Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Education. Show all posts

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Is the *Avatar* concept really possible?

Is the 'Avatar' concept really possible?
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN

(CNN) -- Now the highest-grossing film ever, "Avatar," has captivated millions of viewers with its picturesque scenery, extraterrestrial battles, and nature-loving, blue-skinned aliens.

The premise of the film is that humans can enter the world of these 10-foot aliens, called the Na'vi, by way of half-human, half-Na'vi hybrids. A high-tech interfacing mechanism allows a human to remain inert while controlling one of these avatar hybrids just by thinking.

Not only does the human manipulate the avatar's movements and speech, but he or she also experiences life -- every sensation, feeling and emotion -- through the eyes of the hybrid, as if consciousness were transferred.

Scientists say we are many decades, even centuries, away from making this kind of sophisticated interaction possible, if it can be done at all. But the fundamentals of components required to create this complicated system of mind-controlled avatars are already in the works, and have useful applications in medicine.

"We're starting to understand the basic building blocks, but the biggest challenges will be emotion and thought -- how to make another organism think what you think, to feel what you feel -- because those networks are much more difficult to sort out," said Dr. Brian Litt, associate professor of neurology and bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE ON CNN where they cover:
Moving remote objects by thinking
Uploading information
Understanding brain networks
Transferal of sensations and emotions
    

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Aleks Krotoski - The Virtual Revolution

Join Aleks on the BBC’s The Virtual Revolution
Programme 1, The Great Levelling?, broadcasts Saturday, BBC2, 8:30pm



In episode 1 of The Virtual Revolution, Dr. Aleks Krotoski meets some of the biggest names of the web, including Jimmy Wales, Arianna Huffington, YouTube CEO Chad Hurley, and the inventor of the web himself, Tim Berners Lee. Watch original uncut interviews with them and others.
More about the series

You can watch live here and though region specific with a little tweaking of your PC can be watched from anywhere :-)

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Aleks Krotoski is an academic and journalist who writes about and studies technology and interactivity. Her PhD thesis in Social Psychology (University of Surrey, 2009) examined how information spreads around the social networks of the World Wide Web. Read up on her academic and research interests here.  She is currently working on the 4-part, prime time BBC 2 series Virtual Revolution, about the social history of the World Wide Web, broadcasting at 8:30pm from Saturday 30 January 2010 (repeated Monday nights at 11pm). She blogs for the project here.

Aleks writes for The Guardian newspaper, and hosts Tech Weekly, their technology podcast. Her writing also appears in The Observer, on BBC Technology, New Statesman, MIT Technology Review and The Telegraph. Check out her words here.

Finally, she’s the New Media Sector Champion for UKTI, the government department that promotes British businesses around the world. Find out more here.

You can find Aleks all over the Web

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[Academic] Dissertation - "Social Influence in Second Life: Social Network and Social Psychological Processes in the Diffusion of Belief and Behaviour on the Web"

Krotoski, Aleksandra K. (2009). Social influence in Second Life: Social Network and Social Psychological Processes in the Diffusion of Belief and Behaviour on the Web. PhD Dissertation. University of Surrey, Department of Psychology, School of Human Sciences. [pdf]

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[BBC] The rise of the digital elite 

The web is an extraordinary innovation, with the greatest potential to usher in social change since the invention of the printing press or the steam engine. Built upon a technology that is apolitical, unregulated and decentralised, it empowers everyone – men, women, children – to be creators of information, rather than passive consumers. It is also an enormous library of global consciousness, a digital collection of human knowledge from the past and the present and presented in an easy-to-access format. As a result, we now have the unprecedented power to create our own truth, and share it with everyone in the world. It has ushered in an equality of access that we have never seen before.
But has its potential as a great leveller for the whole world already passed?  [FULL ARTICLE HERE]

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Panel at Berklee College of Music & in Second Life - Monday, January 11th - 12:25 SLT




 
Panel at Berklee College of Music & in Second Life
Monday, January 11th at 12:25 SLT

Robert Thomas, also known as Dizzy Banjo in SL will be taking part in a panel discussion about music and virtual worlds, held at Berklee college of music and in Second Life. The panel also features John Lester of Linden Lab ( creators of Second Life ) who does a lot of development work in the field of Education and Healthcare, Grace Buford who has established a successful online presence as the virtual performer Cylindrian Rutabaga, and Andrew Woolf and Perry Geyer ( of Boston based group Fierce Tibetan Gods ). It is moderated by Lori Landay of Berklee.

Mr. Thomas expects he'll be talking about the various pieces of interactive music work he has done in the virtual worlds space for organizations like Princeton University, Mexico Tourist Board, Costa Rica Tourist Board as well as other interactive installations like Parsec, Dare and Gestural Music.

He also hopes to talk about the possibilities of music delivered as software ( on various platforms ). Hw would also like to discuss how virtual worlds could be utilized by the music industry to deliver interactive content and how we could see a focus on the ’social 3d music app’ as a virtual good soon.

Join us for the discussion in SL here !

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Robert Thomas 1 bw square rounded 500 500Hi there ! My name is Robert Thomas, and I'm a composer interested in unusual ways music can become a soundtrack to your life. I run a small music company called Dizzy Banjo. I also go under the name Dizzy Banjo in numerous social networks and environments.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The SLOODLE Game Show - Run/Host your Own Game Show in Second Life



The SLOODLE Game Show is an opensource game that gets connected to your MOODLE website using the SLOODLE platform. Once connected, you can be a game show host, and your students - contestants. Includes a Rezzer, Auto-Color-coding Game Chairs, Audience Landmarks, Game Buzzer, Game Timer, and a Scoreboard. Students sit on game chairs, which automatically connect with MOODLE, detect the group the student is in, and then move the student to the audience where the rest of their team members are sitting. You click on the chairs to "bring the students up to the front" and the students chair will zoom alien-vehicle style to their group's booth. You can then ask a question - and students click the buzzer to indicate that they'd like to answer. You can then get the students to answer and award the ones who answer correctly. The team's scores will then be updated on the Scoreboard, and on your Moodle Website.

From
Hi great educators!

I have recently released an opensource gameshow for Second Life, where YOU, yes YOU can be a virtual game show host for your students, in your Distance education classes. The Game Show is GPL 3.0 - which means it's totally free! What's more, is it connects to your MOODLE Learning Management Website, and feeds directly into the Gradebook.
Here is a video detailing how it works -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRVVrAp_64U

Let me know what you think!

Also, I am proposing a new tool for educators in Second Life, but I need some grant funding to create it - check out - SMART Chairs here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yODca6J6iNI

If you are interested in the smart chairs, I'd love your input - please see the discussion on the SLOODLE forums here:
http://www.sloodle.org/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=2835

Additionally, if you need help setting up Second Life to work with your MOODLE website, please contact fire@b3dMultitech.com

Monday, November 9, 2009

Signal Patterns - The Personality of Brad Reason a.k.a. Doubledown Tandino


I recently took a personality test called Signal Patterns.  This one, unlike other personality tests, is not only intriguing, but also has a very savvy approach to displaying the results. It is very in depth.

Also, within the same site is a "Music Patterns" test too (I haven't taken that test, but will very soon)

There are time-tested personality tests such as Myers-Briggs, and the Enneagram (personally one my favorites) which insights I also value, but this one, Signal Patterns, is one-of-a-kind because of the format of the display.  This diagram to the list is showing my statistics.  When you take your own test, the results are interactive and extra-informative.

Here's some more info about me that I discovered from taking this test:
Brad Reason a.k.a. Doubledown Tandino's personality traits:
Cautious
You very rarely make a move without first considering the pros and cons and, therefore, rarely do anything foolish or extravagant.
You are not rash; you almost never act before you think and, therefore, rarely end up doing things you later regret.
Organized
You like to think a task through before you embark on it. If it's the slightest bit complicated, you make a list (even if it's only in your mind) and methodically work your way through it. When you have a goal in mind, you're not satisfied until you reach it.
You are not one of those people who ignore the details, and you don't understand how anyone can get anything accomplished without thoughtful planning ahead of time.
Pessimistic
You tend to be a "glass half-empty" kind of person, which for you is simply a realistic outlook. Your feeling is that this world can be a depressing place, and only a fool would think otherwise.
You do not waste your time searching for the silver lining in every cloud, nor do you believe it's your job to cheer up the people around you with happy talk.
Innovative
You come up with a lot of ideas; if one doesn't work out, there's always another waiting in the wings. You often have interesting solutions to difficult problems. You're practically a one-person brainstorming session.
You are less interested changing the world than in dealing with things as they are. Unlike those who spend all their time trying to solve problems, you prefer to zero in on things that work and stick with them.
Aesthetic
You appreciate art, beauty, and design; you know that they are not superficial but absolutely crucial to living the good life. You have good taste, and you're proud of it. Those with a high score on the "aesthetic" trait are often employed in literary or artistic professions, enjoy domestic activities — doing things around the house — and are enthusiastic about the arts, reading, and travel.
You don't think it's pretentious to be moved by art and beauty. You're not one of those who believe it doesn't matter what something looks like as long as it does its job.
Creative
You are good at solving problems, coming up with original ideas, and seeing connections between things, connections that most other people miss. People with a high score on the "creative" trait often are employed in such fields as finance and scientific research, and enjoy avant garde and classical music as well as literary fiction and scholarly non-fiction.
You do not shun abstractions and concepts in favor of the concrete and tangible.
Competent
You strive to master everything you undertake. You tend to learn quickly and do not shy away from challenges.
You are not a "que sera sera" type of person, nor do you go easy on yourself when attempting to master a new skill or get a job done.
Unsettled
You may be comfortable on your home turf, but you have a tendency to be self-conscious in an unfamiliar environment. While you're usually at ease with your friends, you can be a little skittish around strangers.
You usually don't feel at home in unfamiliar settings or with new people. When you get rattled, you don't necessarily recover instantly.
Impassioned
You have strong opinions and high standards. When others let you down, you're not opposed to giving them a piece of your mind, even if it sometimes mean hurting their feelings.
You are not necessarily a "live and let live" kind of person. You don't always make allowances for others' incompetence or allow annoyances to wash over you. You don't feel it's your job to make everyone feel relaxed and comfortable regardless of whether they've earned it.
Emotional
You let it all hang out, and those around you always know what you're going through.
You are not isolated from your emotions; no one would call you "cold-blooded," or even "cool as a cucumber."

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I encourage you to take your personality test, if this is something that interests you.  Also, there are 8 wonderful online personality tests that can be found HERE

The interesting thought that came to mind:  I wonder if some people have varying results when they take the test, first as their human self, and then as their avatar self.  I personally, am the same.  My human self (Brad Reason) and my Second Life avatar (Doubledown Tandino) are one and the same.  But I am curious to know if real life and avatar life varies depending on the person.  I would like to hear comments and points of interest about people. Is your real self and your avatar self the same person or two different people? If you're willing to share your results.  Please post your personality key aspects here in comments.  If you take the test once as a human, then again as your avatar, are your personalities one and the same, or do they differ?

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Prince's Rainforest Project Second Life Concert For Schools

Prince's Rainforest Project Second Life Concert For Schools
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH, 2009
CONCERT SCHEDULE
DUBLIN RAINFOREST EVENT PROJECT STAGE http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dublin%202/84/20/2

SLT (PST) Time
Artist Name
UK (GMT) Time
Musician URL

4am SLT
Luc Floreani
12noon UK
www.lucfloreani.com

5am SLT
Joaquin Gustav
1pm UK
www.purevolume.com/joaquingustav

6am SLT
Tony Moore
2pm UK
www.tony-moore.com

7am SLT
Carrie Haber
3pm UK
www.myspace.com/carrieonsinging

8am SLT
Ringo Robonaught
4pm UK
gamerzfix.com/events/E0-001-024713347-6.htm

9:00am SLT
Luc Floreani
5pm UK
www.lucfloreani.com

10am SLT
Slim Warrior
6pm UK
www.myspace.com/Slimmie

11am SLT
Al Hoffman and Brad Monnett
7pm UK
www.flickr.com/photos/mrtopf/3556300244/

12noon SLT
Cylindrian Rutabaga
8pm UK
www.gracebuford.com

1pm SLT
Frogg Marlowe and Jaycatt Nico
9pm UK
www.froggmarlowe.com

2pm SLT
CraigLyons Writer
10pm UK
www.craiglyons.net

3pm SLT
Dexter Inhen
11pm UK
www.dexonyx.com

4pm SLT
Celtic Muse
12midnight UK



Are you teaching Rainforest/Ecology concepts and looking for fresh material? On Monday 9th November, Australian singer/songwriter Luc Floreani is hosting a Rainforest SOS concert for schools in the weird and wonderful virtual world of Second Life. Featured will be Luc's award-winning song, Breath.
Additional rainforest music ideas and resources for schools are available in Lesson Ideas (http://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/lesson-ideas) and Rainforest Multimedia (http://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia).

This event is sponsored by the Prince's Rainforest Project For Schools to raise awareness about the importance of rainforests (http://schools.rainforestsos.org/).

** Teachers (all ages students) interested in participating please email John Mahon (Ham Rambler) at john@picksl.net to be added to Restricted Event Group and for questions. **

PRINCE'S RAINFOREST PROJECT (PRP) REFERENCE LINKS:
DUBLIN RAINFOREST EVENT PROJECT STAGE http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dublin%202/84/20/2
CONCERT SCHEDULE: http://www.fengshuichat.com/prp_sl_concert/prp_sl_concert.htm
john@picksl.net - Access To Event (Teachers, Media)
http://www.rainforestsos.org/ PRP Home Page
http://schools.rainforestsos.org/ - PRP Schools Home Page
http://schools.rainforestsos.org/about/news-highlights/second-life-concert PRP Schools SL Concert Home Page

FOR FURTHER INFO PLEASE GO HERE
As well as HERE

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Virtual World Documentary "Another Perfect World" Premiers

Another Perfect World

Jorien van Nes and Femke Wolting's fascinating insight into online virtual worlds where the user can create their own paradise, far removed from real life.

spacestation
UPDATE: Video on Youtube now posted:



True Stories presents: Jorien van Nes and Femke Wolting's fascinating insight into online virtual worlds. Second Life, World of Warcraft, Metaplace, U World - all virtual worlds where the user can create their own paradise, far removed from real life. People can create societies that range from the democratic to the dictatorial, have avatars that resemble their ideal and can engage in actions that their real life personality would never dream of doing, from cyber-sex to virtual crime. But who creates these worlds and are they the right people to be crafting idealized societies that pretend to address and solve the inadequacies of the real world?

DIGG IT

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Intelligence Community Embraces Virtual Collaboration

Intelligence Community Embraces Virtual Collaboration
by Robert K. Ackerman of AFCEA

The nature of intelligence community activities has been changed as increasing numbers of people adopt virtual collaboration tools and methodologies. A host of systems unleashed a handful of years ago has burgeoned into a new way of engaging in intelligence operations that is moving through the community.

Users set free to explore these new cyberspace systems have uncovered new capabilities and have driven the introduction of still more collaborative systems. The result is that finished intelligence reports now are richer than before virtual collaboration was adopted. An issue is viewed through more than one perspective; and the overall effect is timelier, more agile and more accurate intelligence reporting to decision makers, says an intelligence official.

read more | digg story

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

"Second-Life and the future of the Music Industry" Exhibition - April 10-12, 2009

Second-Life and the future of the Music Industry

April 10-12, 2009
Temple University, Japan Campus, 2009

With a fantastic group of students, I am conducting field work and experimental research in the virtual world of SecondLife, to identify future business opportunities for the music industry - something it's well in need of. Watch this space for more, very soon.
Joint work with: Scott Lockman (Temple University, Japan Campus)

Exhibition:
Aucouturier explains:
"The music industry is in crisis — you’ve heard the news. But in the virtual world of Second Life, an alternative music economy is emerging. Already, real musicians are making a living by playing exclusively in Second Life, and music labels and clubs of a new kind are created every week. We have spent months researching the new musical trends in Second Life, and we’re bringing them to you in the form of snapshots, sounds, videos, interviews, and more. Come discover what music could become in the next 10 years."

Place: Harajuku Design Festa Gallery 2F, Tokyo (Japan)
Date: April 10-12, 2009
Hours: 11am-7pm
Info: aucouturier@gmail.com

(Thanks Morris Vig for the lead)

Friday, April 3, 2009

Music Awareness 2009 in Second Life - April 10-12, 2009


WELCOME TO MUSIC AWARENESS 2009 - Bringing Music To The Masses
April 10-12, 2009


This coming Easter Weekend (April 10-12), 2009, MUSIC NOT POLITICS with the assistance of Money Island and Trax Music Resource Center are pleased to present MUSIC AWARENESS 2009. This event is expected to run longer than 48 hours as the response already has been tremendous (already over 48 hours). THIS EVENT IS BEING EXTENDED FOR AS LONG AS WE CAN KEEP IT NON STOP. THE INITIAL 48 HOURS ARE FULL!!!!!!!! The event will be promoted in and out of SL. Money Island will have a special area set up where musicians and venues will be welcome to have a box of free promotional materials.

FANS: If you want to volunteer to help at the event please contact Moksha Nightfire or Roxiiie Kamachi via NOTECARD.

This event will be staffed by MUSIC NOT POLITICS staff and volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering your time to help with the event please contact Moksha Nightfire - if she is not online please send her a NOTECARD as her IM's get capped.

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Current Performer Lineup (updated April 3rd, 2009)

Make sure to go HERE for the most current updated lineup and info.

APRIL 10

6pm Kevin M Thomas

7pm Dallas Horsefly

8pm Onehempcat Oldrich

9pm Jaggpro McCann

10pm Peregrine Singh

11pm Rosedrop Rust

APRIL 11

12am Gregg Huet

1am Tpenta Vanalten

2am EddieGuitar Dagger

3am Dewran Wopat

4am Shoe Spitteler

5am Mike00 Carnell

6am Naphtali Hawks

7am Bones Writer

8am The Professor

9am Mikelec Criss

10am Doubledown Tandino

11am Russell Eponym

12pm Anu Papp

1pm Kim Seifert

2pm Anek Fuchs

2:30pm MMFKMT

3pm Rosedrop Rust

4pm Mykal Skall

5pm Ictus Belford

6pm SRV4U Conacher

7pm Dominick Manatiso

8pm Keiko

9pm Jaggpro McCann

10pm Buck Sideshow

11pm Blue4U Nowicka

APRIL 12

12am CHIP TAKACS

1am Ichie Kamachi

2am Mel Cheeky

3am Newbawn Easterman

4am Mash Rhode

5am Cedric Lowell

6am

7am Russell Eponym

8am AldoManutio Abruzzo

9am Zachariah Loon

10am Joaquin Gustav

11am Sioux Nikolaidis

12pm Friendly Fire

1pm Jonas Lunasea

2pm Allister Westland

3pm Edward Kyomoon

4pm Anek Fuchs

5pm Clairede Dirval

6pm Edward Lowell

7pm Nick99 Razor

8pm Janor Slichter

9pm Hayduke Schnook

10pm Dougie Moonites

11pm Ichie Kamachi

12am Phiona Ember

4/13

1am Krell Karu

2am Mel Cheeky

3am

4am Leighlee Trafalgar

5am

6am

7am Picker Apogee

8am Phemie Alcott

9am Tauri Tigerpaw

10am Jaypee Platthy

11am Sphere Quan

12pm JaNa KYoMooN

1pm Djai Skjellrup

2pm Yip Jannings

3pm MadMax huet

4pm Garth Gothly

5pm Jerico Jaxxon

6pm Bill and Pam Havercamp

7pm Iggy Kings

8pm Moshang Zhao

9pm Ande Foggarty

10pm Vladamir Lamont

11pm Strum Deisel

4/14

12am

1am

2am

3am OhMy Kidd

4am Leighlee Trafalgar

5am

6am

7am Shelindrea Ireland

8am Lou Mannock

9am Erin68 Frog & Satin Galli

10am Rich Desoto

11am Steely DeCosta

12pm Onlyhalfcrazy Gumbo

1pm Angee Seetan

2pm Artel Brando

3pm CTM Underwood

4pm Melodee McDonnell

5pm Matthew Perreault

6pm Arman Finesmith

7pm This Device

8pm Squidfisher McMillan

9pm PickerJohn Haystack

10pm Strummer Vultee

11pm Jubal Enyo

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Adobe in Second Life: Moderne Interactive Builds Immersive Learning Center for Adobe

Adobe in Second Life: Moderne Interactive Builds Immersive Learning Center for Adobe

Published in SL Entrepreneur Magazine, SLentrepreneur Magazine Feature Articles

by Richard Hackathorn and Emmett Burnett

One of the commercial applications for Second Life is immersive learning. And this is not only for universities and colleges. High-tech firms like Adobe Systems and Microsoft are using SL as a unique learning environment.

read more | digg story

(In case you're wondering, Adobe is the company that makes Photoshop among other programs. Photoshop is the #1 used tool for creating textures for SL. Premier is an excellent program for live online video.)

Friday, February 6, 2009

In a Strange Land: Second Life Academics Grill Pathfinder Linden

In a Strange Land: Second Life Academics Grill Pathfinder Linden
photo courtesy of Olivia Hotshot

Location: Montclair State University Virtual Campus


It was a collegial and jovial grilling, of course, at yesterday's Second Life Education Roundtable.

Pathfinder discussed a number of topics and debunked a few myths. We got to hear about why the teen and main grids are not going to merge anytime soon, as well as why it's a mere SL rumor that premium members will be able to join up to 100 groups.

Of more use to us, he talked at length about how Linden Lab is making eduction a priority in their business plan.

The full transcript is long (and transcribed from voice--expertly by Mirt Tenk and mOOn Jaecies). I've added in-text links to various topics our presenter and moderator (AJ Brooks) discussed.