QMUL academics hold E-textiles and 'Machine folk' music workshops in Manila

Dr Stewart's workshop focused on working with conductive textiles and crafts to create electronic sensors. Credit Rebecca Stewart

Dr Rebecca Stewart and Dr Bob Sturm from QMUL’s School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science discussed crafting e-textiles and computer-generated folk music respectively, in workshops in Ateneo de Manila University.

The workshops in April 2017 came as part of plans to develop transnational education partnerships with Ateneo de Manila University, with a focus on working towards joint postgraduate degrees in Digital Creativity and Innovation.

Dr Sturm’s workshop, entitled “Machine learning to model folk music” drew on his research applying methods of “machine learning” to modelling folk music, specifically, tens of thousands of “Celtic” tunes. The result is a computer program that can generate an endless number of tunes. With human interpretation, these tunes can become music sharing a surprising number of qualities with “genuine” folk music.

“Crafting Textile Digital Musical Instruments” was the title of Dr Stewart’s workshop, which introduced working with conductive textiles and crafts to create electronic sensors that control real-time audio synthesizers. Participants got to hand stitch electrical circuits without any experience with sewing or circuits.

Ateneo de Manila University is among ten universities in the Philippines chosen to participate in transnational education partnerships with UK Higher Education Institutions through the Commission on Higher Education Development (CHED). The initiative aims to boost internationalisation in the country.

QMUL and Ateneo de Manila University aim to develop Double Degree Masters programmes which will launch in academic year 2018/19.

More information:

• Find out more about Media and Arts Technology by Research MSc at QMUL