ScreenBurn Arcade SXSWi 2010

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March 13, 2010 at 8:21 pm


 

ScreenBurn is a great feature of SXSWi that gets bigger every year!  It’s a chance for video gamers to get hands with digital media industries.

This year’s exhibit is definitely promoting the art of the video games.  One of the best exhibits was a collection of 16 award winning creative achievements from the video game world.  Into the Pixel is presenting this work.

Harmonix has a full Rock Band set-up to promote the Rock Band Network.  It’s an idea some were just waiting to have happen.  It allows musicians and bands to self-publish their music in a Rock Band platform.  This allows the independent artist a way to create gameplay tracks of their OWN music for others to download and play!  Who needs a label now?

There was also a huge LEGO layout. Not sure why, but it is pretty cool, thanks to TexLug!

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Is the Brain the Ultimate Computer Interface?

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March 13, 2010 at 1:58 pm


EEG Patient

Patient with EEG attached

Science journalist Christie Nicholson discussed the intricacies and implications of recent neurological research that has shown promise in connecting mental activity to physical output – without the regular neural pathways.  This type of research gives hope to those suffering from physical disabilities (multiple sclerosis and paralysis patients, for example), but it also enables technological advances ranging from intriguing to alarming.

One of the first major breakthroughs came when an owl monkey named Belle moved a robotic arm via an electroencephalographic (EEG) monitor that was connected to her brain.  The arm was in a separate lab, 600 miles away.  Further work with primates enabled a macaque to actually feed herself with the same EEG technology.

Then came BrainGate, a “neural interface system” that gave pioneer user Matt Nagle, a tetraplegic patient, certain movement abilities that a stabbing injury had taken away from him.  The technology has evolved to the point that implantable chips tested in mice functioned like artificial organs.

Such advancement obviously has positive and negative implications.  We could be witnessing the beginning of the end for debilitating afflictions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and paralysis, but this progress will certainly take years.  And there is always the looming threat of such technology being used for bad.  Nicholson concluded her talk with a reference to author Raymond Kurzweil’s idea of technological singularity, a point at which robotic intelligence will surpass that of humans. The brain-as-computer-interface idea is for some a monumental achievement in medicine, but others believe it could harm many more than it helps.

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Internet Killed The Video Star?

Posted by:
March 16, 2009 at 12:56 pm


The “Comedy on Television and The Web” panelists discuss the future of television.

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Tips for Making Ideas Happen with Scott Belsky

Posted by:
March 14, 2009 at 2:02 pm


Creativity x Organization = Impact

Scott Belsky, CEO of Behance speaks about the fact that most ideas never happen. “I strongly believe that great ideas don’t happen simply becuase they are great or by accident,” said Belsky. He believes this is mostly due to a lack of accountability, lack of leadership, disorganization and isolated networks and lack of feedback exchange. For him, “the greatest breakthroughs happen when very creative people are also productive”. His company, Behance, goes out and consults companies by meeting with and interviewing the best creatives (photographers, writers, agencies, churches, non-profits, etc.) to find out when and how to make good ideas happen. Scott

Belsky’s “Action Method” includes three stages that boost productivity in a creative environment:

1. Action Items – Measure a meeting in action steps. Often times they don’t have agendas. Don’t meet just because it’s Monday. Be comfortable canceling recurring meetings.

2. Create a Backburner Ritual – Once a month, go through the “backburner” items to decide whether they are worth pursuing or need to come off the “to do” list in order to focus on more important things.

3. Reference Items – Pull content and ideas from various sources.

He shared a couple of other great tips to make ideas come into fruition such as, generating ideas in moderation and prioritize. Every company has a “sober monitor” (aka the idea killer) so creatives need to focus attention on ideas that make sense. He also emphasized to seek cross-pollination by not being afraid to fight your way to breakthroughs. See other’s points of view even if you hate it, don’t become burdened by consensus and don’t chose the lowest common denominator.

Belsky is also currently writing a book titled “Make Ideas Happen” that will be published by Penguin.

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GREAT EXPECTATIONSi

Posted by:
February 19, 2009 at 4:05 pm


Disclaimer:

This post may contain usage of the adjective “crunk” or its derivatives. The author is aware that any use of “crunk” or its derivatives may/will make this post both dated and lame. However, whether he be ironic or just lazy, the author has ignored the potential negative fallout from the use of “crunk” or its derivatives in effort to avoid the use of the adjective “stoked” or its derivatives.

So I am pretty stoked crunk about the SXSWi schedule and events this year. I will be attending on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday and am already suffering from panel-conflict-anxiety. So many good panels stacked at the same time!

Do I want to attend “Comedy on Television and the Web” on Saturday at 5:00 or “Politics, Technology, and Pop Culture”? *chest begins to tighten*

or

?

*finger tips numbing*… oh my.
Maybe being crunk is a bad idea.

I have barely been able to even wrap my head around Saturday so far, and none of my panel selections are firm, but I am excited about these two politically focused panels.

Tentative Saturday panel plans (please don’t hold me to this… I don’t need that kind of pressure) are as follows:

11:30 am · “What your Startup Can Learn from Barack Obama and Howard Dean”
This panel features Scott Goodstein, CEO of Revolution Messaging LLC, who was the “External Online Director for Obama for America, and developed the campaign’s social networking platforms.” Impressive.

Clay Johnson, Director of Sunlight Labs, who “was one of the four founders of Blue State Digital, the progressive left’s premier technology and online strategy firm…” and “was also responsible for Barack Obama’s Web presence” will  be present.

This looks to be a very interesting panel. Hopefully I’ll learn how to get my idea elected president.

Crunk.

Then at 5:00 pm the “Politics, Technology, and Pop Culture” panel is looking pretty good.

I’m looking at you, Lessig.

This panel not only features Lawrence Lessig(Stanford Law School) , Mark McKinnon (Public Strategies Inc) , Dan Patterson(ABC), and Amber Ettinger (Obama Girl), it hints/promises at “offering a glimpse into the future of global politics.”

Do they have a magic eight ball on the panel as well?

+

+

=

CRUNK/bizarre?

Lots to look forward to.

Remember, this panel is in direct competition with the “Comedy on Television and the Web” panel… so we’ll see what happens.

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