In Motion

TAMPA, FL — On March 13, 2025, a fusion of art and engineering took place at CAMPGround 2025, where fi ve students, one Purdue alum, and two faculty members from Purdue’s Machine Learning in Motion research team unveiled their interactive installation In Motion. The team traveled to Tampa, Florida, to showcase the latest iteration of their motion-tracking system at the Contemporary Art Music Project’s (CAMP) annual international conference

With a spotlight on innovative art music and cross-disciplinary creativity, CAMPGround provided a perfect venue for In Motion, an ambitious work that blurs the lines between audience and performer, art and algorithm, vision and sound. At its core, In Motion is an interactive, co-authored multimedia experience. Using machine learning and computer vision, the installation tracks the physical coordinates of gallery visitors, translating those movements into real-time transformations of video, sound, and digital imagery. Each visitor’s journey becomes a singular artistic performance, and no two experiences are ever the same.

“For me, the goal of In Motion is to shift the authorship of art from the artist to all participants,” said Renee Murray, director of the project and senior lecturer of dance at Purdue. “Everyone that engages in the work impacts the experience and art.”

 

The project brings together brilliant minds from many disciplines including computer science, dance, electrical engineering, electronic and time-based art, mathematics, music, and more. It’s supported by an extensive network at Purdue, including the Fusion Studio for Entertainment and Engineering, Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, and Orientation Programs. Key partnerships with the Department of Theatre and Dance and the Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) initiative make this kind of interdisciplinary endeavor possible.

In Motion consists of two multimedia works: Trailing Momentum and Sundown Serenades, each distinct in theme and design, yet unified by their use of motion-responsive technology and real-time generative art.

Trailing Momentum captures the delicate tension dancers experience when shifting balance and when the body teeters on the edge of falling and then reclaims control. Viewers become an integral part of the dance, as their presence alters and accentuates the pace and scale of the projected film. Up to two participants are tracked at once, their movements feeding a synthesizer system that generates harmonies on the fly. Over time, the music evolves, shaped by the rhythm and direction of those in the space.

 

Sundown Serenades, in contrast, invites audiences into a dreamlike, liminal world. Inspired by the hues and emotional resonance of a twilight sky, this work explores fluidity, consciousness, color, and sound. As viewers move, they change the speed and morphing of abstract, ambient visuals, while granular frequency-modulating synthesizers build textured layers of sound that shift with every step.

While the artistry is undeniable, CAMPGround 2025 also served a practical purpose for the Machine Learning in Motion team: it was a live testbed for their ever-evolving motion-tracking system. With support from two Purdue Senior Design Teams and one VIP team, the group is actively developing three distinct versions of the technology, each aiming to refine responsiveness, accuracy, and adaptability for real-time installations.

“It was very rewarding to see my VIP students sharing their work and engaging in the arts,” said Murray. “They did a wonderful job discussing and explaining our interactive system with artists from varied disciplines. The conference participants were eager to engage in our installation and were curious to learn more about how it works.”

 The hybrid nature of In Motion, a tight weave of engineering precision and artistic intuition stood out in a conference known for innovation, and none of it would’ve been possible without the vast team behind the installation. Trailing Momentum was directed as a dance film by Renee Murray, with dancers Vanessa Billic, Christy Carr, April Lanka, and Kennedy Miller. Technical direction was shared by Murray and Fredrick Berry, while a powerhouse roster of students contributed to interactive program design.

Trailing Momentum (2024) and Sundown Serenades (2024) directed by Abinash Mallick, both feature music by Monte Taylor and include contributions from over 30 students working across coding, design, and engineering tasks. Their work represents the future of interdisciplinary collaboration: technically rigorous, artistically rich, and deeply innovative.

At a time when STEM and the arts are often siloed, In Motion offers a compelling counterpoint. It shows what’s possible when coders and choreographers, statisticians, and musicians work side by side to craft something greater than the sum of its parts. Purdue’s Machine Learning in Motion team didn’t just participate at CAMPGround 2025; they embodied its mission. By reimagining how people engage with technology and art, they’ve opened a portal to new kinds of interactive creative expression.