ISPR Presence News

Monthly Archives: April 2012

Call: 5th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling (ICIDS)

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 23, 2012

Call For Papers

The 5th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling
November 12th – 15th, 2012
Technology Park of San Sebastián, Spain

http://icids2012.vicomtech.tv

ICIDS is the premier international conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling (IDS), bringing together researchers interested in presenting recent results, sharing novel techniques, and exchanging ideas about this exciting new media. IDS redefines the narrative experience by empowering the audience to significantly participate in the story due to advances in technology. As such, it offers new possibilities for communication, education and entertainment, through the enriching of characters with intelligent behavior, the collaboration of humans and machines in the creative process, and the combination of disciplines for improving the user experience.

ICIDS emphasises on several aspects of Computer Science, specially on research in Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Environments and Human-Computer Interaction; topics include automated reasoning, computational creativity, multi-agent systems, narrative intelligence, natural language generation and understanding, user modelling, and smart graphics. Furthermore, IDS is inherently a multidisciplinary field. To create novel applications in which users play a significant role during the development of a story, new concepts and theoretical works on Digital Humanities, New Media Studies and Interactive Arts are needed.

We welcome research papers and demonstrations – including interactive narrative art – presenting new scientific results, innovative technologies, case studies, creative insights, best practice showcases, or improvements to existing techniques and approaches in the research field of Interactive Digital Storytelling and its possible applications in other fields, e.g. videogames, virtual/online worlds, e-learning, training, and edutainment. Read more on Call: 5th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling (ICIDS)…

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Final Fantasy video game characters model Prada: Time for a re-think

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 23, 2012

[From Jason Godfrey’s blog

The final frontier?

When models have to compete with video game characters for jobs, it’s time for a re-think.

By Jason Godfrey
Sunday April 22, 2012

It’s tough being a model and it only gets tougher. Not only is competition among models for jobs incredibly fierce, but now models are competing against computers too.

Yep, this could be to modelling what Deep Blue beating Kasparov was to chess, but way less mentally straining. April’s issue of Arena Homme features Prada’s new spring/summer collection as modelled entirely by characters from a video game (designtaxi.com/news/352140/Video-Game-Characters-Get-Used-As-Prada-Fashion-Models/). Seriously.

Like models didn’t have it hard enough with all the major fashion cosmetics campaigns and major magazine covers going to celebrities – remember Tobey Maguire for Prada? – but now they are losing out to virtual celebrities? That’s a kick in the collective groin of live action mannequins everywhere. Read more on Final Fantasy video game characters model Prada: Time for a re-think…

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Jobs: PhD studentships at Royal College of Art – Innovation and Knowledge Exchange in Digital Public Space

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 20, 2012

The Creative Exchange Funded PhD Studentships

Royal College of Art
In partnership with Lancaster University and Newcastle University

The closing date for applications is Thursday 31 May 2012.

Innovation and Knowledge Exchange in Digital Public Space

The Royal College of Art is seeking to recruit four PhD students to participate in an exciting collaborative project with a range of academic and industrial partners in the creative and digital industries. The four studentships are funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council via The Creative Exchange, one of four Knowledge Exchange (KE) Hubs for the Creative Economy established in January 2012 by the AHRC. The focus of the programme of project and practice-led work will be on expanding the creative economy through innovation and knowledge exchange in the digital public space. Start date: October 2012.

About the Project

The Creative Exchange brings together three interdisciplinary design innovation labs at the Royal College of Art, Lancaster University and Newcastle University. It responds to profound changes in practice in the creative and media based industries stimulated by the opening of the digital public space, which enables anyone anywhere to access, explore and create with digitized cultural content.

The aim of The Creative Exchange will be to expand the creative economy through new forms of citizen participation in the digital public space, reflecting a shift from ‘content consumption’ to ‘content experience’. It will explore new models of engagement and exchange in the broadcast, performing and visual arts, digital media, design and gaming sectors, bringing together relevant Arts and Humanities academics, practitioners and companies with a cohort of PhD researchers around particular themes related to the digital public space. Read more on Jobs: PhD studentships at Royal College of Art – Innovation and Knowledge Exchange in Digital Public Space…

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Bloomingdale’s virtual reality windows let shoppers try on shades without wearing them

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 20, 2012

[From

[Image: Susan Watts/New York Daily News]

Bloomingdale’s virtual reality windows let shoppers try on shades without wearing them

System gives a screen test on how you’ll look with the latest designer eyewear

By Gina Salamone / New York Daily News
Thursday, April 19, 2012

Window shopping is taking on a new meaning at Bloomingdale’s.

As they get ready for summer, busy New Yorkers now can try on sunglasses without stepping inside the store.

Virtual-reality technology projects designer shades onto shoppers who simply stand in front of the Lexington Ave. windows. Read more on Bloomingdale’s virtual reality windows let shoppers try on shades without wearing them…

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Call: 5th Annual Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Conference

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 19, 2012

5th Annual Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Conference
Inspire the Future  May 16-18, 2012
at National Defense University, Washington, DC

Don’t forget to register for the best FCVW Conference Program we have ever had!

Conference schedule is on the FCVW website (http://www.ndu.edu/icollege/fcvw). Read more on Call: 5th Annual Federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds Conference…

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TourWrist’s 360-degree panoramas add another dimension

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 19, 2012

[From

TourWrist’s 360-degree panoramas add another dimension

April 18, 2012
Heather Kelly

Remember virtual reality tours, those 360-degree panoramic photos you could navigate with your mouse? They were hot for a while, popping up on every real estate agent and hotel site, but the low quality and jerky navigation made them feel antiquated and oh-so Web 1.0. TourWrist began reviving the art form last year by taking it mobile and adding a slick user interface.

Now the company is taking the images further with an update to its iPhone and iPad app, new APIs and SDKs, and neat interactivity features, which the company presented today at the DEMO Spring 2012 conference in Santa Clara, Calif.

TourWrist gave a sneak peek of two new features due out in May. First are PanoSpots, which link multiple panoramas together Google Street View-style, and give them more depth by linking to photos, videos, brands, audio, websites, and Facebook profiles. The real fun demonstration was of the trippy planar acceleration controls, which will allow you to physically step forward or back while holding up an iOS device to move between panoramas, go through doors, and check out other linked panoramas or information. Read more on TourWrist’s 360-degree panoramas add another dimension…

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Call: Representations – Struggles for Reality (1st International Symposium)

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 18, 2012

1st International Symposium
Representations – Struggles for Reality

Part of the Research Program on: Aesthetic Lives, Artistic Selves

International Network for Alternative Academia
(Extends a general invitation to participate)

Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th of November, 2012
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Call for Papers

This trans-disciplinary project explores the creation, consumption and dissemination of representations. It aims to map out the relationship between representations, conceptions of the real and cultural constructions of reality. Examining representations as developing at the intersections of epistemological, political and ethical modes of enquiry, this symposium offers the opportunity to reflect on the practice and the theory of the constitution, legitimation and social implications of image, art and the new media. Read more on Call: Representations – Struggles for Reality (1st International Symposium)…

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New NASA video: Riding a Space Shuttle rocket booster

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 18, 2012

[From The Guardian’s YouTube]

Riding the Booster

Riding a solid rocket booster up and then down again during a launch of the space shuttle

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Here’s a fun little video from NASA: an HD video that shows a stunning view from a solid rocket booster attached to the space shuttle, pushing it up into orbit, and then not attached to the space shuttle, whilst the booster is plunging back to Earth. Read more on New NASA video: Riding a Space Shuttle rocket booster…

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Call: Digital Humanities Congress 2012

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 17, 2012

Digital Humanities Congress 2012

University of Sheffield, 6th – 8th September 2012

The University of Sheffield’s Humanities Research Institute with the support of the Network of Expert Centres and Centernet is delighted to announce its Call for Papers for a three-day conference to be held in Sheffield during 6th – 8th September 2012.

Read more on Call: Digital Humanities Congress 2012…

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Tupac Shakur hologram performs at Coachella music festival, may tour

By Matthew Lombard | Published: April 17, 2012

[From

Rapper’s De-Light: Tupac ‘Hologram’ May Go on Tour

By Ethan Smith
April 16, 2012

The biggest buzz at Sunday’s Coachella music festival in California wasn’t for a hot new DJ or indie-rock band. It was for Tupac Shakur, the rapper who died more than 15 years ago and “performed” Sunday night alongside Snoop Dogg and producer Dr. Dre.

Internet video of the Sunday evening show became an instant sensation on Monday morning. That response is helping push the possibility of a virtual Tupac tour in coming months. Read more on Tupac Shakur hologram performs at Coachella music festival, may tour…

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