Art and Technology Lab (LATe)

The Laboratory of Art and Technology (LATe) at Universidad Austral de Chile is a transdisciplinary space for research, creation, and experimentation founded by Felipe Otondo, Rodrigo Torres and André Rabello-Mestre. Its development emerged from three FONDECYT Regular projects funded by Chile’s National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) —1190722, 1220320, and 1250388— focused on the study and exploration of soundscapes through perspectives that integrate acoustic ecology, artistic creation, immersive audio technologies, virtual reality, and environmental education.

Affiliated with the Institute of Acoustics of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, LATe is located in the 14K building at the Miraflores Campus of Universidad Austral de Chile in Valdivia. The laboratory provides specialized infrastructure for projects related to sound, media arts, and immersive technologies, including spatial audio reproduction systems and tools for virtual reality and audiovisual interaction.

The laboratory comprises two main experimental spaces. LATe 1 is a room measuring approximately 3.37 × 3.37 m, dedicated to sound production and experimentation. LATe 2, the laboratory’s main immersive audio space, measures 5.58 × 7.46 m, with an approximate floor area of 41.6 m² and an estimated volume of 111.3 m³. The room is equipped with a multichannel system for research, creation, and perceptual evaluation in spatial and immersive audio.

LATe’s main objective is to foster an inclusive, collaborative, and transdisciplinary environment in which art, science, and technology converge, enabling joint work among academics, artists, students, and external collaborators. Its activities are organized around four main areas: research, creation, education, and community engagement, promoting both the generation of new knowledge and its application in artistic, educational, and outreach experiences.

In this video you can see the type of projects developed at the laboratory.