ISPR Presence News

Monthly Archives: April 2014

Call: Affective Agents Workshop (AAW) at IVA 2014

Call for Papers

Affective Agents Workshop (AAW)
Workshop homepage: http://gaips.inesc-id.pt:8081/iva14-waa/

To be held in conjunction with IVA (Intelligent Virtual Agents) 2014 in Boston, MA, USA, 27-29 August 2014
Conference homepage: http://www.ccs.neu.edu/iva2014/

SCOPE

Many researchers in the virtual agents and social robotics communities are exploring the integration of affective computing into their systems. However, the majority of this research focuses on only one aspect of affective computing, such as the detection, modeling, or expression of emotion. The goal of this workshop is to create collaborations between the experts in each of these areas to share their latest findings so as to shape the picture of how all of these systems can be integrated together to create an Affective Agent that senses, models, expresses and responds to a user’s affective state in real time.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Agents and robots that respond to a user’s affective state
  • Real time sensing of affect
  • Expressing emotions in embodied agents
  • Multimodal affective detection and expression
  • Evaluation of affective systems
  • Computational models of emotion, empathy and emotional contagion
  • Perception-action affective loops in agents and robots
  • Affective interactions in real-world environments
  • Applications for affective interactive games, robots and virtual agents
  • Techniques for handling multimodal and noisy data in real world scenarios
read more. “Call: Affective Agents Workshop (AAW) at IVA 2014”
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Knightscope K5 autonomous security robot will begin patrolling this year

[From Gigaom, where the story includes more images and a 1:01 minute video; a 2:46 minute BBC News report is available here; both reports touch only briefly on how people respond to the robot]

Knightscope K5 with CEO

[Image: CEO William Santana Li with a K5. Photo by Signe Brewster.]

The K5 security robot will begin patrolling one Silicon Valley campus this year

By Signe Brewster

Feb. 25, 2014

The Knightscope K5 robot’s 5-foot-tall bullet-shaped frame is impressive. Studded with cameras and sensors and colored Stormtrooper black and white, it really is imposing. But that’s the point: It’s a robot cop, and it doesn’t want you to forget it.

At the Launch Festival today in San Francisco, CEO William Santana Li showed me the robot’s capabilities. The K5 can see, feel, hear and smell to determine whether biochemicals or radiation are present and collect data like license plate numbers, video and thermal images.… read more. “Knightscope K5 autonomous security robot will begin patrolling this year”

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Call: Array Telepresence Open House on May 2 – “Prepare to be amazed”

Array Telepresence Open House

Hello ISPR Community,

We are introducing a revolutionary telepresence camera and image improvement processor that turns any traditional videoconferencing codec (Avaya/RADVISION, Cisco, ClearOne, LifeSize, Polycom, Vidyo, etc.) into a dual screen telepresence environment that exceeds the quality of $250,0000 telepresence group systems from Cisco & Polycom for $14,000 and the cost of a 2nd display. The company is called Array Telepresence and their patent-pending Equal-i technology includes a unique camera and “Image Improvement Processor” that brings the furthest participants in a videoconferencing meeting “Up Close and Personal”, hides the camera, improves the eye-line, improves the meeting format, and spreads the scene out over a large format dual screen display at the right aspect ratio of the human eye and powers both displays using a single videoconferencing codec and single bitstream.

It really has to be seen to be believed so we are hosting an open house for organizations that would like to improve their videoconferencing, potential resellers, systems integrators, industry analysts, academics, researchers, potential investors, and the press.… read more. “Call: Array Telepresence Open House on May 2 – “Prepare to be amazed””

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New production frontiers: Creating virtual reality narratives for Sony and Oculus Rift

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

Flying Monsters 3D scene

[Image: Atlantic Productions/Zoo]

British TV Producer Creating Virtual Reality Narratives for Sony and Oculus Rift

Atlantic Productions, the company behind the BAFTA-winning “Flying Monsters 3D,” is working on documentary, animated and dramatic pilots for Oculus Rift and Sony’s Project Morpheus.

4/25/2014 by Adrian Pennington

British TV producer Atlantic Productions, the company behind natural-history documentaries fronted by Sir David Attenborough (Galapagos, Kingdom of Plants and the BAFTA-winning Flying Monsters 3D) is pioneering virtual-reality narrative content. It includes documentary, CG and drama pilots in development for Facebook’s virtual-reality headgear-maker Oculus Rift and for Sony’s Project Morpheus.

Anthony Geffen, CEO and creative director of Atlantic Productions, told The Hollywood Reporter that he expects at least one of its 10-minute VR projects to be bundled with the release of Oculus Rift headsets when it comes to retail, possibly this Christmas.… read more. “New production frontiers: Creating virtual reality narratives for Sony and Oculus Rift”

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Call: Playful Virtual Characters Workshop 2014

Call for Participation for Playful Virtual Characters Workshop 2014

Boston, MA
Tuesday August 26, 2014 (Full day workshop)

Url: http://www.northeastern.edu/games/playful-virtual-characters-iva-workshop-2014/

This workshop is part of the IVA Conference 2014. It focuses on Playful Virtual Characters.

Important Dates:

Submissions Due: July 1, 2014
Notification: August 1, 2014
Camera Ready: August 15, 2014

This workshop will focus on Characters that can be described as Playful. We focus on narrative characters that can be part of a story or standalone characters and have history, goals, rich complex personality, and attitudes. The workshop will borrow from theatre improvisation and Live Action Role-Playing games (LARPs) to define playful virtual characters and situate the context for a rich interaction about what it means to develop such narrative and personality for rich playful characters.

The workshop will take on an activity-based approach, where group exercises and experiences are emphasized.… read more. “Call: Playful Virtual Characters Workshop 2014”

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This interactive site gives you a taste of what it’s like to drown

[From Fast Company’s Co.Create, where the post includes a 1:01 minute video]

A Trip Out To Sea screenshot

This Interactive Site Gives You A Taste Of What It’s Like To Drown

By Jeff Beer
April 22, 2014

French marine clothing and safety brand Guy Cotten takes the scared straight approach to life jacket awareness.

Summer is approaching and with it the migration of millions of people to the coast to enjoy the sun and the sea. Guy Cotten, a French marine clothing and safety equipment brand, is taking the opportunity to dramatically remind us that when it comes to boating, a life jacket is necessary no matter how strong a swimmer you might be.

The brand, along with agency CLM BBDO, Wanda Digital and director Ben Strebel, have created A Trip Out To Sea, an immersive interactive experience that plays out a truly nightmarish scenario.… read more. “This interactive site gives you a taste of what it’s like to drown”

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CALL: PLEASE HELP WITH PRESENCE ONLINE SURVEY

[Please consider filling out this new telepresence survey and distributing the message below via your personal and professional social networks!  –Matthew ]

Request for your help with a research project:

Have you ever felt present in or connected to the people or things in a media experience like watching a movie or TV show, reading a book, using Skype, etc.? We’re studying these and other common experiences with technology and would very much appreciate and value your help with a short survey. It’s online, completely anonymous and will take from 5 to 20 minutes. If you’re interested and willing, please click on the link below for more information and the survey.

http://tinyurl.com/presence-survey

Please help us spread the word about the survey by sharing this message with others who might be interested!

Thank you so much,

 

The students of Psychological Processing of Media (MSP 4446/8446) at Temple University

and

Matthew Lombard, PhD
Associate Professor, Temple University
President, International Society for Presence Research (ISPR)… read more. “CALL: PLEASE HELP WITH PRESENCE ONLINE SURVEY”

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Call: Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction (TEI) 2015

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: PAPERS and STUDIOS & WORKSHOPS

ACM TANGIBLE, EMBEDDED AND EMBODIED INTERACTION (TEI) 2015
January 16-19, 2015 in Palo Alto, California, USA

http://tei-conf.org/

UBMISSION DEADLINES

  • Papers:  01 August 2014, 11:59 pm PST
  • Studios & Workshops:  22 August 2014, 11:59 pm PST

The work presented at TEI focuses on physical interaction with computing technology and addresses theories, design, user experience, interfaces, interaction, and technical development. The intimate size of this single-track conference provides a unique forum for exchanging ideas and presenting innovative work through talks, demonstrations, posters, art installations and performances, and participating in hands-on studios and workshops.

With the rise of DIY and maker culture and the acceptance of research in tangible, embodied and embedded interaction, the TEI conference has gained substantial visibility and activity over the past decade. It brings together research disciplines, including tangible computing, physical computing, speculative design, IT product design, appliance design, whole body interaction, gestural interaction, embodied interaction, responsive architecture, and responsive and interactive environments and spaces.… read more. “Call: Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction (TEI) 2015”

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Brain Games host Jason Silva on the transformation that occurs when we’re immersed in a story

[From Fast Company’s Co.Create, where the story includes more pictures and two short videos, “Lucid Dreaming” and “Reality of the Virtual”]

The Beginning is Near graphic

Dreaming With Your Eyes Open: How Humans Are Hardwired For Stories

Brain Games host Jason Silva explains the transformation that occurs when we’re immersed in a story, and what makes an effective storyteller.

By Joe Berkowitz
April 23, 2014

Talking to Jason Silva might make your head spin. Perhaps not quite in the same manner as the possessed child at the center of The Exorcist, but something closer to the way the film itself does a number on audiences. This is not by accident. Silva’s goal is nothing less than to explain the attention-paralyzing power of storytelling by harnessing that power within his demonstration. It’s kind of a meta approach.

“I want to create media that talks about what media does,” says Silva.… read more. “Brain Games host Jason Silva on the transformation that occurs when we’re immersed in a story”

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Call: International Conference on Education Technologies and Computers (ICETC 2014)

The International Conference on Education Technologies and Computers (ICETC 2014)

Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland
September 22-24, 2014

http://sdiwc.net/conferences/2014/icetc2014/

The conference aims to enable researchers to build connections between different digital applications. The event will be held over three days, with presentations delivered by researchers from the international community, including presentations from keynote speakers and state-of-the-art lectures.

The conference welcomes papers on the following (but not limited to) research topics:

  • Distance and E-Learning in a Global Context
  • E-Learning Platforms, Portals
  • E-Testing and new Test Theories
  • Educating the Educators
  • Groupware Tools
  • Immersive Learning
  • Intelligent Tutoring Systems
  • E-Learning Success Cases
  • E-learning in Electrical, Mechanical, Civil and information engineering
  • Errors in E-Learning
  • Higher Education vs. Vocational Training
  • Impact and Achievements of International Initiatives
  • Interdisciplinary Programs for Distance Education
  • Joint Degrees
  • Lifelong Learning: Continuing Professional Training and Development
  • Pedagogy Enhancement with E-Learning
  • Simulated Communities and Online Mentoring
  • Supervising and Managing Student Projects
  • Teacher Evaluation
  • Technology Support for Pervasive Learning
  • Virtual Labs and Virtual Classrooms
read more. “Call: International Conference on Education Technologies and Computers (ICETC 2014)”
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