SIGGRAPH 2014 Announces New Augmented Reality - Virtual Reality Contest

A scene from last year's Real-Time Live!

SIGGRAPH 2014 is conducting an augmented reality - virtual reality contest in order to showcase the best augmented/virtual reality experiences to date.  The contest is open to anyone interested in augmented/virtual reality: researchers, students, hobbyists, and professionals. Contestants can use any software and hardware they choose.

Up to three finalists will be selected to demonstrate their technology at SIGGRAPH 2014, during Real-Time Live! The winning team will then be announced from the Real-Time Live stage!

All finalists will also have the opportunity to demonstrate their system to attendees during SIGGRAPH 2014's new networking event "Appy Hour," Wednesday, 13 August, 5:30-7:30 pm.

The deadline to submit is 20 June 2014.

For more information and to submit your work to the contest, click here.

SIGGRAPH 2014 Offers Courses for Every Skill Level

Put on Your 3D Glasses Now: The Past, Present, and Future of Virtual and Augmented Reality © 2014
Douglas Lanman, NVIDIA Research; Henry Fuchs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Mark Mine, Walt Disney Imagineering; Ian McDowall, Intuitive Surgical, Fakespace Labs; Michael Abrash, Oculus VR

 Courses are short (1.5 hours) or half-day (3.25 hours) structured sessions where attendees learn from experts in the field and gain inside knowledge that is critical to career advancement.

Courses range from an introduction to the foundations of computer graphics and interactive techniques (for those new to the field) to advanced instruction on the most current techniques and topics.

"We have a very exciting and diverse program of courses spanning a wide range of topics including games, asset production, wearable displays, and mobile graphics hardware. If you want to see the future of computer graphics, the courses program at SIGGRAPH 2014 is the must-see program," said Mashhuda Glencross, SIGGRAPH 2014 Courses Chair from Loughborough University.

Editor's note: Earlier this year, SIGGRAPH University was launched and offers five free full length courses given at SIGGRAPH 2013.  For more details click here.

SIGGRAPH 2014 Courses Highlights:

Put On Your 3D Glasses Now: The Past, Present, and Future of Virtual and Augmented Reality

With wearable displays on the cusp of consumer adoption, this course reviews their history, applications in research and development, the current consumer state of the art, and future optical designs that will enable eye-glasses-like form factors. Presenters include virtual reality and augmented reality pioneers, leading entrepreneurs, and academic researchers.

Presenters: Douglas Lanman, NVIDIA Research; Henry Fuchs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Mark Mine, Walt Disney Imagineering; Ian McDowall, Intuitive Surgical, Fakespace Labs; Michael Abrash, Oculus VR

Digital Ira and Beyond: Creating Photoreal Real-Time Digital Characters

This course explains a complete process for creating next-generation real-time digital human characters, using the Digital Ira collaboration between USC's Institute for Creative Technologies and Activision as an example, and covers high-resolution facial scanning, blendshape rigging, video-based performance capture, animation compression, real-time skin and eye shading, hair, latest results, and future directions.

Presenters: Javier von der Pahlen, Activision, Inc.; Jorge Jimenez, Activision, Inc.; Etienne Danvoye, Activision, Inc.; Paul Debevec, USC Institute for Creative Technologies; Graham Fyffe, USC Institute for Creative Technologies; Hao Li, University of Southern California

Building an Empire: Asset Production in Ryse

"For Ryse: Son of Rome", Crytek appropriated many techniques that are usually reserved for film production. The team made a 90-minute movie and a 10-hour game using the same assets. This course reviews what worked and what didn't, ranging from reference acquisition to final in-game set pieces.

Presenters: Christopher Evans and Sascha Herfort, Crytek GmbH

2014 Technical Papers Preview Video Released

The SIGGRAPH Technical Papers Preview Video highlights a selection of the program's 173 accepted submissions. As the premier international forum for disseminating new scholarly work, the Technical Papers program is the place for computer graphics and interactive techniques aficionados. Watch the video below for an idea of what you can expect at SIGGRAPH 2014.

Six Reasons to Attend SIGGRAPH 2014

Why SIGGRAPH?
Why spend five or six days away from the office, away from home, when you can improve your skills in your spare time on the web? If you're hearing those questions from your employer, or from friends and family, here are a few answers, plus some real quotes from recent SIGGRAPH attendee surveys:

Learning
At SIGGRAPH 2014, you will learn more in five days than you could at any other conference, or any combination of conferences, anywhere in the world. And you'll learn from the world's leading experts in computer graphics and interactive techniques.

“It changed the way I see my work daily."

“The new technologies and all of the talks by major companies are amazing.”

“It is the place for all related computer graphics and interactive media.”

Inspiration
With direct, real-time access to the latest theories, the coolest technologies, and the wisdom of thousands of colleagues and collaborators, you will return from SIGGRAPH 2014 creatively rejuvenated. This is your chance to get out of the office, away from your daily routine, and out from under your email and meet the best minds in the industry.

“My head exploded."

“It's the most inspiring thing I do every year – the latest cutting-edge everything.”

“It's a creative recharge of epic proportions.”

Expertise
From the Exhibition to the Production Sessions and from Technical Papers to Courses, when people are developing new ideas and emerging technologies, they present them at SIGGRAPH.

“It’s the best way to learn things people never tell you at school.”

“It is literally mind blowing in what you will experience.”

“Technology in an ever-changing world requires constant education.”

Engagement
Interactive is so important to us that it’s part of our name. At SIGGRAPH 2014, you'll see, hear, and touch real-time demos by the most technically advanced minds in computer graphics and interactive techniques.

“Experience worth every penny.”

“This is a chance to interact with the creators and the brains behind most of the products that we use on a daily basis.”

“Its like being a fly on the wall at a major studio's creative meeting.”

Exclusive
With its breadth of programs and events, only SIGGRAPH 2014 allows you to produce a conference experience that's exclusively yours. The balance of technical presentations with artistic and creative demonstrations is what really makes SIGGRAPH stand out.

“It’s invaluable – you will reference the talks you see to your colleagues in production scenarios for the next few years.”


Community
Connect with people from everywhere in the world who share your joy in the power of art and science. Interact with artists, researchers, educators, animators, new-comers, and pioneers in computer graphics and interactive techniques.

“Think of everything that has ever made you geek out and feel so passionate about something in your whole life and put it into one feeling... That, my friend, is the feeling you get when being at SIGGRAPH.”