Jeffrey Shaw has been a leading figure in new media art since the 1960's. In a prolific oeuvre of widely exhibited and critically acclaimed works (www.jeffrey-shaw.net) he has pioneered and set benchmarks for the creative use of digital media technologies in the fields of virtual and augmented reality, immersive visualization environments, navigable cinematic systems and interactive narrative. Shaw was co-founder of the Eventstructure Research Group in Amsterdam (1969-1979), and founding director of the ZKM Institute for Visual Media Karlsruhe (1991-2002). In 2003 he was awarded an Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship to co-found and direct the UNSW iCinema Centre for Interactive Cinema Research. Since 2009 Shaw has beenChair Professor of Media Art and Dean of the School of Creative Media at City University in Hong Kong where he is also Director of the Centre for Applied Computing and Interactive Media and Director of the Applied Laboratory for Interactive Visualisation and Embodiment.

ABSTRACT

The key interdisciplinary research challenges in new media are visualization methods leading to expanded modalities of experience, interactive narrative leading to expanded modalities of story telling, production techniques enabling expanded modalities of creation, and social media enabling expanded modalities of engagement. Prof. Shaw will present a number of unique installations that draw on techniques of stereoscopy, virtual reality and interactivity to achieve the heightened physical and imaginative assimilation of viewer experience. The presentation will also describe innovative technologies and applications currently being developed at the Applied Laboratory for Interactive Visualization and Embodiment (ALiVE), which was established this year at the Hong Kong Science Park by City University. ALiVE explores new paradigms in immersive visualization and interactive narrative, benchmarking the future frontiers of new media in art, entertainment, education and industry.

Dr. Fischer Cai has over 15 years experience in Simulation and Gaming and is Co-President of the International Simulation And Gaming Association (ISAGA). 

In mid 1990s, he collaborated with John Hopkins Medical School developing Virtual Reality (VR) and Simulation technology for minimally invasive cardiovascular surgical training.

Dr Cai is an editor for the new book “Interactive & Digital Media for Education in the Virtual Learning Environment” to be published in New York. He guest-edited the Special Issue of VR Simulation (Journal Simulation And Gaming, SAGE), Special Issue of Bio Visualization (International Journal of Images and Graphics, World Scientific), and Special Issue of VR in Medicine (International Journal of Virtual Reality, IOS). He is an associate editor with the Journal Simulation And Gaming (SAGE). He has five patents granted.

Richard Sandford is a senior researcher at Futurelab , an independent organisation dedicated to transforming teaching and learning.

He is currently based in Singapore, working with local educational institutions and government agencies to explore ways in which new forms of digital technology can be used to support formal and informal learning. Previously, he led the research and scenario development phases of the Beyond Current Horizons programme, a foresight initiative funded by the UK government to investigate possible educational futures and their implications for current policy and practice. His academic research focuses on mobility, play and digital games, and how these relate to learning. He has been invited to speak on these topics at conferences around the world. Richard is a research fellow of Bristol University.

Sten has a background in entrepreneurship, business and application development for new media and new cultural expressions, media production and product development. 

With over 32 years of experience within the media fields with the last 10 years with computer games, Selander is an expert on strategic issues for games educations, games companies and innovative games design and use of games in education, E-learning, and for training and skills improvement.

He is currently leading several projects concerning innovation and infrastructure for new media industries, new cultural expressions, and connections between industry and research within the same field, specially aimed towards new innovative games development in partnership with the Swedish Knowledge Foundation.

A national network for E-learning companies is among the results as well as the NordicGen network for Educational Games.

Selander has been apart of the Serious Games movement since 2003 and has been instrumental in pushing for Serious Game Europe initiative as well as doing presentations at Washington in the matter.

Selander started the Swedish-based Serious Games Agency 2006 in order to promote Serious Games business and content and connect researchers, developers and clients to establish a larger understanding of what Serious Games could do in training and as educational means.

Ingrid Fischer-Schreiber (AT) is a translator, editor and manager of cultural cooperation projects with China. Since the 1980s she has translated many books about Chinese philosophy and digital culture. She has been working for Ars Electronica, the oldest festival for "art, technology and society“, as an editor and curator (Ars Electronica Festival Symposia, Digital Communities category of Prix Ars Electronica etc.) for many years and is now the China representative of Ars Electronica. She has been commissioned to organize the scientific framework program of an exhibition about Einstein traveling through Chinese science centers by Swissnex China (shown in at the China Science and Technology Museum Beijing between May and October 2010). She lives and works in Shanghai.  

Director of Animation and Game Research Center at the Cultural Industries Institute of Peking University (Beijing)

As Manager of NorthernLight's Asia Branch, Jeroen is responsible for developing NorthernLIght Design's activities throughout Asia.

Based in Amsterdam and Beijing, NorthernLight is a dynamic company that develops, designs, builds and installs exhibitions and experiences for a wide variety of exhibitors. Clients include museums, science centres, brand centres and world expos. Action and interaction are central to the NorthernLight approach, turning visitors from passive observers into active participants. NorthernLight creates exhibitions that tell stories, not merely present objects.

In recent years, NorthernLight has established itself as a world leader in the field of museum and expo design and handling complex projects involving many parties is a particular strength of NorthernLight. The company’s portfolio includes over 70 projects, in Europe, North and South America, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region.

With NorthernLIght Design Jeroen has worked on the Landes Museurm, Stuttgart; Interactive Exhibits, VTL; Exoman, Oman; DSM, Shanghai; the Visitor Center in Hemmen; and the "Our Precious World" traveling exhibition for the Beijing Science and Technology Museum.

One of the projects that has made a name for NorthernLight in Asia is the Science and Technology Museum in Beijing. Of the 35 companies that submitted proposals in 2007, the Amsterdam-based agency for exhibition design NorthernLight was one of five selected for the design of the new Science and Technology Museum in Beijing. This immense museum, which opened September 2009, consists of five exhibitions, the largest of which, measuring 6.400 m2, is entirely interactive and is designed by NorthernLight.

Jeroen started his career after his bachelors as a freelance product designer for 7 years. During his Master studies he specialized in Innovation Management. After his studies he worked as a management consultant with NXP Semiconductors and Ericsson, where he streamlined communication processes in the internal organization. Working at ORMIT he developed an e-learning platform which is now used in a management traineeship. As a consultant for the Dutch Cancer Society he developed the concept for an online social platform for cancer researchers to enable cross functional collaboration.

Chen Danyang is the Asian records holder: Danyang Chen 3x3 blindfolded 1:10.27

At XML Beijing: Immersive Media, Chen Danyang will present on how to use games and technologies to improve the intelligence and education of youngsters.

Check out Chen Danyang in the video below!