphere”, you'll be transported into the heart of the storm, where the cacophony of wind, rain, and thunder converges into a symphony of chaos. Let the rumble of the storm's fury envelop you, as you feel the power of nature's raw energy coursing through your very being. 

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Project Supervisors: Prof. Gerald Estadieu, Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Support: Emily Chan On I, Catarina Lei Hoi Kei, Prof. Priscilla Roberts

A collaboration with Seton Hall University. A haven for contemporary, multidisciplinary exhibitions and installations that ignite the senses and fuel the imagination. Within this creative enclave, USJ has crafted a dynamic learning space that enriches the intellectual life of the USJ and its community and nurtures leadership development among faculty and students. Prepare to explore four captivating categories within our gallery: Heritage and Culture, Heritage and Visual Identity, Art and Fabrication, and Virtual Galleries. Each category offers a unique perspective, showcasing diverse exhibits that blend tradition with innovation. From the captivating display of traditional artefacts to the cutting-edge utilisation of digital technology, such as 3D modelling, rendering, printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality, our exhibits push the boundaries of creativity and venture into uncharted territories of art and design.

Project Supervisors: Prof. Stephen Morgan, Prof. Carlos Sena Caires

Coordinator: Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Website & online curator: Prof. Filipa Martins de Abreu

A collaboration with OTTOsonics. Setting up an Ambisonics sound system on the Green Campus of the University of Saint Joseph, Ilha Verde, Macau, China. This sound system was 80% manufactured in-house with the technology of 3D printing and some electronics. 

Project Supervisors: Prof. Gerald Estadieu

Preserving the amazing architecture and wood crafts inside a contemporary chapel located on the Green Campus of University of Saint Joseph, Ilha Verde, Macau, China.

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Photography: Alumni Mamadú Seck
Project Supervisor: Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

The "Mindfulness Virtual Reality (VR) Experiment" is part of study outcome from a PhD in Global Studies at the University of Saint Joseph. It aims to understand participant’s main thoughts and connections to mindfulness through testing four immersive experiences in VR.

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3D modelled, curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

The University of Saint Joseph in Macao, China, proudly presents the "Night Painting" exhibition, featuring the creative talents of Bachelor students in Communication and Media. This extraordinary showcase of their work promises to be a captivating experience. 

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Projects Supervisors: Prof. José Manual Simões and Prof. João Brochado
VR Supervised and Curated by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

On the 24 ＆ 25 November 2022 the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Saint Joseph (Macau S.A.R, China) is organising the ARTeFACTo 2022 Macao International Conference on “Digital Creation in Arts, Media and Technology”.

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Giving the possibility to break the restriction of physical inaccessibility to Macau, this virtual exhibition gallery was 3D modelled to showcase artworks and installations arts alongside the ARTeFACTo 2022 Macao International Conference. We welcome every interested individual to join us here and experience this first-ever virtual immersive experience in USJ, embedding various media, NFTs, and virtual chatrooms with artists. 

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3D modelled and arranged by Gustavo Mendes Barbosa Bourbon Martins (Year 4, Bachelor of Design) / Matthew Hou Chon Si (Year 4, Bachelor of Design) 

Supervised, exhibition curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Inspired by the Chapel of St.Michael, located in St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, Macao, China. Find your peace and serenity here by focussing and concentrating on your prayer. 

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Graveyards and cemeteries are often intimidating areas to be mentioned in Chinese culture. Introducing grave mourning in virtual reality to Macao’s community is challenging since it must be of a good balance of being able to recreate the realistic experience of ‘visiting’ the deceased and not being intimidated by the ordinary cemetery atmosphere. Considering the privacy of other deceased and the sole aim of connecting to the only decedent we want to commemorate on the spot, the Chapel of St. Michael is selected to be recreated.

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For the funeral mass, the Chapel of St. Michael was built in 1875 in the St. Michael’s Cemetery (Macao, China). The building, designed by designer Barão do Cercal, covers an area of about 350 square metres. The exterior is Gothic Revival style, while the entire building is painted green and white. The main building has only one floor, and a bell tower is at its entrance. The Chapel is symmetrical, with three stained glass windows behind the altar. St. Michael's statue is placed in the centre of the altar, with many candles and plants around as decoration.

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3D modelled, curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

BGM: Nada Te Turbe | Organ: Branda Vong, Viola: Edward Yee 

The Ilha Verde Campus of The University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Macao, China, was inaugurated in 2019 as its headquarter. As part of the practice in a module named Virtual Environment designed for year 3 students from Bachelor of Design, we are here to 3D model some part of the campus. 

To begin, the lecturer Sandra Olga Ng prepared the basic architecture of the campus, including its Academic Building and first few floors of the Residential Hall. Then, each student took a small part to work on detailed modelling. With 6 students involved, 6 locations are included, namely, the entrance, the platform, the Don Bosco Auditorium, the Canteen (海王冰室), the Library, and the Exhibition Gallery. 

Also, other projects are also integrated, they are (1) a collaboration from last year's Design class as a collage of a classroom on the 6th floor and (2) an exhibition of stools from the Furniture Design module by the same group of students. Detailed introduction will be found under each rendering. 

The presentation of this project takes an exaggerated approach. Architecture stays simple and clean apart from those highlighted locations that are shown transparent on the overview. These places catch our eyes as we wander around the campus while realistic renderings are presented upon further navigation.

Collaboration with Gérald Vincent Estadieu, Daniel Farinha as well as Macao local artist June Iec.

Development of a book compiling outstanding creative writings by students with illustration and a kiosk installation to digitalise and print extracts of writings to encourage reading habit to society.

Supervised, copy-edited, curated by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Collaboration with Prof. Álvaro Barbosa and Prof. Gérald Vincent Estadieu 

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Originally developed by Álvaro Barbosa in 2010 at Stanford University, we developed version 2.0, which include a new soundboard and a complete digital redesign and fabrication process (mainly laser cutting and 3D printing). The project is open-source, online documented and can be replicated and customised in any fab lab.

Collaboration with Prof. Gérald Vincent Estadieu, Prof. Filipa De Abreu Martins, Prof. Carlos Sena Caires, Prof. João Brochado as well as students and the Macau Grand Prix Museum (Macau).

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Development of 3 replicates 1:3 scale of 3 iconic racing cars from the museum to provide a new experiment for visually impaired visitors as well as insight into the possibilities of 3D printing.