May 4, 2009
The subway-fold
Columns work.
Thin, quick,
easy to read,
back and forth,
left and right,
columns.
e-paper,
designed in a nice,
1/4 size newsprint form -
buttons on the back,
maybe sides,
heck maybe a dismissive
accelerometer-sensed shake.
Skimmed with a glance,
while standing
shoulder to shoulder
in a crowded subway.
Not a big kindle, but
a blast from the past .
Posted by mbolas at 6:41 PM | Comments (0)
March 10, 2009
National Ignition Facility
Getting closer. National Ignition Facility.
Posted by mbolas at 10:55 PM | Comments (0)
March 8, 2009
Machine Shop Class, Evenings, Venice
The Venice Community Adult School has a Machine Shop class meeting every Monday night from 6:00 - 9:15. The next term begins March 9, and goes until June 20. Details here.
Unlike most machine shop courses, which are lecture based, the VCAS program allows students to work independently on their own projects. The number of projects taking place is as varied as the students taking advantage of the program, ranging from mechanics and hobbyists to engineers, entrepreneurs and inventors.
Note - the very close LA Trade Tech also offers courses, go here for more details.
Posted by mbolas at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)
February 28, 2009
ICT Interships - Summer 2009
File this in the short notice category - ICT has paid interships this summer. Apply here.
Not all will get funded, however the four positions that are posted for the lab I work in are:
3D Environment Artist Intern 0918
Mixed Reality Redirected Walking
Virtual Human Artist Intern 0919
Mixed Reality Virtual Humans
Data Collection Software Developer Intern 0920
Mixed Reality Redirected Walking
Gesture Markup Software Developer Intern 0921
Mixed Reality Virtual Humans
The ICT offers select interdisciplinary paid internships for creative and technical students wishing to pursue careers in simulation, interactive media, and virtual reality fields. ICT’s mission is to create compelling immersive and engaging systems for effective learning for the military, entertainment, and educational purposes.
Posted by mbolas at 3:39 PM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2009
Hear, shock, flinch, wow.
"IBM has filed a patent (US 7484451) for Bionic Body Armor, that could essentially allow us to dodge bullets like Neo in The Matrix. The armor would scan areas for incoming projectiles and when one is detected the system would deliver a shock to the muscles causing a swift reflexive action away from the projectile."
I find this idea significant on two levels. 1) The inventor's courage to continue a train of thought that crossed paths with 'hey, I know, let's Taser the user!". 2) The nod to our augmented-human future: building a set of ears, a reptillian reflex brain, and inducing nerve signals for muscular action.
A world-class example of using the absurd, of "making the familiar strange, and then the strange familiar"
(IBM patent application and Synectics quoted above)
Posted by mbolas at 1:33 PM | Comments (0)
January 26, 2009
Processing & Max Classes at Machine Project
2 workshops offered at Machine Project.
Intro to Max/MSP with Lewis Keller. Sundays Feb 8th, 15th, 22nd and March 1st, 2009, 2-5pm.
Intro to Processing with Chandler McWilliams. Two Saturdays Feb 14th & 21st, and two Mondays Feb 16th & 23rd.
Posted by mbolas at 11:11 AM | Comments (0)
January 21, 2009
Affective Computing Class at USC This Semester
Class in affective computing is offered by CS on Thursday afternoons. I am going to audit it, might be interesting for IMD students to consider, and there is space in the class. Supposed to be able to walk away with a 'toolkit of code' by the end.
Affective Computing is computing that relates to, arises from, or deliberately influences emotions. This course will overview the theory of human emotion (how it arises from and influences cognition, the body and the social environment), techniques for recognizing and synthesizing emotional behavior, and illustrate how these can be applied to application design.
Posted by mbolas at 6:29 PM | Comments (0)
January 12, 2009
Interum Active Media
I would highly recommend this not be heard on an ipod.
Posted by mbolas at 10:13 PM | Comments (0)
November 17, 2008
MFA Thesis Sneak Peak - This Wednesday 1 to 5pm
The IMD community is invited to a sneak-peak preview of third year MFA projects.
Two main goals: 1) provide first and second year students insight into the 3rd year process before they face it themselves and 2) provide early impressions and testing feedback for the 3rd year students as their projects begin to solidify.
Food and Refreshments will be provided and the 3rd Year class will be ready to go with small interactive vignettes of their thesis concepts.
1 to 5 pm, this Wednesday, November 17th at the 555 space.
Posted by mbolas at 3:32 PM | Comments (0)
August 11, 2008
Siggraph Stipend (Thanks Microsoft Research)
Everyone should try to make it to SIGGRAPH this year - especially 3rd year students thinking about how to design an interactive media experience for public presentation. 2nd year students would be wise to attend as they think about prior art and their work. 1st year students would benefit. . . well, see, everyone should go.
One day passes and student rates are available to keep costs down, and it is at the LA convention center - a stone's throw (if you have a really good arm) from USC.
Toward this end, the Immersive Lab, using funds from Microsoft Research, is offering 4 $100 stipends. Recipients will be asked to describe a notable exhibit at one of our weekly research meetings. If you are interested, please contact Bryan Jaycox for application details soon.
Posted by mbolas at 12:46 PM | Comments (1)