The Laboratory of Art and Technology is grounded in cutting-edge international disciplines and driven by frontier research questions. It explores the pathways through which technology can drive artistic creation and scientific thinking can inspire design innovation, thereby facilitating the transformation and upgrading of art and design in the context of digitalisation and intelligent technologies.

The laboratory’s research focuses on three main areas: “Science and Technology Empowering Artistic Creativity,” “Science and Technology Empowering Speculative Design”, and “Science and Technology Empowering Critical Inquiry”. In the realm of artistic creativity, the laboratory emphasises the dynamic integration of technology and art, employing advanced technological tools such as artificial intelligence, interactive technologies, and immersive media to foster human-machine co-creation and cross-media innovation. It further explores new modes of artistic expression and dissemination within domains such as digital humanities and the revitalisation of cultural heritage. At the level of speculative design, the laboratory uses emerging technologies as prototyping tools to explore multiple possible futures for society and lifestyles. Through empirical studies, it investigates the mechanisms by which design influences audience perception, psychology, and behaviour, thus developing more insightful design strategies and constructing forward-looking design prototypes and experimental scenarios. In terms of critical inquiry, the laboratory adopts a reflective and critical perspective to examine the complex interactions between technology and society. It analyses in depth the ways in which algorithmic logic reshapes social structures and cultural cognition, and explores ethical and value-based issues arising from human–machine coexistence, with the aim of advancing culturally sensitive and ethically aware design practices.

To nurture art and design talents with interdisciplinary thinking, the laboratory offers a series of forward-thinking courses, such as "Creative Media and Technological Aesthetics," "Experimental Art and Cutting-Edge Technology," "Digital Media and Programming Fundamentals," "Information and Interaction Design Research," "Scene Creation and Narrative," "Transmedia Narratives," and more. Additionally, the laboratory encourages students to engage in practical experiences, driven by projects led by the laboratory. These experiences allow students to hone their individual skills, foster collaborative abilities, and enhance their overall competencies through real projects and exhibition showcases.

Supervisors: Tan Ping, Tony Brown, Li Qi, Gong Jiawei, Su Lei, Liu Yaming, Zhou Tange, Wu Man, Li Wei