Katie Salen “Pokéwalkers, Mafia Dons, and Football Fans: Play Mobile with Me” Thursday, January 14, 2010, 6 to 8 pm Hörsaal 2 / Lecture Hall 2 (please see http://www.digarec.org for a map) Hasso Plattner Institut für Softwaresystemtechnik GmbH Prof.-Dr.-Helmert-Str. 2-3 D-14482 Potsdam The language will be English and the entry is free. Any changes of the programme or locations etc. will be published first on http://www.digarec.org. Abstract: This talk will address a theoretical reconfiguration of experience, a repositioning of the techno-social within the domains of mobility, games, and play, and embodiment. The ideas aim to counter the notion that our…

[From CNN] The future of brain-controlled devices By Anne Hammock, CNN December 30, 2009 (CNN) — In the shimmering fantasy realm of the hit movie “Avatar,” a paraplegic Marine leaves his wheelchair behind and finds his feet in a new virtual world thanks to “the link,” a sophisticated chamber that connects his brain to a surrogate alien, via computer. This type of interface is a classic tool in gee-whiz science fiction. But the hard science behind it is even more wow-inducing. Researchers are already using brain-computer interfaces to aid the disabled, treat diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and provide therapy…

[Another application of augmented reality, from Star Trek’s Facebook page; visit the web page to watch the :45 video demonstration] Star Trek: Experience The Enterprise Augmented Reality [HQ] Unlock an incredible 3D Augmented Reality experience only with Special Edition DVD & Blu-ray packages. Learn about the U.S.S. Enterprise, set your course and take command!…

[A press release from the web site of Mechdyne ; a 38 second video of “The Largest Modern Warfare 2 Display in the World!” which uses this technology is available here] Mechdyne Introduces Mosaic™ High-Resolution Display Modules for High Resolution 2D and 3D AV Applications World First Small Footprint, 70-Inch Display Modules Allow Building Display Walls or Immersive Environments to Any Resolution Using Minimal Space Marshalltown, Iowa and Houston, Texas – October 26, 2009 –  At the SEG 2009 Conference in Houston today, Mechdyne introduced Mosaic™ display modules, a scalable technology suitable for single and multi-screen AV applications and for…

[From IEEE Spectrum; the web version includes several links; thanks to Marzio Veneman] IBM Unveils a New Brain Simulator A big step forward in a project that aims for thinking chips By Sally Adee 18 November 2009—Scientists and engineers at IBM’s Almaden Research Center, in San Jose, Calif., announced today at the Supercomputing Conference (SC09) in Portland, Ore., that they have created the largest brain simulation to date on a supercomputer. The number of neurons and synapses in the simulation exceed those in a cat’s brain; previous simulations have reached only the level of mouse and rat brains. Experts predict…

[As with parasocial interaction and relationships, here’s an example of the use of mass media to evoke a sense of personal connection; you can create a message for any name here] From:  “Mitch Stewart, BarackObama.com” <info(at)barackobama.com> Subject:         A holiday video for Matthew Lombard Date sent:      Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:24:43 -0500 Matthew — You’ve been an incredible part of this movement this year. So some volunteers got together and helped us make a holiday video, just for you, Matthew Lombard. You can watch it here: http://my.barackobama.com/holiday8/?fname=Matthew It was a blast making it. Enjoy! Happy holidays, Mitch and the entire OFA community ———————————————————————- Paid…

[From The New York Times] A High-Tech Movie Battle: Which 3-D Glasses Are Best? By ERIC A. TAUB Published: December 27, 2009 While the blue-skinned Na’vi are shooting arrows out of the screen toward the audience in the 3-D movie “Avatar,” another battle is being fought in the theater — over the goofy-looking glasses that moviegoers must wear to see the three-dimensional effects. Four companies are fighting for bridge of the nose with three different technologies. Each of them is more advanced than the paper glasses worn to view “Bwana Devil,” regarded as the first of the commercial 3-D movies…

[From Wired’s Gadget Lab blog] Adidas Turns the Sneaker Into an Augmented Reality Device By Priya Ganapati  December 23, 2009 Can’t find your Nintendo DS? Try one of the new Adidas sneakers instead. Adidas has created a virtual 3-D world that can be accessed using an upcoming line of five men’s sneakers in an idea that ties into one of the technology trends of the year: augmented reality. “The foundation of augmented reality lies in adding a layer to the real world,” says Chris Barbour, head of digital marketing for Adidas Originals. “That’s what we have done. We have taken a…

[The advertising campaign and Faces in Places blog in this item illustrate our ability to see hidden social objects whether created intentionally or not. The item is from The Inspiration Room (“a creative archive and community site… providing you with the latest and classic creative inspirations from television, print, ambient and interactive advertising, music videos, photography and design”); watch the ad in HD here] American Express Faces American Express is highlighting the benefits of the their Charge Card with “Don’t Take Chances. Take Charge”, an integrated advertising campaign using images of everyday objects with happy or sad faces. The campaign is designed to illustrate how…

[From PhysOrg] Immersive Game System Allows Physical Interaction Between Players December 22, 2009 By Lisa Zyga Enlarge (PhysOrg.com) — With a new immersive multiplayer game system, researchers are further blurring the line between gaming and the real world. Using a mouse and keyboard sounds kind of quaint compared to the system developed and tested by Jefry Tedjokusumo, Steven ZhiYing Zhou, and Stefan Winkler of the National University of Singapore (Winkler is currently with Symmetricom in San Jose, California). The game designers have created a few varieties of a first-person shooter (FPS) game in which players use a gun or sword…