SIGGRAPH 2014 Emerging Technologies Media Tour

Click here to take the Media Tour.

SIGGRAPH 2014 Emerging Technologies Chair Thierry Frey (center in lavender shirt) takes you on a tour of this year's advancements in several fields - from displays and virtual reality technology to haptics and robotics, as well as innovations that apply to film and game production. The Vancouver Economic Commission is the official sponsor of the 2014 Emerging Technologies area.

SIGGRAPH 2014 Prepares for World Record Attempt

Paul Debevec leads the crowd in a test run of the World Record attempt on Saturday.

At 8 pm Sunday, 10 August, hundreds of computer graphics aficiandos will gather in West Building, Ballroom C-D of the Vancouver Convention Centre, open a mobile web app created by Conference Chair Dave Shreiner, and contribute pixels to the biggest mobile-device image in the history of the world (44 meters x 27 meters).

No other attempt has even come close to this audacious plan. In fact, it’s never been done before, but a similar attempt last year in Beijing achieved just 3 meters x 1.5 meters.

Be there! Add your pixel! Help SIGGRAPH 2014 make history and establish a new Guinness World Record! Be sure to bring your phone or tablet. The bigger the screen the better!

SIGGRAPH 2014 Releases Mobile App Game (SMAG)

Go big or go home! The SIGGRAPH Mobile App Game (SMAG)  is a mobile-enhanced persistent game that allows you to collect achievements throughout the SIGGRAPH 2014 Conference. Using your  iOS  or Android  mobile devices to scan QR markers using the SIGGRAPH Mobile App wherever you see them in the Vancouver Convention Center, from your fellow attendees' apps, and in sessions. Have fun and meet people as you make your way towards becoming one of this year's big winners!

Here are  five solid reasons to get everyone (you, attendees, random strangers on the street) excited:

1.  SMAG has 127 (and counting) achievements to complete! This means that you won't run out of things to do, even on the last day of the conference. You can chase a mad scientist, carry secrets passwords, catch a golden snitch(!), or find a wandering Guardian of the Galaxy on the conference floor.

2.  You can earn points just by being involved in the conference! Our goal is to promote great content and projects - attendees will be gaining points just by:

• Participating in the International Center's NoirMaker: Escape from Vancouver;
• Playing SIGGRAPH Caching, a clue-based treasure hunt that will happening concurrently on the conference floor;
• Exploring with RTL's AR App and searching for RTL's Behind-the-Scenes content;

3.  We are also promoting everybody's venues and projects, such as:

• Studio's Drawing Contest;
• The Back-to-Back CAF/How To Train Your Dragon 2 Screening;
• The World Record Attempt;
• And many more! You can even earn points just by registering or buying a cup of coffee!

4.  You can win prizes just by participating! Thanks to the help of friends and sponsors, we have a variety of prizes that be available throughout the week that may be available through a variety of means. 

• You may not be the top scorer, but you can still win an elusive RenderMan teapot, mysterious grab bags, and SIGGRAPH memorabilia just by playing!
• If you are a top scorer, you could win an S2015 Full Conference Registration, a copy of SIGGRAPH Encore, and many more!

5.  You can challenge yourselves intellectually! With our timed trivia challenges, you can earn points from identifying technical papers/concepts, pop culture references, and general geekiness!

Will you be this year's winner? Get a headstart and scan the QR marker above, and check out our documentation page for all the achievements and prizes available.

Learn Insider Secrets, Experiment with New Technologies in the SIGGRAPH 2014 Studio

The SIGGRAPH 2014 Studio, 10-14 August at the Vancouver Convention Centre, presents an exciting array of Talks, Courses and Projects that demonstrate the latest advances in technology. The Studio offers a collaborative working environment where attendees can come together to learn, experiment, and create. Attendees also have the opportunity to test a wide range of new techniques and media for 3D printing, modeling, and animation with help from experienced hands.

“Each year, the SIGGRAPH Studio truly stands out as a high-caliber program,” said Courtney Starrett, SIGGRAPH 2014 Studio Chair. “It’s more than just seeing new technologies and what they can produce, but is designed to galvanize and stimulate creative collaboration that artists can experience first-hand and take back with them to their own studios.”

Access to the SIGGRAPH 2014 Studio is available at every level and starts at $75 USD. Studio equipment has been generously donated by 3dMD, 4DDynamics, Epson, Formlabs, NextEngine, Inc., Roland DG, Stratasys, Ltd., and Universal Laser Systems. For more information, visit s2014.siggraph.org.

Highlights from the SIGGRAPH 2014 Studio:

Studio Featured Event
Arduino Drawing Machines
This course, project and contest blends computer control with simple mechanical and motorized mechanisms to build drawing machines. It begins with a short history of drawing machines, including examples of contemporary approaches in the arts, and their educational possibilities. The hands-on component uses an Arduino microcontroller to construct mechanisms that make marks on paper. Participants will have the opportunity to attend the Sunday afternoon course, work on the machines at their own pace throughout the week and participate in the contest and live demo on Wednesday at 4pm.

Studio Talks 
Art. Form. Color. | Monday, 11 August
This session includes the following Talks led by experts from The Foundry, Université Paris VIII, and others: “Cellular Forms: An Artistic Exploration of Morphogenesis,” “Quantum Computer for Art Exploration and Creation,” and “Emotion of Colors: Synesthetic Cross-Modal Key Modulation.”

Model. Print. Fabricate. | Tuesday, 12 August
This session includes the following Talks led by experts from Autodesk Research, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and others: “Branching Support Structures for 3D Printing,” “Exploring Board-Game Design Using Digital Technologies,” “Turning Free-Form Surfaces Into Manufacturable Components,.” and “Vancouver Maker Foundation.”

Studio Courses
Make Cross-Platform Mobile Apps Quickly
This introduction to rapid mobile-app development uses easily available tools such as PhoneGap/Cordova, MoSync, UppSite, and others, and common technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, and Javascript, to show how mobile apps that are graphically rich yet lightweight and cross-platform can be built quickly.

High-Resolution 3D Printing: Design for Stereolithography
Personal 3D printing is rapidly becoming a high-impact artistic tool. This short studio course introduces design for 3D printing on the stereolithography-based Form 1+ printer.

Studio Projects
Draco: Sketching Animated Drawings With Kinetic Textures
While previous systems have introduced sketch-based animations for individual objects, this installation from Autodesk Research demonstrates a unified framework of motion controls that allows users to seamlessly add coordinated motions to object collections. The framework is built around kinetic textures, which provide continuous animation effects while preserving the unique timeless nature of still illustrations.

GIGAmacro
As part of its studio project, GIGAmacro will create the world’s first terapixel macro photograph over the course of conference using three Magnify2 systems to produce over 619,000 photographs. These photographs will then be assembled into a single explorable image — Terabite.

SIGGRAPH 2014 Welcome Letter from Premier of British Columbia

SIGGRAPH 2014 received the following welcome letter from Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia.

Christy Clark

Dear SIGGRAPH Attendees:

On behalf of the Province of British Columbia, it is my pleasure to welcome everyone attending the 2014 SIGGRAPH conference in Vancouver.

Our vibrant, expanding digital media industry makes B.C. a perfect fit. SIGGRAPH brings together business, art, and science to celebrate and showcase the cutting edge of computer graphics. 

You will have an opportunity to learn, network and cultivate relationships with colleagues from around the world, surrounded by the latest in digital art and technology. 

Thank you to the Association for Computing Machinery for organizing and coordinating this conference. British Columbians take pride in our spectacular home and in being good hosts. 

I encourage you to visit the British Columbia booth on the expo floor to learn more about what we're doing to support digital media and the technology sector here in B.C., and to take the opportunity to enjoy everything Vancouver and the region have to offer.

Sincerely,

Hon. Christy Clark

First-Time Attendee Guide to SIGGRAPH 2014

The SIGGRAPH Technical Papers Fast Forward is always a "must attend" event and a great preview for the week ahead.

We've all been there .... staring overwhelmed at all the great SIGGRAPH content and trying to figure out how in the world to tackle it all. In fact, the SIGGRAPH 2014 Conference Chair Dave Shreiner was once a first-time attendee many moons (a couple of decades ago). 

"When I arrived at my first show, SIGGRAPH 1989 in Boston, I was in total awe of what I saw there.  I didn’t have a plan for the show, so I just wandered around for three days soaking in everything I could," said Dave Shreiner, SIGGRAPH 2014 Conference Chair.  

He continued, "Computers for generating real-time graphics were just getting to the size of refrigerators, and 50 thousand triangles a second was the speed record, but the most enjoyable aspect of the show was sharing ideas and knowledge with everyone there. Regardless of where you’re in your career, stop and talk with your fellow attendees - you’ll be amazed at what you can learn! But be sure to come with a plan."

With his help and others, we put together this focus to help you tackle your first SIGGRAPH. And by all means ask anyone for help especially at the SIGGRAPH 2015 booth or at any of the many networking events.

Whether between sessions or at any of the official SIGGRAPH events, networking with peers is a big part of the SIGGRAPH experience that will impact your professional and personal life for years to come.

Here is a slice of content that may help make the most of your time in wonderful Vancouver:

Panels
Ready, Steady ... SIGGRAPH
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

Courses
Fundamentals Seminar
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 109-110

Courses
The Glass Class: Designing Wearable Interfaces
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

The Studio is a great opportunity to network and gain valuable professional skills.

Studio - Courses
Arduino Drawing Machines
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 12:30 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Courses
Introduction to WebGL Programming
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 109-110

Panels
The Future is Here: Augmented and Virtual Reality
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Building Blocks for "The LEGO Movie"
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

It would be wise to budget at least a few hours for the Exhibition - offering training, networking, and great general knowledge of where the industry is headed.

Birds of a Feather
First Steps in Large-Scale Rendering
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Room 9

Studio - Courses
Design Tips for Digital T-Shirt Printing
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
The Making of Marvel's “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
The Making of Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy"
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Roll out the red carpet and be sure to get your ticket for the Electronic Theater!

Computer Animation Festival - Electronic Theater
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 6:30 PM - 8:45 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
An Insight Into the Making of "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For"
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Creating Content to Drive Destiny’s Investment Game: One Solution to Rule Them All
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
DreamWorks Animation Presents: The Growth of “How To Train Your Dragon 2”
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Inside the Magical World of Disney’s “Maleficent”
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Creating the Amazon in “Rio 2”
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures Present the VFX of “Godzilla”
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Attendees of Real-Time Live! get the opportunity to learn from the artists and engineers who produced the ground-breaking work.

Real-Time Live!
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 5:30 PM - 7:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Birds of a Feather
SIGGIG: Gays in Graphics
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel, Port Hardy

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Industrial Light & Magic Presents: Capturing the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Courses
Mathematical Basics of Motion and Deformation in Computer Graphics
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Meet Your New Production R&D Department - ACM/SIGGRAPH
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Unmask the Secrets Behind “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Studio - Courses
alphaBot Workshop: Constructing Robots, Translating Language
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

You just never know who you might meet at a SIGGRAPH Production Session.

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Industrial Light & Magic Presents: Deconstructing the Visual Effects of “Transformers: Age of Extinction”
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
The Production and Visual Effects of “Killzone Shadow Fall”
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Making "Gravity" at Framestore
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom A-B

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Puppets, Printing And Compositing: A Unique Collaboration In LAIKA’s Animated Features
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Appy Hour
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Dailies gives each presenter one minute to present an animation and describe the work. It is an incredibly valuable opportunity to learn a lot in a very short amount of time.

Dailies
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Making “The Dam Keeper”: How Two First-Time Directors Brought Paint to Life in Their Animated Short Film
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Feast – A Look at Walt Disney Animation Studios' Newest Short
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Twentieth Century Fox Presents the Visual Effects of “X-Men: Days of Future Past”
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom 

When preparing for your trip be sure to pack comfortable shoes and a light jacket. Also, as you leave the convention center, be sure to remove your badge and store it in a safe place. Walking around in any city with a badge on screams "I'm not from here" and makes you more of a target. 

Finally, if you anticipate that a particular session will be popular, get there as early as possible to make certain you are allowed inside. Per fire codes, each room only allows a certain number of occupants.  See you in Vancouver!

SIGGRAPH 2014 Focus: Art

Speculatorum Oculi (The Eyes of Spies) comments on current surveillance activities of governments and corporations through an installation that includes an architectural model surveilled with looming video cameras providing live feeds to a set of video monitors.

SIGGRAPH 2014's creative explorers present artwork and sessions on 2D and 3D art, interactive systems, augmented reality, mixed-media installations and performances, web-based art, responsive media, time-based works, works based on mobile technologies, digital communities and social media, robotics, touch-screens, and wearable art.

Listed below is just some of the SIGGRAPH 2014 content that may be of interest to the following people: Graphic Designers, Information and Visualization Designers, Multimedia Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Art Managers, Art Students, Art Teachers/Professors.

Here is the preview video for the SIGGRAPH 2014 Art Gallery "Acting in Translation"

Curated by Basak Senova, “Acting in Translation” aims to revolve around the readings, responses, and perceptions of ‘the act of translation’ as a productive tool based on criticality. 

Looking Glass Time aims to represent social media activities and their timelines with physical clock animation, without any recording media.

The participating artists are Paul L. Stout, Rachele Riley, Yunsil Heo, Hyunwoo Bang, Joseph Farbrook, Yoichi Ochiai, Yunsil Heo, Hyunwoo Bang, Inmi Lee, Kyle McDonald, Zohar Kfir, Sam Blanchard, Kirk Cameron, Robert Redfern, Sergio Bernales, Bo Li, Michelle Will, Hung-Ching Chang, Kelsey Farenholtz, Brandon Deaguero, Timmy Meyer, John Mooring, Ali Butt, Speculatorum Oculi, Erik Brunvand, Alon Chitayat, Jeff Ong, Emilio Vavarella, Fito Segrera, Burak Arikan, and Ed Konowal/GraphicsNet.

The Art Gallery will also feature one panel and four Talks with the artists along with a Tuesday afternoon networking reception.

Levitate is a kinetic sculpture composed of levitated ping-pong balls in acrylic tubes that interact with audiences.

“The 2014 Art Gallery represents no single or homogenous approach, but a diverse display of artistic strategies," said Basak Senova, SIGGRAPH 2014 Art Gallery Chair. “Translation, as a term and as a tool, generates numerous potential fields for art production, which is why we selected it as this year’s theme and are thrilled to have these outstanding works and projects.”

The Modern Video Processor is a skeuomorphic metaphor to reminisce about the simple days when talking to machines just meant plugging cables, switching buttons, and rotating dials.

For more information on all the amazing content in the Art Gallery, click here.

Here are additional art-related content/events/gatherings happening throughout the conference week:

Birds of a Feather
Demoscene - Underground Real-Time Art Worldwide
Sunday, 10 August 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, ACM SIGGRAPH Theater, West Building, Room 210

Studio - Courses
Arduino Drawing Machines
Sunday, 10 August 12:30 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Birds of a Feather
ACM SIGGRAPH Digital Arts Community (DAC)
Sunday, 10 August 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, ACM SIGGRAPH Theater, West Building, Room 210

Birds of a Feather
Blender Foundation - Community Meeting
Sunday, 10 August 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Room 

Birds of a Feather
Blender Foundation - Artist Showcase and Demos
Sunday, 10 August 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Room 3

Technical Papers
Shape Collection
Monday, 11 August 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Studio - Courses
High-Resolution 3D Printing: Design for Stereolithography
Monday, 11 August 9:15 AM - 10:45 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Studio - Courses
Design Tips for Digital T-Shirt Printing
Monday, 11 August 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Points & Reconstruction
Monday, 11 August 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Art Papers
Aesthetics of Liminality, Biocybernetics, and Generative Art
Tuesday, 12 August 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

Technical Papers
Non-Photorealistic Rendering
Tuesday, 12 August 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Sampling & Spectra
Tuesday, 12 August 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Studio - Courses
Creating Next-Gen 3D Interactive Apps With Motion Control and Unity3D
Tuesday, 12 August 9:15 AM - 10:45 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Art Papers
Spatial Politics/Spatial Ontologies
Tuesday, 12 August 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

Technical Papers
Video Applications
Tuesday, 12 August 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Computational Sensing & Display
Tuesday, 12 August 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Typography & Illustration
Tuesday, 12 August 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Birds of a Feather
Ringling College Alumni and Friends Reception
Tuesday, 12 August 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown, 3rd Floor Patio

Studio - Courses
3D Scanning for Personal 3D Printing
Wednesday, 13 August 9:15 AM - 12:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Studio - Courses
alphaBot Workshop: Constructing Robots, Translating Language
Wednesday, 13 August 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Reflectance: Modeling, Capturing, Renderings
Wednesday, 13 August 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Hair & Collisions
Wednesday, 13 August 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Technical Papers
Interactive Modeling
Wednesday, 13 August 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Technical Papers
Changing Your Perception
Thursday, 14 August 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Birds of a Feather
Enhanced Vision - Digital Video 2015
Thursday, 14 August 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Room 9

Technical Papers
Shady Images
Thursday, 14 August 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

SIGGRAPH 2014 to Demo Latest Real-Time Advancements

Destruction Sequences in "Call of Duty: Ghosts" (see below for description)

The SIGGRAPH 2014 Real-Time Live! program will present a 90-minute show of the most cutting-edge real-time work from the past year. Real-Time Live! is part of the Computer Animation Festival and is the premier showcase for the latest trends and techniques for pushing the boundaries of interactive visuals.

"For one night only, SIGGRAPH attendees will enjoy a unique and fast-paced display of the most innovative real-time techniques for interactive systems and computer graphics,” said Nicolas Gonzalez, SIGGRAPH 2014 Real-Time Live! Chair from Deloitte Consulting. "Our international jury truly outdid itself as this year's show is mind-boggling with fascinating advancements that we cannot wait to show off."

The 2014 Real-Time Live! program will take place on Tuesday, 12 August at 5:30 p.m. PST in the West Building of the Vancouver Convention Centre. Each live presentation lasts less than 10 minutes and is presented by the original artists and engineers. As an added bonus, the 2014 Real-Time Live! program includes presentations from the Augmented/Virtual Reality Contest finalists, a brand-new conference event.

For more information on Real-Time Live! and the Augmented/Virtual Reality Contest, visit s2014.siggraph.org. Tickets to Real-Time Live! are available at the Full and Select Conference registration levels and start at $230 USD.

SIGGRAPH 2014 Real-Time Live! Highlights:

Destruction Sequences in "Call of Duty: Ghosts"
Presenters: David Johnson, Alessandro Nardini, Infinity Ward

In an effort to raise the bar for destruction sequences in a real-time game engine, non-localized particles, "instant pop," low density, generic fracturing, and more were identified and addressed through several artistic techniques and technical advancements for "Call of Duty: Ghosts".

NVIDIA FlameWorks: Real-Time Fire Simulation
Presenters: Simon Green, Nuttapong Chentanez, Aron Zoellner, Johnny Costello, Kevin Newkirk, Dane Johnston, NVIDIA Corporation

FlameWorks is the first system to bring cinema-quality volumetric fire, smoke, and explosion effects to real-time graphics. The demo simulates and renders more than 32 million voxels per frame, at around 30 frames per second.

Real-Time Animation of Cartoon Character Faces
Presenters: Emiliano Gambaretto, Charles Piña, Mixamo, Inc.

This live demo allows a viewer to stand in front of a webcam and animate a 3D character in real time. The video stream is processed by Mixamo Face Plus proprietary technology, the facial expression of the user is extracted, and the emotional facial information is transferred to the 3D character.

SIGGRAPH 2014 RELEASES EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES PREVIEW

SIGGRAPH 2014 has released its list of 2014 Emerging Technologies highlights to be featured at this year’s conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Out of almost 90 submissions to the program, 24 were accepted, with more than 20 pieces from submitters outside of the United States.

Each year, SIGGRAPH-selected emerging technologies allow conference attendees to play with the latest interactive and graphics developments. The program also presents demonstrations of research in several fields — like displays, input devices, collaborative environments, and robotics — through Talks and a close partnership with the SIGGRAPH Studio.

"“This year’s content is very diverse,"” explained Thierry Frey, SIGGRAPH 2014 Emerging Technologies Chair. “"For example, we brought forward a call for ‘invisible technologies,’ i.e. installations and projects that leave technology in the background to focus on the user/usage, and have a selection of pieces that fall close to that science."”

Access to the 2014 Emerging Technologies program is available with Full Conference, Select Conference, and Exhibits Plus pass values. Prices start as low as $50.00 USD. 

SIGGRAPH 2014 Emerging Technologies Highlights:

Birdly

Authors: Max Rheiner, Fabian Troxler, Thomas Tobler, Thomas Erdin, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste

Birdly is an installation that explores the experience of a bird in flight. It tries to capture the mediated flying experience with several methods. Unlike a common flight simulator, users do not control a machine. Instead, they embody a bird, the Red Kite. To evoke this embodiment, the system mainly relies on sensory-motor coupling. Participants control the simulator with their hands and arms, which directly correlate to the wings and the primary feathers of the bird. Those inputs are reflected in the flight model of the bird and displayed physically by the simulator through nick, roll, and heave movements.

Spheree: A 3D Perspective-Corrected Interactive Spherical Scalable Display Authors: Fernando Teubi Ferreira, Marcio Cabral, Olavo da Rosa Belloc, Roseli de Deus Lopes, Marcelo Zuffo, Universidade de São Paulo; Gregor Miller, Sidney Fels, The University of British Columbia; Celso Kurashima, Universidade Federal do ABC; Junia Anacleto, Universidade de São Carlos; Ian Stavness, University of Saskatchewan

Spheree is a personal spherical display that arranges multiple blended and calibrated mini-projectors to transform a translucent globe into a high-resolution perspective-corrected 3D interactive display. It tracks both the user and Spheree to render user-targeted views onto the surface of the sphere. This provides motion parallax, occlusion, shading, and perspective depth cues to the user. One of the emerging technologies that makes Spheree unique is that it uses multiple mini-projectors, calibrated and blended automatically to create a uniform pixel space on the surface of the sphere. The calibration algorithm allows for as many projectors as needed for virtually any size of sphere, providing a linear scalability cost for higher-resolution spherical displays.

Above Your Hand: Direct and Natural Interaction with an Aerial Robot Authors: Kensho Miyoshi, Ryo Konomura, Koichi Hori, The University of Tokyo

Above Your Hand is a new application of a quadcopter that follows hand directions with two onboard cameras. The system is unique, because it does not require external devices such as controllers or motion tracking. All the processing is executed within the onboard computer. You and the quadcopter can freely walk around without worrying about external-camera views or wifi networks.

Monsters in the Orchestra: A Surround Computing VR Experience Authors: Rémi Arnaud, Emanuel Marquez, Bill Herz, AMD, Inc.

Monsters in the Orchestra is an interactive and immersive demonstration of surround computing as experienced in a VR environment. Participants are immersed in a stereoscopic world of monsters playing real-world instruments with positional audio and 3D x 360-degree gesture control. The original system, demonstrated at CES 2014, allowed participants to be fully immersed in a 30-foot-diameter dome driven by six HD projectors, creating a 360-degree view from floor to apex. Real-time positional audio was introduced via hidden 32.4 speakers in three rings at different heights. Audio equalization and reverb were processed using AMD True Audio. The monsters were conducted or controlled by a human conductor using 3D x 360-degree gestures. At SIGGRAPH 2014, participants will be immersed in the same experience using virtual reality headsets, such as the new Morpheus VR head-gear from Sony, with 3D spatialized audio delivered to each participant using stereo headphones.

Pixie Dust: Graphics Generated by Levitate and Animated Objects in Computational Acoustic-Potential Field Authors: Yoichi Ochiai, Jun Rekimoto, The University of Tokyo; Takayuki Hoshi, Nagoya Institute of Technology

This novel graphics system is based on expansion of 3D-acoustic-manipulation technology. In the conventional study of acoustic levitation, small objects are trapped in the acoustic beams of standing waves. Here, this method is expanded by changing the distribution of the acoustic-potential field (APF), which generates the graphics using levitated small objects. The system makes available many expressions, such as expression by materials and nondigital appearance.

SIGGRAPH 2014 Announces Evening Double Feature During Conference Week:

“How to Train Your Dragon 2” + newly added screening of the Electronic Theater

Based on a spike in demand for seeing the Electronic Theater during the conference week, SIGGRAPH has just added a 3^rd night in hopes of allowing everyone an opportunity to see it.

“We decided to add a 3^rd showing of the Electronic Theater based on the incredible demand for the first two nights – which are near sell outs,” said Jerome Solomon, SIGGRAPH 2014 Computer Animation Festival Director from Cogswell College. “Making it a double feature with this epic DreamWorks film will make it a night to remember for many years to come. We highly encourage people to plan ahead if they want to attend the double feature.”

According to Solomon, the room will be cleared after the first film and only those with valid Wednesday Electronic Theater tickets will be allowed back inside for the final public viewing of the Electronic Theater.

The special screening of "How to Train Your Dragon 2” will be presented by the movie’s head of layout, Gil Zimmerman (DreamWorks Animation, which offers special souvenirs to the first attendees in line). 

Here are the important details (be sure to read carefully):

Wednesday, 13 August
8 - 10 pm
"How to Train Your Dragon 2" Screening
West Building, Ballroom A-B
(Open to Full Conference and Select Conference attendees.)

10:30 pm - 12:30 am
Electronic Theater
West Building, Ballroom A-B
(A Wednesday Electronic Theater ticket is required for admittance. If you do not have a ticket and would like to attend this showing, you can purchase a ticket for $30 in registration or at the door based on availability.)

If you already selected the Monday or Tuesday Electronic Theater showing, but prefer the Wednesday showing, you have options:

Option 1:  Online
Go to the Online Registration System and login with your email and confirmation ID to change the day you would like to attend the Electronic Theater

Option 2: At SIGGRAPH 2014
Visit the Ticket Exchange counter in the Registration Area.  Ticket exchanges will be available starting Monday, 11 August at 8:30 am through Tuesday, 12 August at 5 pm.  Exchanges will not be available after this time.

Tickets will be available for purchase or exchange on a first-come, first-served basis only. Limited space remains.

Go Behind the Scenes with SIGGRAPH 2014 Dailies

SIGGRAPH 2014 will showcase more than 40 contributor Dailies with presenters ranging from students to industry giants on Wednesday, 13 August at the Vancouver Convention Centre. SIGGRAPH Dailies celebrate excellence in computer animation and are presented as part of a two-hour program of images and short animations that take attendees behind-the-scenes of major production sequences.

“Dailies is a very special program because it celebrates the artists who create computer graphics,” noted Mark Elendt, SIGGRAPH 2014 Dailies Chair from Side Effects Software Inc. “The variety of work presented also keeps the event fresh and interesting — there really is something for everyone, including feature film shot break-downs, game art and design, scientific visualization, and even jewelry design."

According to Elendt, attendees will be astounded by the sheer excellence displayed in modeling, shading, animation, lighting, effects, and more as part of the can’t-miss SIGGRAPH 2014 Dailies. With less than two minutes for each presentation, artists are challenged to get their stories across in a fast-paced, exciting environment.

The SIGGRAPH 2014 Dailies program is sponsored by DreamWorks Animation and available only to Full and Select Conference pass holders. Tickets can be purchased at s2014.siggraph.org and start at $230 USD. For the full lineup of Dailies, visit s2014.siggraph.org/attendees/dailies.

Highlights from SIGGRAPH 2014 Dailies:

•Burning Down the House: Evolution of a Multi-Element Fire Effect on ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’ (Or: How We Got What We’re After)
Presenter: Benjamin Sutherland, DreamWorks Animation

• Ryse: Son of Rome – Transitions; CGI Reliefs
Presenters: Selim Sykut, Andrew Sykut, Platige Image

• Preparing Carl for Combat in ‘Toy Story of Terror’
Presenter: Mei Kee Poh, Pixar Animation Studios

• Two Interns, Ten Weeks, Ten Shots
Presenters: Nathaniel Lapinski, Nate Usiak, Side Effects Software Inc.

• Rafting the Amazon: ‘Rio 2’ Rapids Sequence
Presenter: Diego Garzon, Blue Sky Studios, Inc.

• Dam Robots: A Collaborative Production Between Texas A&M University and ReelFX Studios
Presenter: Cameron Coker, Texas A&M University

SIGGRAPH 2014 Focus: Games

Bungie's upcoming video game "Destiny"

The Games Focus spotlights the creators, visionaries, and pioneers of the game industry with presentations from the world's leading studios, including 2K Games, Inc., Activision, Blizzard, Inc., Bungie, Inc., Crytek, EA DICE, Microsoft Game Studios, Ubisoft Entertainment S.A., and many others.

Topics include: advances in real-time character rendering in video games, character and general asset pipelines, real-time character animation, new solutions for game navigation, novel human-computer interfaces,amazing advances in hardware and software collaboration, and more.

"Never before have games been more prevalent in society. They are on phones, tablets, computers and  gaming consoles - in essence all around us," said Natalya Tatarchuk, SIGGRAPH 2014 Games Chair from Bungie, Inc. "This importance is reflective in the amount of depth and quality of gaming content at SIGGRAPH - there is something for everyone across a variety of disciplines - from advanced practitioners to complete novices."

Listed below is SIGGRAPH 2014 content that maybe of interest to the following people: 3D Modelers, Animators, Engine Programmers, Games Programmers, Graphics Programmers, Graphics Engineers, Tools Programmers, Game Researchers, Product Managers, Technical Artists, Technical Designers, and Technical Managers.

Courses
Digital Ira and Beyond: Creating Photoreal Real-Time Digital Characters
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Courses
Navigation Meshes and Real-Time Dynamic Planning for Interactive Virtual Worlds
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

Courses
New Generation of Microscopic Crowd-Simulation Algorithms
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Courses
Attention-Aware Rendering, Mobile Graphics, and Games
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 211-214

Courses
Kinect Technology in Games
SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Courses
Advances in Real-Time Rendering in Games, Part I
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Talks
Capture in Depth
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 109-110

Talks
Simulation
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

Technical Papers
Sound & Light
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Courses
Advances in Real-Time Rendering in Games, Part II
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Faces
MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Technical Papers
Controlling Character
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Computer Animation Festival - Production Sessions
Creating Content to Drive Destiny’s Investment Game: One Solution to Rule Them All
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Talks
Creature Feature
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 211-214

Technical Papers
Non-Photorealistic Rendering
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Production Sessions
Creating Content to Drive Destiny's Investment Game - One Solution to Rule Them All
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Exhibit Studio - Courses
Creating Next-Gen 3D Interactive Apps With Motion Control and Unity3D
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 9:15 AM - 10:45 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Birds of a Feather
Games as Therapy
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Room 2

Talks
About Face
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 211-214

Courses
Character Heads Creation Pipeline and Rendering in Destiny
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Technical Papers
Displays
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Fabrication-Oriented Design
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Talks
Sampling
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 109-110

Birds of a Feather
Virtual Globes Using WebGL and Cesium
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Room 9

Courses
Destiny Character-Animation System and Lessons Learned
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 211-214

Studio - Courses
Developing a 3D Model Viewer for iOS Using COLLADA and OpenGL ES
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Games & Design
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Talks
Think Big
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

Technical Papers
Animating Characters
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Technical Papers
Computational Sensing & Display
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Real-Time Live!
Real-Time Live!
TUESDAY, 12 AUGUST 5:30 PM - 7:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Courses
Building an Empire: Asset Production in Ryse
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Technical Papers
Fabrication
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Talks
Let There Be Light
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 109-110

Technical Papers
Light Transport
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Mesh-Based Simulation
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Production Sessions
The Production and Visual Effects of "Killzone Shadow Fall"
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Ballroom C/D

Courses
Physically Based Shading in Theory and Practice
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 211-214

Technical Papers
Reflectance: Modeling, Capturing, Renderings
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Talks
Dynamics
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 109-110

Technical Papers
Hair & Collisions
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Dailies
Dailies
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Birds of a Feather
Khronos Annual BOF BLITZ™ AFTER PARTY Hosted by OGA
WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM | Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown, Pinnacle Ballroom

Technical Papers
Fluids
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Birds of a Feather
Global VR Meetup
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Pan Pacific Vancouver, Oceanview 5-7

Technical Papers
Hardware Systems
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Technical Papers
Changing Your Perception
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom A

Talks
Crowded, Furry and in a Hurry
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 211-214

Technical Papers
Fast Rendering
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Exhibit Hall A

Technical Papers
Stretching & Flowing
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building, Ballroom B-C

Courses
Introduction to 3D Gestural Interfaces
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 211-214

Talks
Perception
THURSDAY, 14 AUGUST 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM | Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Rooms 118-120

In addition to all of this content, attendees will also want to check out the Emerging Technologies area, the Indie Game Showcase (The Mix) in the Exhibit Hall, the Studio, Appy Hour, the AR/VR Contest, and the Film & Games Concept Art Lounge.