A very interesting VR lab to explore

https://vhil.stanford.edu/projects/

highly recommended

Abstract Proposal for the IRSCL 2017

Children and Young Adults’ Media:

Narratives and Fantasy in VR and AR

Despite the problematic issues of VR (Virtual Reality) and Augmented Reality (AR) for children in our modern societies, we have to acknowledge that VR and AR are the future of our digital generation. VR and AR have grown attention since inception, particularly in availing the future cinema and films. By far, VR and AR are considered as adult plays and entertainments. However, some arguments are also essentials in regards to their usage for children. When we look at the educational context of VR and AR, there is some recognition to consider VR and AR are potentially immersed in the classroom. For instance, the possibility of learning social competence for autistic kids and learning the complexity of abstract concepts are some of the acclaims made to rationale the importance of VR and AR immersion in education (Salzman, et al. 1999). Nonetheless, VR and AR also conceive some problematical issues, such as breeding violence (Dill and Dill 1998), health issues (Payton and et.al 2000), and addiction. Furthermore, previous studies of VR and AR as the media and apparatuses in our modern society tend to convey the notion of post-humanist, whereby, it relates to discerning VR and AR towards the approach of trans-humanism or anti-humanism. Yet, when we argue VR and AR through post-humanism acumen on the children capacity of self-consciousness, the realm of childhood has definitely been redefined through digital media.

This study focuses on the performative philosophical context of VR and AR as the new genre of children’s media and literature. The initial arguments are in the nature of narratives in the VR and AR in order to bridge the gaps and problems that may occur with regards to children’s experiences. The narrative in the realm of literature and media is the soul and the emotion of a story or film. Therefore, narrative may connect children with VR and AR through their consciousness and emotional response. This argument is related to the function children literature and media; the existence of narrative is often used to bridge children’s affective learning in the literature or media.

In addition, I will explore several issues such as the art of creating fantasy. This idea will focus on the relation of fantasy world and cyborg/hybridization culture in VR and AR, particularly in regards of how children will respond to the racial and cultural issues in real life through their interaction with cyborg and hybridization in VR and AR. Finally, this study will scrutinize the issue of how fantasy experience in VR and AR may recognize the identity construction, whereby the self-consciousness and identity may determine to what post-humanism is our technology may shape the children’s future; a trans-humanism or anti-humanism?

Bibliography

Aylett, R., and S. Louchart. “Towards a Narrative Theory of Virtual Reality.” Virtual Reality, 2003: 2-9.

Barad, Karen. “Posthumanist Performativity: Toward an Understanding of How Matter Comes to Matter.” SIGNS, 2003: 801-831.

Calvert, Sandra L., and Siu-Lan Tan. “Impact of Virtual Reality on Young Adults’ Physiological Arousal and Aggressive Thoughts: Interaction Versus Observation.” Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 1994: 125-139.

Dill, Karen E., and Jody C. Dill. “Video Game Violence: A Review of The Empirical Literature.” Aggression and Violent Behavior 3, no. 4 (1998): 407-428.

Hutcheon, Linda. The Politics of Postmodernism. New York: Routledge, 2002.

Jaques, Zoe. Children’s Literature and The Posthuman; Animal, Environment, Cyborg. New York: Routledge, 2015.

Jenkins, Henry. Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide. New York: New York University Press, 2006.

Laccino, James F. Jungian Reflections Within the Cinema: A Psychological Analysis of Sci-fi and Fantasy Archetypes. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., 1998.

Payton, John W., and et.al. “Social and Emotional Learning: A Framework for Promoting Mental Health and Reducing Risk Behaviors in Children and Youth.” Journal of School Health, 2000: 179-185.

Ryan, Marie-Laure. Narrative as Virtual Reality : Immersion and Interactivity in Literature and Electronic Media. Baltimore, MD. London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001.

Salzman, Marilyn C., Chris Dede, R. Bowen Loftin, and Jim Chen. “A Model for Understanding How Virtual Reality Aids Complex Conceptual Learning.” Presence, 1999: 293-316.

Silvern, Steven B, and Peter A. Williamson. “The Effects of Video Game Play on Young Children’s Aggression, Fantasy, and Prosocial Behavior.” JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, 1987: 453-462.

Week 11 – Thomas Elsaesser and Lev Manovich Summary

Here is a link to my notes from the Manovich and Elsaesser readings.

Week 11 – Thomas Elsaesser and Lev Manovich notes

Roy Ascott, “Seeing Double: Art and the Technology of Transcendence”

Reading through Youngblood’s Expanded Cinema, I couldn’t help but think of the work and writing of Roy Ascott. I’ve uploaded an excerpt from his book, Reframing Consciousness: Art, mind & technology where he discusses VR and its relationship to psychopharmocology. It’s a trip!

Roy Ascott – “Seeing Double: Art and the Technology of Transcendence”

CFC Media Lab’s “Quick Guide to Making Passive VR”

Hey everyone,

In advance of Amit and I presenting our research findings on VR Cinema next week, I’d like to share this interesting quick infographic posted on the CFC’s Media Lab (my old alma mater) blog. Here is the link: http://cfccreates.com/news/700-cfc-media-lab-s-quick-guide-to-making-passive-vr

The guide is fairly simple and straightforward in explanation, and also offers a handy Tools & Software Resource Guide. Looks like the lab will post another guide next week, on Interactive VR. (Perhaps it will be in time for our presentation – which will give us another handy visualization to review!)

Lastly, Amit and I wanted to update you in advance that we have decided not to proceed with inviting Scott to class (for our presentation), but instead are aiming to do a video interview with him which we can then present to the class. This will retain the intimacy of our class environment, and also make for a more efficient use of our time.

Enjoy…

The Hamilton Cast’s commentary (as interactive theatre)

Hi all,

I just wanted to share this commentary on the Hamilton cast’s gesture to Mike Pence by theatre reviewer for the Globe & Mail, Kelly Nestruck.

I’m sharing partly because of the experience some of us shared together in the wake up the U.S. election, but also in connection to my final project. I’m looking at the ways digital screens facilitate and aid the experience of staged theatre. In particular, my position is that “proscenium stage” is one of the original “screens” of performance experience and while there has been a lot of modern discourse on breaking the 4th wall, what the cast of the Hamilton musical did during their curtain call actually took theatre back to a more political time and overturned the rules of the perceived and established theatrical screen to offer a new interactive voice to and WITH their audience. Just stuff I’ve been turning over in my head!

“4D” Virtual Reality

Hey everyone!

Here is the video I was mentioning in class today, in case anyone wants to watch 4D in action (featuring the HTC Vive).

Exhibit inspired by Bachelard’s “Poetics of Space” opens tonight!

Infinity of Intimate Space

This exhibition opens tonight and runs from Nov 16 – Dec 10, 2016.

Here is the description from the website:

InterAccess is pleased to present its 15th annual emerging artists exhibition. In celebration of this milestone year, the program has been renamed to Current, reflecting the present voices of emerging curators and artists. “Current” refers to the now, of course, but it is also an energetic charge that causes light, heat, and all sorts of electronic life; an apt metaphor for emergent creative practices within the ever-expanding field of new media.

This year’s Current Emerging Curator is Aliya Karmali, a recent U of T graduate. Interested in how our spaces create and hold meaning, Karmali developed a call for submissions centred on the poetics of space. The resulting exhibition, Infinity of Intimate Space, features four emerging artists whose works explore space through memories and dreams. The exhibition is inspired by Gaston Bachelard’s book, The Poetics of Space, which discusses the phenomenologist’s study of the sites of our intimate lives. From the intimacy of our houses, to desolate landscapes and brimming cities, to the deconstruction of digital forms, what reveries do we explore within the spaces we immerse ourselves in?

Curated by Current Emerging Curator Aliya Karmali. Featuring works by Jennifer Akkermans, Ilze Briede (Kavi), Connor Buck, and Venessa Heddle.

Opening Reception
Wednesday, November 16, 2016, 7-9pm

Curator Tour
Saturday, November 19, 2016, 1-2pm

For more information (and gallery hours), visit the link above.

MIT Conference

Hi everyone,
I was following the interesting conference MIT about VR organized last May and happy to share a PDF of its summary . super interesting :file:///Users/amitbreuer/Desktop/MIT_OpenDocLab_VirtuallyThereConference.pdf

The Conjuring 2 VR Trailer

Stumbled upon this video on Facebook. Interesting to see the use of horror conventions in VR… as well as users’ reactions!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnNAECr7la8