03:05 PM - 03:30 PM
Nonprofits need creative ways to capture attention, funding, and supporters. There is so much competition for dollars along with challenges in getting your message in front of the right audience. Many organizations aren't able to show their donors the impact, particularly nonprofits that work overseas. As the world becomes more digital, innovative organizations like Hope for Haiti are using VR to transport people to Haiti, in a totally immersive setting. Hope for Haiti and FXG partnered to design an interactive social app, optimized for the Oculus Quest. Users can explore a three classroom school (modeled off an actual school in Haiti) and roam a rural Haitian landscape. The app is designed to provide a hands-on experience and give users a more positive perception of the country, by building a connection to the environment. Since the app’s inception, Hope for Haiti raised funds through a VR NFT auction, was highlighted in XR publications, and connected with new supporters and donors. Hope for Haiti aims to be a roadmap for other nonprofits to embrace VR as a way to share their work and mission. The Hope for Haiti app is available for free download on SideQuest.
09:00 AM - 09:55 AM
Advances in XR technology raise important socio-technological issues – not the least of which is the potential for unprecedented insight into users’ behaviors, preferences, and mental processes.
That said, however, the adoption of XR technology need not and should not be an “us (the consumer) versus them (the industry)” scenario. Instead, industry and civil rights advocates should work together to tackle privacy challenges and ensure we get forthcoming policies and best practices right. Because XR is still relatively nascent, we have the opportunity to avoid mistakes of the past and develop this technology with a more informed, cleared-eyed approach. The XR industry and XR users should be partners in this process.
This panel will explore the ways in which the XR industry, civil society, policymakers, and other stakeholders can work together to advance the greater good. We will discuss the influence of civil society; the role of law and policymakers; the science behind XR technology and the challenges privacy by design presents to engineers; and the opportunity for industry to help lead the way.
09:00 AM - 09:55 AM
Advances in XR technology raise important socio-technological issues – not the least of which is the potential for unprecedented insight into users’ behaviors, preferences, and mental processes.
That said, however, the adoption of XR technology need not and should not be an “us (the consumer) versus them (the industry)” scenario. Instead, industry and civil rights advocates should work together to tackle privacy challenges and ensure we get forthcoming policies and best practices right. Because XR is still relatively nascent, we have the opportunity to avoid mistakes of the past and develop this technology with a more informed, cleared-eyed approach. The XR industry and XR users should be partners in this process.
This panel will explore the ways in which the XR industry, civil society, policymakers, and other stakeholders can work together to advance the greater good. We will discuss the influence of civil society; the role of law and policymakers; the science behind XR technology and the challenges privacy by design presents to engineers; and the opportunity for industry to help lead the way.
10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
The Metaverse is coming and it will impact all our lives before the current decade is out. As an industry pioneer who began working in AR and VR over thirty years ago, I have a broad perspective on where the field has been and where it's going. And right now, I am both excited and concerned. Excited because the momentum has finally hit critical mass. Concerned because of the very real prospect that large corporations could bring the destabilizing features of social media into the Metaverse. To address this, I have been calling for sensible regulation of metaverse platforms to help ensure the technology rolls out in a positive way. This talk will address this important issue by answering three key questions: (1) What will the metaverse really be like when widely deployed? (2) What are the most significant risks consumers will face? and (3) What are the most helpful and sensible forms of regulation to avoid the metaverse becoming a destabilizing force like social media?
10:00 AM - 10:25 AM
The Metaverse is coming and it will impact all our lives before the current decade is out. As an industry pioneer who began working in AR and VR over thirty years ago, I have a broad perspective on where the field has been and where it's going. And right now, I am both excited and concerned. Excited because the momentum has finally hit critical mass. Concerned because of the very real prospect that large corporations could bring the destabilizing features of social media into the Metaverse. To address this, I have been calling for sensible regulation of metaverse platforms to help ensure the technology rolls out in a positive way. This talk will address this important issue by answering three key questions: (1) What will the metaverse really be like when widely deployed? (2) What are the most significant risks consumers will face? and (3) What are the most helpful and sensible forms of regulation to avoid the metaverse becoming a destabilizing force like social media?
10:40 AM - 11:05 AM
Emerging technology looks to reshape not just what entertainment is, but how we connect and work with each other everyday. This presentation will include intersectional minorities in emergent VR and AR development to discuss the steps needed towards creating for equity instead of only equality. It will serve as an educational opportunity to guide newcomers and veterans alike to practice inclusive frameworks throughout every stage of a project's life cycle. Our discussion will innovatively push the boundaries of how people perceive the metaverse and its potential impact on the VR/AR community.