Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

By Dot Cannon: Public Speaker & New-Media ReporterSociety & CultureEducationArts
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Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak episodes

  • Learning By Hologram





    When Perception Founder/CEO Dr. Sirisilp Kongsilp first saw VR, he was fascinated.



    And it started him thinking of ways to create something new.



    Today Dr. Kongsilp, or Rabbit, as he prefers to be called (that's what his name means) has just entered into an exciting new partnership, that will benefit students worldwide. And he and his team will be creating new, free resources for educators!



    What Rabbit and his team came up with was desktop AR. This is a plugin to Unity Technologies' platform which allows users to view 3D objects from their computers, with just a pair of red-and-blue glasses!



    In addition, this is a very user-friendly technology that allows creatives to develop and share a 3D app--for free!



    Now, just in time for back-to-school, Bangkok-based holographic company Perception has an exciting new partnership that's going to benefit students worldwide. Again, it's free.



    Rabbit recently announced that Perception has entered into a partnership with the Imperial War Museums, and the Science Museum Group, in London.



    "Together, we will bring holographic exhibitions to more than 20,000 students worldwide" he emailed.



    A look at the museums' websites reveals some seriously cool stuff.



    Coming soon--in 3D



    Imperial War Museums' website lists five museums in their group. Among these are the Churchill War Rooms, which takes visitors inside life during WWII; HMS Belfast, the most significant surviving Second World War Royal Navy warship; and IWM London, which includes the "Extraordinary Heroes" exhibition among its permanent collections.



    Meanwhile, the Science Museum Group is the world's leading group of science museums. Their members include the National Railway Museum, National Science and Media Museum and the Science and Industry Museum.



    We can only imagine all the incredible artifacts which students will get to see, up close, in 3D in the future!



    Rabbit offered a look inside the process of creating museum-artifact holograms for student use, discussed a recent workshop which Perception hosted and shared a contact for educators, worldwide, to get their classrooms involved.



    On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:



    * How this new partnership came about for Perception;



    * Perception's goals for reaching students;



    * A look at the process of translating museum artifacts into 3D holograms...
    23 min
  • “A Springboard to the Future”
    (Royalty-free image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.)

    How do you make the future your own?

    Especially with technology radically transforming the workplace?

    That's exactly what bestselling authors Cathy Hackl and John Buzzell cover in their new book, "The Augmented Workforce: How AI, AR and 5G Will Impact Every Dollar You Make".

    And their goal: to provide a guide for those of us that don't consider ourselves tech-savvy.   If you don't care about "how many pixels" or "why does it work", but want to know "How can I make this work for me?", you're the reader they have in mind.

    "We wanted this to be helpful, encouraging and (a springboard to the future for nontechnical readers)," says John.

    And indeed, "The Augmented Workforce" is both a great read, and a great resource.
    A layperson's guide
    Putting the technology into plain English, John and Cathy take their readers through six "pillars" that will change the future.  They explore: the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR), 5G, the cloud and blockchain.

    Chapters cover uses (sometimes unexpected!) of these technologies in a wide range of work situations.   Education, marketing, healthcare and defense are just a few of the fields John and Cathy explore.

    John, with whom I spoke in this episode, is an award-winning technology leader, whose areas of expertise include AR/VR, mobile apps, websites and much more.  Currently, he works with Epic Games, creators of both the Unreal game engine and the world's largest video game, Fortnite.  John also serves as President of the VR/AR Association's Atlanta Chapter.

    Meanwhile, Cathy is a leading tech futurist and globally recognized business leader.   Both she and John are very much in demand as speakers, in the area of innovation.

    And they'd both like to have you follow them on Twitter and LinkedIn!  You'll find their links here.

    John offered a look at "The Augmented Workforce", explored some of the reasons "nontechnical" readers might want to learn more about AI, AR and VR, and shared some of his favorite resources.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    The genesis of "The Augmented Workforce" (hint: robots are involved!;

    *
    How the current breakneck-pace changes in technology may show up in the workplace of the future;

    *
    One ingenious XR application which allows for effective training in a venerable New York system;

    *
    How makers and educators (especially those who consider themselves "nontechnical") can use digital media to share knowledge and information;

    *
    Some of the ways makers, educators and small-business entrepreneurs can put AI, AR and VR to work for them;

    *
    A look inside some of the industries covered in "The Augmented Workforce" and how these emerging technologies facilitate them;

    *
    Resources to get started, from the ground up, working with AI or AR;

    *
    What a robot had to say, in review of "The Augmented Workforce: How AI, AR and 5G Will Impact Every Dollar You Make";

    *
    Why this robot's role as "book reviewer" doesn't necessarily mean workers in creative fields will become obsolete!


     
    36 min
  • Playful Exploration = Learning


    Learning about the world by making things and experimenting?  Playfully combining art. science and technology to make some incredibly cool stuff?  Crafting both educational experiences and interactive art?

    That's exactly what Los Angeles-based design studio Wonderful Idea Co. is all about.

    And so is A Tinkering World Tour, their popular online hands-on workshop, which premiered in April!  Currently, Season Two of A Tinkering World Tour is in the funding stage on Indiegogo.

    And when Season Two starts in September, says Wonderful Idea Co. Co-Founder/Managing Director Ryan Jenkins, workshop participants get to "visit" five different countries.  But they won't just be visiting.

    Instead, they'll be working along with local makers, artists and educators, to create some exciting projects!   But no fancy materials will be needed.  These creative workshops will be using materials commonly found around the house.

    Among Season Two's "destinations" are Italy, Nepal and Singapore.

    While Wonderful Idea Co. introduced their Tinkering World Tour in April, 2021, the workshop series is just one of their recent innovations.

    Wonderful Idea Co. creates interactive exhibits and art for museums and makerspaces.  They offer professional-development workshops for educators and artists.  Often, their lessons lead to an epiphany--students can learn effectively while having fun making and tinkering.

    In addition, their blog and "projects" page, on their website, offer a lot of exciting ideas for projects -- including a mouse-powered knitting machine!

    And they're also planning some exciting Automata Tinkering Global Workshops  in September, in collaboration with U.K.-based Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.

    Ryan shared the story of Wonderful Idea Co., offered a look inside A Tinkering World Tour and shared some of his favorite resources.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    How Ryan first came to realize the value of playful exploration for learning;

    *
    How the Wonderful Idea Co. came into being;

    *
    The story of A Tinkering World Tour;

    *
    One of Ryan's favorite experiences during the first workshop series;

    *
    A preview of what's going to be happening in September:

    *
    Some of Ryan's favorite resources for maker projects;

    *
    A closer look at two eco-friendly maker projects Wonderful Idea Co. has been creating;

    *
    Ryan's vision for the future with Wonderful Idea Co.'s approach of playful exploration;

    *
    A look at sustainable resources for making and tinkering;

    *
    A preview of the Global Automata Workshops;

    *
    One epiphany Ryan witnessed, with a student who took a hands-on making workshop;

    *
    What's coming up for the Wonderful Idea Co., after October.


     

     

     

     

     
    38 min
  • The Futurist and Her Music


    When it comes to a great time, futurist Celeste Lear is a triple threat.

    Not only is she a musician/performer: she’s a VR/Virtual event producer, 3D artist as well as a professional DJ of 13+ years.  So far, Celeste has released five albums and ten singles of her original music.

    And she’s taking her gifts to the metaverse.

    “DJ Celeste” as she’s known, is one of the first of a new wave of futuristic DJs to build 3D modeled nightclub and festival venues and perform as an avatar in virtual reality.

    Her DJ skills get people up and dancing, onsite physically or virtually.  Her various avatars and venue are eye-catching and fun.  And she has a rare talent: she can play guitar, live, to match the beats!

    Meanwhile, as founder of Los Angeles-based entertainment company Boutique Electronique Music, she also acts as a virtual event producer/designer, music director and is working with a professional team on some revolutionary, exciting new festivals, concerts and even conferences such the Consumer Electronics Show (CES®) in VR!

    When the pandemic forced the 2020 Burning Man Festival to go virtual, DJ Celeste seized the opportunity, conceptualized and designed her own 3D stage & dance floor in VR, using the applications “Tilt Brush” and “Blender”, and brought the party to the metaverse, first inside SecondLife with the BURN2 community (complete with her pet unicorn!) and then to other platforms, including AltSpaceVR (BRCvr), The Infinite Playa and the Dusty Multiverse

    This year, she’s looking forward to another Burning Man performance.  (Here’s a link to her Burning Man 2020 mix!)

    And if you’d like to know more about virtual stage design, she has a free tutorial on her website.

    DJ Celeste talks here about her background as a performer, her experiences in the metaverse and what works well for creating a party in VR.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    How Celeste discovered her passion for music;

    *
    The professional experience that inspired her to work in virtual reality;

    *
    Her first performance experience in virtual reality;

    *
    How the 2020 Burning Man virtual experience "supercharged" her interest in working in the metaverse;

    *
    Celeste's plans for the 2021 Virtual Burn (you can get involved, and if you're lucky you might hear her perform live!)

    *
    Her favorite mind-blowing memories from Virtual Burning Man 2020;

    *
    Celeste's advice for anyone starting to create new worlds in virtual reality;

    *
    Some of Celeste's favorite platforms and resources for working in VR;

    *
    What's involved, in creating your own virtual venue;

    *
    One of Celeste's favorite experiences creative experiences, designing a unique venue;

    *
    How to prevent problems or troubleshoot, if something goes wrong while working "live" in VR;

    *
    Lessons learned,
    32 min
  • Next Stop: The Moon
    An Over Coffee® special-edition podcast
    (Graphic courtesy of NASA, and used with permission.)

    As the world applauds Sir Richard Branson's successful flight aboard his own spaceship, NASA continues exciting work on another front. 

    For the NASA Artemis mission, the first step is to return humans to the Moon.

    Colonizing the Moon comes next.  Along with exploring the surface--while looking forward, possibly, to future Mars flights.

    As NASA Mission Design and Planetary Science specialist Matt Wittal explains, the program will include three major launches.

    Artemis I and Artemis II will be preparatory work.  Then, within the next few years, Artemis III will return humans to the Moon.

    In April, we had the pleasure of talking with Matt about the Artemis program and NASA's current work.   Here is an updated version of our conversation!
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    What’s been happening since our 2019 discussion with Matt (Since this was recorded, in April 2021,NASA has announced its choice of SpaceX to build the rocket that will fly astronauts to the Moon.  And congratulations to everyone at NASA on Ingenuity’s historic, first successful flight!);

    *
    A look at what will be happening, with the Artemis project and beyond;

    *
    Some of the safety and sustainability considerations involved, in creating the missions to the Moon (and ultimately to Mars);

    *
    How NASA determines the location for a Moon landing;

    *
    Some of the program’s upcoming milestones;

    *
    What will be happening as Artemis II returns astronauts to orbiting the Moon;

    *
    How the design of the mission has evolved, since 2019;

    *
    How other nations are collaborating on the lunar-exploration program;

    *
    Some of the science goals of the mission;

    *
    One of the coolest technologies Matt has seen in spacecraft development within the last year;

    *
    What the Artemis III crew will be doing, after their arrival at the Moon;

    *
    Some of the educational opportunities coming up in the future, as the Artemis launches get closer;

    *
    What Matt considers some of his most exciting moments as he works on the Artemis program.


    Over Coffee®, and Two Maverix® Multimedia, are not, in any way, shape or form, affiliated with, nor endorsed by, NASA.  (We just think this is seriously cool!)
     
    22 min
  • Capturing Worlds in 360


    You enter a workplace.  You've never been here before.  But you know exactly what to do--and you execute the tasks competently.

    This is one of the goals of Bit Space Development.  They're an interactive digital media studio, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    And their mission says their goal is to build "the best, most innovative and creative interactive learning experiences we possibly can".

    Bit Space Development Owner/CEO Dan Blair created his startup in 2015.  Since then, Dan, who describes himself as an "idea guy" and technology enthusiast, has worked with his team to develop multiple VR and XR projects for experiential learning.  Currently, classrooms and on-the-job training are their main applications.  But Dan says the possibilities extend far beyond those uses--to social experiences as well.

    Dan talked about his experiences, explored the ways his company's technology works for hands-on virtual learning experiences and shared some of his favorite resources.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    Where Dan's interest in "building things that solve problems" began;

    *
    The creative project that served as a catalyst this interest;

    *
    The story of Bit Space Development (which Dan says he created accidentally!);

    *
    One very cool XR project Bit Space Development is doing with the schools in their area;

    *
    How Dan and his team are using immersive technology to work remotely due to the pandemic;

    *
    A walkthrough of planning an educational experience in XR;

    *
    How XR can become more accessible;

    *
    What's ahead, for Bit Space Development;

    *
    A 360 experience they've created, reconstructing a site in their local community;

    *
    Dan's recommendations for anyone who's new to XR and would like to learn more.

    34 min
  • Zappar: A Sense of Wonder
     



     

    "So much awesomeness out there," says Zappar CEO and Co-Founder Caspar Thykier.

    And he and his team are simultaneously adding to that awesomeness--and democratizing it.

    With their recent project, LEGO® Mythica, London-based augmented reality/creative studio Zappar was instrumental in creating  the first amusement-park experience of its kind.

    Visitors to LEGOLAND® Windsor get to visit different "portals" through augmented reality.    LEGO® statues come to life in augmented reality.  Alicorns, hydra and chimera appear in an alternate world.    Three new augmented-reality attractions take guests into a mystical realm.

    Central to the LEGO® Mythica experience is "Flight of the Sky Lion", the UK's first flying theatre ride.

    While Caspar has described LEGO® Mythica as a "dream project", Zappar has a number of additional milestones to celebrate.    Recently, they celebrated their ten-year anniversary.  Along the way, they've won multiple awards.

    But perhaps most excitingly, their mission of democratizing immersive technology continues with their brand-new six-degrees-of-freedom affordable headset, ZapBox.

    Recently fully funded on Kickstarter, ZapBox is now accepting pre-orders.  The price?  Listed at $40.  Caspar says the next iteration of ZapBox is due out this upcoming October.

    Meanwhile, if you'd like to know more about creating your own augmented-reality experiences, Zappar also has a toolkit, ZapWorks.

    Caspar shared the story of Zappar, talked about his experiences with the LEGO® Mythica project, and offered a preview of what's next!
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    The serendipitous experience that led to augmented reality first capturing Caspar's creative imagination;

    *
    The story of Zappar;

    *
    A closer look at the LEGO® Mythica project;

    *
    Some of the creative challenges involved in bringing the magic to life;

    *
    What Caspar and his team experienced, just prior to the new experience opening;

    *
    What he considers most magical about creating Mythica;

    *
    Some of the keys to making AR work well, from Caspar's experience;

    *
    Caspar's "Five C's" framework for success, in AR;

    *
    A closer look at ZapWorks and ZapBox.


     

     

     
    33 min
  • UgoVirtual: Hybrid Creativity


    "It can't just be because it's cool," says UgoVirtual CEO and Co-Founder Michael Cohen.  "It's got to be effective."

    He's talking about what works--and what doesn't--for hybrid events.

    Focusing on the human experience, Michael explains, is key to engagement.  That applies to real-world use of XR for conferences, seminars, job training and much more,

    And if you're creating a conference, festival, workshop or other onsite event, there are ways virtual, augmented or mixed reality can help keep participants engaged..

    AR can allow for hands-on training.   Holographic historic figures can engage students' interest.   A scan of a phone can give attendees digital conference "swag".

    And Michael, who is also the President of the Toronto chapter of the VR/AR Association, says new 3D creation tools are currently available.   Educators, he adds, can expect to see even more of these coming online within the next two to three years.

    Meanwhile, UgoVirtual specializes in creating hybrid events.   Their website highlights the ways augmented, virtual and extended-reality technologies can enhance onsite conferences, meetings and presentations.

    Michael shared the story of UgoVirtual, explored the ways educators can put XR technology to use and highlighted some new resources for crafting applications.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    How Michael himself first experienced the evolution of immersive technologies;

    *
    Michael's first AR  "wow moment", during his career in advertising;

    *
    The story of UgoVirtual;

    *
    How a hybrid experience can work in an educational setting;

    *
    Several of the resources for creating immersive applications for education and events (including a new, just-announced one from Apple!)

    *
    Applications of augmented reality for both an academic setting and on-the-job training;

    *
    One of UgoVirtual's technologies, which adds holographic imaging to a physical setting;

    *
    What Michael considers the most important lesson he's learned, about XR and its uses.


     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    38 min
  • Technodramatists: XR Alchemy


    You're watching a live performance.  Suddenly, one actor becomes twelve.   Animated rain begins falling.  Colorful virtual sparks fly from a saxophonist's instrument.

    And it's all part of the magic of Technodramatists.

    Founded in 2018, New York-based Technodramatists is an innovative live-entertainment company.  Their shows incorporate emerging technologies, including AR and motion capture.  Virtual props, characters, effects and costumes can all be included in the experience.

    These are all live-performance tools which the troupe have designed.  They even have a face-sync technology which allows performers to use their faces to "puppeteer" their avatars!

    Prior to the pandemic, Technodramatists offered a "Performance Lab" where audience members could see and experience these technologies, as well as the show itself.   But then, the events of 2020 forced the company to adapt to a new format.

    In February, 2021, Technodramatists performed their highly-successful show, "Alibi", as a live-stream.  Today, says Founder and CEO/Artistic Director Lorne Svarc, they're planning additional performances.  Those include one major new livestreamed project, and several "pop-up" events.

    Meanwhile, they've also made their technology available for use by fellow creatives.  You can find out more on their website.

    Lorne shared the story of Technodramatists, offered a look at some of their onstage technology and previewed some upcoming performance events.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    Where the magic started, for Lorne;

    *
    How he first came to incorporate technology into performances;

    *
    The birth of the Technodramatists troupe;

    *
    Technodramatists' first AR-enhanced production;

    *
    A closer look at Technodramatists' original performance technologies;

    *
    How the company pivoted to take their shows virtual, with the onset of the pandemic;

    *
    A challenge and a highlight, from the performers' work during this process;

    *
    How to get updates on upcoming shows and experimental technologies;

    *
    A preview of some upcoming performance experiences;

    *
    Lorne's behind-the-scenes look at creating the magic for "Alibi";

    *
    How the cast make their interactions with augmented-reality props and scenery go smoothly;

    *
    What Lorne finds especially magical in his creative work, combining storytelling and cutting-edge technology;

    *
    A preview of Technodramatists' next big project (this is going to be exciting!).


     
    32 min
  • Components of (XR) Magic
    Over Coffee® is on hiatus this week, due to our attendance at the VRARA Global Summit Online.
    In honor of the summit, here's a special-edition rebroadcast of one of our favorite episodes of 2021, starring Antonia Forster of Unity Technologies.

    "I would say that the most important learning I've had, is not specific to XR," says Unity Technologies Senior Advocate and XR Technical Specialist for Industry Antonia Forster.

    And that creative lesson is, in fact, a crucial one.  It's also applicable to everyone.  That makes it very much like XR--extended reality--itself.

    Learning to create virtual and augmented-reality experiences may sound intimidating.  However, Antonia as says, "XR is for all of us". Creating immersive experiences goes far beyond, simply, making games.  Education, entertainment and medicine, as well as retail, are all areas which are using immersive technology to teach, explain and engage.

    So, how do you get started?  Well, Antonia gives a number of workshops and presentations in her professional role.   She herself learned from online workshops, and she does NOT have a tech background.  Currently, she's using these skills to create some seriously cool, fun experiences.

    In case you're unfamiliar with Unity Technologies, they're the leading platform for creating interactive content.   And our personal experience, is that they are fantastic!   They offer a number of free resources and live workshops, beginner level and up.

    During our conversation, Antonia shared her own learning journey, talked about the applications she's seeing for AR and VR, and offered a look inside an exciting project she's currently creating.
    On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

    *
    The science background which led Antonia to her current career (surprisingly, it’s not computer science!);

    *
    Free and inexpensive resources available for anyone who’d like to learn to build games and applications in VR and AR;

    *
    A new development that’s making XR more accessible;

    *
    A very cool app project that can get you started, creating augmented reality;

    *
    A newly open-source VR application in which artists will enjoy creating;

    *
    How one artist developed an AR application to make a social statement;

    *
    An exciting LIDAR-related capability which can enable you to put your surroundings into a virtual world!;

    *
    Learning insights that apply to working with any technology!;

    *
    And, a virtual project on which Antonia is currently working, which tends to wow everyone–and has some exciting potential for performers.


     
    30 min

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Would you like to know more about the art of twenty-first century "cool stuff" that's changing our world? Such as: robots, space exploration, new media, wearable technology and other innovations that…