Product Design & The performing Arts
PD+PA (Product Design + Performing Arts) research cluster. The Creative Process meets the Creative Product - enhancing the performance Artist through research, design and technology.
This Cross-disciplinary Research Cluster provides collective thinking of Design, Technology, Allied Health, Physical Science and Business to deliver market-driven and user centered product/service innovations for the performance arts. The cluster aims to develop and commercialize products in this area. A number of issues for performance artists such as dancers and musicians in terms of the products, devices and wearables that are intended to physically support them in their performance have been identified. In many instances these products have not kept pace with the changes in the performance, are not ergonomically designed, or do not cater for the individual needs of performers.
Project areas:
Project 1: to investigate how technological advancements and the design of footwear can prevent injury and improve quality of life for the Irish dancer.
Project 2: to transfer the knowledge and skills developed in project 1 to mitigate against injury and enhance the performance of other dancers: ballet, tap, jazz, ballroom and salsa.
Project 3: Dance solutions for the older Adult. A specifically designed dancing shoe for the older adult, could in turn enable the general adult population to take up dancing without risk of injury. This would complement projects being conducted with the older adult population within the Arts and Humanities research cluster.
Project 4: to identify needs amongst other performance artists such as musicians, in terms of ergonomics, repetitive strain injury, customization and physical impairments. This may extend to orchestral musicians, session musicians, marching bands and the teaching and learning experience.
Cluster leads:
Dr. Louise Kiernan (PI) – School of Design
Dr. Orfhlaith Ni Bhriain – Irish World Academy of Music and Dance
Bernard Hartigan – School of Design
Cluster Collaborators:
Prof. Drew Harrison - Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences
Dr. Ian Kenny - Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences
Dr. Roisin Cahalan - School of Allied Health
Dr. Briga Hynes - Department of Management and Marketing
