19th June 2024

Join us for a series of events to investigate the potential of immersive technologies in the University and beyond. What is the future of immersive technologies? What can we do now? What might we do in the near future? How might we make Warwick a world-leader in this field? How might we work with our academic and industry partners to develop our collective capabilities?

Immersive tech, creating entirely computer generated realities (VR), or overlaying computer generated artefacts onto real-reality (AR), is developing at an astonishing pace. Driven by advances in computer hardware (smaller, faster, more powerful, longer lasting) and design techniques (especially drawing on the psychology of perception), we are constantly surprised by the possibilities. As this converges with other developments, especially AI (generated 3D spaces and realistically intelligent agents), more amazing surprises are in store. As is always the case in the history of technology, it's the convergences that spark the revolutions. We need to be imaginative about this near future now. And we need to get into a position not only to exploit the potential, but also to direct its development - for practical and ethical reasons. A university like Warwick should be leading these developments, in collaboration with academic and industry partners. We have the potential, and some good beginnings. The aim of this summit is to bring interested parties together to imagine the potential, plan our next moves, and to recommend to the University how we should invest and scale-up platforms, services and activities to capitalise on the exciting work already being done and the many possibilities we can see opening up.

Programme

9am - Online with Monash and Shanghai to find out about what they are doing and what we can learn from them.

11am - Preview of Theatre Electric (book a ticket to attend a session over the following week).

1pm - Hear from Paul Long of MBD.

2pm - Hear from other projects and VR users at Warwick, including highlighting funding opportunities - including the VR team at WMS (medical school).

3pm - Discussion: what could and should we do at Warwick to move us forwards? What should our goals be?.

4pm - Write up a draft report.

9am (following day) - Present report online in a second meeting with international partners.

Theatre Electric will then run until the end of term in the Library. Book a ticket.

Book to attend

Booking formLink opens in a new window

Partners

Warwick Research Digital SpotlightLink opens in a new window

Monash University, Melbourne & Kuala Lumpur

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

MBD immersive digital storytelling, Leicester, UKLink opens in a new window

Limina Immersive research and design consultancy, Bristol, UKLink opens in a new window

Arts Faculty, WBS, WMS, WMG, Engineering, Psychology and more.