Dr. Roland Graf

Biography

Roland Graf is a media artist, design researcher, and inventor who collaborates across disciplines to create platforms, games, and interactive systems that reframe body interactivity with the built environment. His doctoral research, conducted at the Vienna University of Technology, focused on the convergence of artistic and playful engineering approaches at the intersection of interactive art and human-computer interaction. His current research explores the roles of play and playful exploration in emerging technologies, specifically prototyping accessible and inclusive futures. Graf has initiated and directed interdisciplinary research collaborations at the University of Michigan, including the Daylight Media Lab, which collaborates with material scientists and engineers to explore sunlight as a medium for interactive outdoor media systems. His work on Internet Shoes, a sensory networking platform for street-level interactions, involved collaboration with engineers on embedded wireless technologies. Notably, Graf's recent project, iGYM, is an inclusive augmented reality system that enables individuals of varying abilities to play and exercise together, which has been funded by the U-M Exercise & Sport Science Initiative. His oeuvre includes a wide range of interactive installations and urban interventions, and his works have been exhibited internationally across galleries, museums, and art festivals.

Research Interests

Experience