PhD Scholarships in Human Computer Interface Technology

The HIT Lab AU is now advertising several fully funded PhD scholarships in advanced interface technology in the following areas:

* Smart Sensors
* Affective Computing interfaces
* Tracking Systems
* Virtual and Augmented reality
* Visualization and Simulation
* Human-centered Design and Engineering

We are looking for outstanding students with strong skill sets in computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, human factors engineering, bioengineering, experimental psychology, health sciences, design and the arts. Candidates in these disciplines who have a strong desire to work in a multidisciplinary setting and on pervasive problems are encouraged to apply.

The deadline for applications is November 15, 2011.

For more information please visit:http://www.hitlab.utas.edu.au/wiki/2011_PhD_Elite_Scholarships

We would appreciate it if you could disseminate this to your colleagues or students who are interested in Human Interface Technologies.

Regards,

Winyu Chinthammit, Ph.D.
Lecturer
HIT Lab AU
School of Computing and Information Systems
University of Tasmania

International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR) 2011 – Call for Papers and Participation

Call for Papers and Participation
The Tenth IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality
Oct. 26-29, 2011, Basel, Switzerland
http://www.ismar11.org

PDF Version

The fields of Mixed Reality (MR) and Augmented Reality (AR) seek to interactively combine real and virtual objects and environments in 3D. The basic paradigm enables fascinating new types of user interfaces, and is beginning to show significant impact on industry and society. The field is highly interdisciplinary, and MR/AR concepts are applicable to a wide range of applications.

This year we are proud to present the 2011 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR 2011). The symposium will be held on Oct 26–29, 2011 at Congress Center in Basel, Switzerland. We invite you all to participate in this great event for the exchange of new ideas in this exciting field! ISMAR now invites contributions in two programs: the Science & Technology (S&T) program and a complementary Arts, Media and Humanities (AMH) program.

Science and Technology Track

In recent years, MR/AR has been expanding from an exciting research proposition into a publicly-acknowledged technology.

The field is highly interdisciplinary, combining work in disciplines such as signal processing, computer vision, computer graphics, user interfaces, human factors, wearable computing, mobile computing, computer networks, displays, and sensors. The growing interest in MR/AR applications is creating new challenges for research in all of these areas.

We invite submissions in the general field of Mixed and Augmented Reality. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, MR/AR aspects of:

Sensing;
Modeling;
Information presentation;
Interaction;
Human factors;
System architectures;
Displays;
MR/AR applications.

Arts, Media & Humanities Track

The 2011 ISMAR Arts, Media and Humanities chairs invite artists, designers, architects, urbanists, and scholars to explore the potential of Mixed and Augmented Reality within their respective fields. We welcome artifacts, musings, probings, discourses, and insights to be presented at ISMAR 2011 in the form of papers, posters, art exhibits and performances, panels, workshops, demos, and tutorials.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, case studies, deployments, prototypes, and evaluations of Mixed and Augmented Reality in:

Art;
Media art;
Performing arts;
Architecture;
Urban design;
Cultural heritage;
Game design;
Toys;
Social media;
Transhumanism;
Design research;
Product design;
Advertising and marketing.

Submission Categories

The following are the categories of solicited types of work for both tracks. For detailed submission and formatting instructions, visit the website athttp://www.ismar11.org

Papers and Posters (S&T and AMH)
Innovation Workshops
Informative Tutorials
S&T Demonstrations
Art Exhibits
Tracking Competition & AMH Contests

Important Deadlines

Paper and Poster Abstracts: May 11
Paper and Poster Submission: May 16
Workshop and Tutorial Proposals: June 3
Art Exhibits: June 3
Demonstrations: August 15
Tracking Competition Entry: August 15

Deadline is September 15th, 2011To kickstart the launch of Layar Vision, we are hosting the Layar Creation Challenge. We feel Layar Vision will be especially successful in enriching the publishing industry, so we’ve focused this challenge around the following categories: magazines, books and self publishing.

Think big! We’re not just looking for a simple concept for a single layer, but rather, a creative and smart business idea that is scalable and can provide lasting value for both the publisher as well as the end-user.

We’re giving away a total of $55,000 in cash to 10 developers who create the most useful, unique and overall coolest experiences with Layar Vision that make us say “Wow!”

That’s right. $55,000 in cold, hard cash. Here’s how the prize money breaks down:

First Place: $15,000
Second Place: $10,000
Third Place: $7,500
Fourth & Fifth Place: $5,000 each
Sixth through Tenth Place: $2,500 each

Winners will be featured on Layar.com and in our public launch of Layar Vision. The winners will also be provided with three months of free usage and assistance in pitching their Layar Vision concept to businesses.

So how will it all work? Here’s what it’s going to take to win this contest and cash in:

Your layer will be judged on how well it fits into one of these four categories: magazines, books, self publishing or the special wild-card category.
Another judging criteria will be the business potential (volume in usage) of your layer, so think of ideas that can have mass appeal.
Judging will also be based on the feasibility of replicating the layer for multiple clients.
And finally, layers must include Layar Vision capabilities, must be aesthetically attractive and must technically function in the Layar Vision-enabled beta release of the browser.

After the submission deadline, we will determine the finalist short-list and announce it a week later. Our internationally-acclaimed jury of AR enthusiasts will then judge and rank the finalists to determine the top 10 ranking.

These esteemed jurors include:

Raimo van der Klein, Layar co-founder and CEO (@Rhymo)
Ben Hammersley, Wired UK editor-at-large (@benhammersley)
Bruce Sterling, sci-fi author and AR wizard (@Bruces)
Russell Buckley, former AdMob evangelist (@russellbuckley)
Gerd Leonhard, author/futurist (@gleonhard)

SEC Competitions & Scholarships

Innovative Partnerships in Science, Entertainment, and Education

Request for Proposals

Proposals are due May 16!

The Science & Entertainment Exchange of the National Academy of Sciences is seeking proposals to establish collaborative partnerships among scientists, entertainment industry professionals, and educators to develop educational products or services that effectively leverage the resources of the entertainment community (including film, television, and video games) to improve educational outcomes in science classrooms. A total of $225,000, generously provided by The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, will support the development of one or more innovative ideas. This document outlines the proposal guidelines. The guidelines are also available at http://seenas.ning.com

About This Request for Proposals

The Science & Entertainment Exchange (The Exchange), a program of the National Academy of Sciences, was established in 2008 to connect the entertainment industry with top scientists and engineers in an effort to bring better science to film and television. At its simplest, The Exchange is a matchmaking service, identifying the best experts to consult on projects. But the program also functions as a cultural exchange, bringing together members of two disparate communities to discover the inherent synergies that exist between them. For more information about The Exchange, visit www.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org.

The Exchange believes that there is the potential for even greater impact if the education community becomes part of the cultural mix. With support from The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, The Exchange hosted a Summit on Science, Entertainment, and Education in Los Angeles on February 4, 2011. The Summit brought together leading minds to explore how film, television programming, video games, and other entertainment media could be systematically used for curriculum development at the middle school and high school levels.

But generating exciting discussion and ideas is not enough. The Exchange and The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation want to be sure the best ideas have the support they need to be piloted and distributed.

Applications are due May 16, 2011, and all interested parties are encouraged to apply. See http://seenas.ning.com/page/the-grant for more information.

ASUS Xtion PRO Developer Challenge

Welcome to the ASUS Xtion PRO Developer Challenge. We’re glad to have you participating in this competition by developing games/apps or evaluating them with us! Want to win the big prize? Read below for more details and information.

Objective: To encourage the development of new technology applications and to offer the public a new entertainment choice
What to submit:
1. Participants are requested to submit at least one game or app, and a creative video which shows how the game or app is played. We’re looking for three types of submission including:
  - Games: all kinds of games ranging from sports, car racing, educational, puzzles, etc.
  - Multimedia: Any app that is played with the users’ movies, music or photo libraries, such as e-book reader, photo edit, photo stickers, etc.
  - Others: all the rest reserved for your creativity!
2. Video: A video is required to show audience the features of the game or app. Instead of a simple introduction video, participants can make it more interesting with a usage scenario andshow the audience what the best way to play your game or app is.
3. Programming languages are requested to be either C++ or C#. All games or apps are required to be able to run on ASUS Xtion PRO (Xtion PRO only supports depth detection)and our minimum system requirement:
  - OS: Windows XP/Vista/7
  - CPU:Conroe Core processor or above.
  - AMD Athlon64 AM2 Socket or above
  - System Memory:2GB
  - Graphics card: VGA: Support DX9.0 or above
  - Graphics memory: 1GB
  - Resolution: 1280*720 screen resolution
    * Xtion PRO SDK is OpenNI compatible
4. All games/apps are played using the entire body or gestures without any remote or keyboard/mouse (All games/apps are gestured-based.)
5. All games/apps can work between 0.8-3.5m from the sensor.
6. All games/ apps submitted must be in English.
7. All games/apps must be submitted to the website by the May 31st deadline
All games/apps will be judged in2 rounds
1. 1st round: ASUS will select games and apps based on the following criteria:
  - User stickiness (40%): Attractiveness and addictiveness to users
  - Feasibility (30%): Games and apps should be effective and fun especially with gesture control, taking advantage of the unique features of this platform
  - Creativity (20%): Creative and interesting, and original games/apps
  - Professional (10%): The overall look of the game and app should have good graphics and sound effects.By clicking “Agree” to the Terms and Conditions before uploading a new game or app, Eligible Entrants agree to license ASUS to put the game or app chosen in the first round on the ASUS online app store. If Eligible Entrants do not agree to license ASUS to put the game or app on the ASUS online app store, their game/app will not be eligible to enter into the second round voting. Nevertheless, ASUS reserves the right to discuss future detail commercial business relationship with Eligible Entrants whose game or app is chosen in the first round.
2. 2nd round: Videos of winners from the first round will be posted online and open to the public to let the public vote for the top three best games/apps that they’d like most to play with. The top three games/apps will be the winners of this Competition (“Winners”). The Winners will be awarded a first, second or third prize according to the votes of the public. With help from ASUS, you now have a free chance to promote your software in front of the world, and let people experience and appreciate your hard work.The rules for public vote will be announced by ASUS later at official WAVI Family Site forum
Prize
1. The prizes of the Winners and this Competition are as below,
  - First prize: USD$ 20,000
  - Second prize: USD $3,000
  - Third prize: USD $ 1,000
  - Best video shooting: USD $ 500Besides the 1st/2nd/3rd awards, there’s also aprize for the best shoot video prize. Participants are encouraged to have a video to show the audience the features of their games/apps. Instead of a simple introduction video, Eligible Entrants can make it more interesting with scenarios, or what’s the best way to play their games or apps. The video viewed by the most number of people during the Competition will win USD $500.Note 1 : Winner is solely responsible for any tax that may arise from acceptance of the prize. Independent financial advice should be sought by Winners themselves. ASUS accepts no responsibility in this regard.Note 2: Games and apps chosen from first round may have the chance to be put on the ASUS online app store. ASUS reserves the right to discuss future possible commercial business relationship with Eligible Entrants whose game or app is chosen in the first round.
Timeline:
1. March 22nd: the Competition starts
2. May 31th: Final submission date (close on CST 17:00)
3. Mid June: Selected videos are open to the public for a second vote for the final winners (specific dates to be announced on WAVI Xtion family site forum)
4. July : Winners announcement(specific dates to be announcedon WAVI Xtion family site forum)
  Note: ASUS reserved the right to postpone or change the date on the website without individual notice.
Important reminder:
When registering as a player, Eligible Entrant must behave in accordance with the Conditions and other rules set forth by ASUS, and must not be in violation of any relevant and effective laws. For more details, please see the detail terms and conditions for competition.
For more competition questions, you can go to our forum at official WAVI XtionFamily Site. For more technical questions, you can go to OpenNI for discussions and help.

To view the Terms and Conditions click here.

To view Q&A about the ASUS Developer Challenge click here.

To go the ASUS X-tion Pro Developer Challenge Homepage and to submit your applications, please visit: http://event.asus.com/wavi/gallery/default.aspx

GOT SOME DEVELOPER GAME? CODE IN YOUR SLEEP? WIRED IN?

Enter the PrimeSense 2011 Developers Challenge to win $20,000 and industry recognition as a Natural Interaction developer legend. Create the most incredible Natural Interaction based web browser application that will get our sensors shaking and the grand prize could be yours.

The finalists and ultimate grand prize winner will be selected by Natural Interaction industry leaders and will be showcased at GDC in San Francisco in March 2011.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR:
The best Natural Interaction based fully functional Web Browser

About the Challenge

Here are a few guidelines for the competition:

1. The challenge is to design a fully functional Natural Interaction based Web Browser that provides a usable, fun and enjoyable way to browse standard web content from the comfort of one’s couch using only hand gestures to control

2. The mandatory key features:

Hyper-link clicking
Zoom in/out
Panning
Scrolling
choosing a text field to type in
open a new tab
open a menu (i.e. favorites) and select
back/forward

3. The Browser must be OpenNI based (downloads can be found here)

4. The Browser must be Natural Interaction based – users must be able to browse using only hand gestures. Developers must make optimal use of the available technology while providing the right balance between USABILITY and FUN.

5. Living Room Environment: The application should be optimized and will be tested for operation at a distance of 10 – 12 feet for a living room experience

JUDGING CRITERIA

Accuracy rate versus false rate
Physical fatigue: how long can I enjoy browsing without feeling any physical strain?)
Cognitive fatigue: how clear are things to me vs. how frustrated I get trying to figure things out?
Mental Load: how clear are things to me vs. how frustrated do I get trying to figure things out?
Natural interaction: we will rank the level metaphors to the chosen UI concepts and their implementation to humans in the physical world
Experience Values: rewarding, effortless, natural, trustable

PRIZES

ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AND SHOWCASED AT GDC 2011 IN SAN FRANCISCO.

1st place: $20,000 and the winning application will be promoted to commercial customers

2nd place: $3,000

3rd place: $1,000

Fore more information, visit http://www.openni.org/developerschallenge

Qualcomm Announces Winners of the 2010 Augmented Reality Developer Challenge

San Diego – On February 15, 2011 Qualcomm Incorporated announced the winners of its 2010 Augmented Reality (AR) Developer Challenge. The top prize of $125,000 was awarded to a team of two developers from Lithuania, Paulius Liekis and Arminas Didžiokas for Paparazzi. Second prize of $50,000 was awarded to Defiant Development Pty Ltd. for Inch High Stunt Guy. Third prize of $25,000 was awarded to five graduate students at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts for their submission, Danger Copter. The Challenge, which kicked off with the public availability of Qualcomm’s AR software development kit (SDK) in October 2010, encouraged developers to create a new generation of vision-based AR applications, including innovative games, educational applications and interactive marketing concepts.

“Qualcomm congratulates the winners and all the developers that provided submissions,” said Jay Wright, director of business development at Qualcomm. “With just over three months of development time since the SDK became available, developers have shown that compelling AR experiences can be created rapidly using Qualcomm’s platform.”

Winning Applications
1st Place – $125,000 – Paparazzi by Paulius Liekis and Arminas Didžiokas (Lithuania)
An interactive game where the player becomes a virtual paparazzo and sneaks pictures of a vain celebrity before he gets agitated and attacks the photographer

2nd Place – $50,000 – Inch High Stunt Guy by Defiant Development Pty Ltd. (Australia)
A game where the player arranges various obstacles to enable a stuntman to successfully jump his motorcycle through a hoop

3rd Place – $25,000 – Danger Copter by Alex Beachum, Jonghwa Kim, Jason Mathias, Kedar Reddy and Evan Sforza (USA) A gaming adventure where the player becomes a helicopter pilot who maneuvers a water-spouting chopper to extinguish fires and rescue people from danger

The judges for the Challenge were a mix of individuals from industry and academia. Entries were judged based on creative concept, technical execution, overall user experience and other factors.

Publically available since October 2010, Qualcomm’s AR platform uses computer vision technology to align graphics tightly with underlying objects in the real world. The approach is an evolution from current AR techniques that use a device’s GPS and compass for mapping applications. Vision-based AR delivers a fundamentally different user experience in which graphics appear as if they are anchored to real world objects.

Select video clips of applications submitted to the Challenge can be viewed at www.qualcomm.com/ar. To create your own application, visit Qualcomm’s AR developer portal at developer.qualcomm.com/ar.