Gert-Jan van Rooyen will introduce us to the research activities of the MIH Electronic Media Lab at the University of Stellenbosch. Their research focuses on using next-generation technologies to influence how we interact with computers, each other and reality.

• New Media for Interactions - Gert-Jan van Rooyen

Wednesday, 18 November 2009, 18h15
Bandwidth Barn
Cape Town

RSVP

Anyone is free to attend. Please RSVP by emailing YES or MAYBE via our contact form.

Venue

Bandwidth Barn
125 Buitengracht Street
Cape Town
Click here for a map

Agenda

18:15 Welcoming and Introduction
   Jan Pool
18:20 New Media for Interactions
   Gert-Jan van Rooyen
19:20 Closing and Thanks
   Jan Pool
19:25 Networking & Discussion

Abstract

THE MIH ELECTRONIC MEDIA LAB AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY

New media to interact with computers, each other and reality

In 15 years, the Internet has changed the way we interact in such radical ways that still haven't come to grips with the new media of communication that have become possible. Seemingly by chance we stumble on modes of social interaction like Twitter, or astonishingly good knowledge management models like Wikipedia -- surprised at the unexpected network effects. Futuristic tech like new modes of human-computer interaction and augmented reality (where humans and computers share interaction with reality) have suddenly become available. How should we innovate in such an open, rapidly-changing field?

The MIH Electronic Media Laboratory at Stellenbosch University was founded to help map out this new field of software and communications engineering. In this talk, we will give an overview of our background, and views on new media research and innovation. We will also discuss some of our research activities in the fields of media distribution, semantic web technologies, social networking tech, augmented reality and interpersonal communications.

Speaker Profile

Gert-Jan van Rooyen

Gert-Jan van Rooyen is a Senior Lecturer in Telecommunications at Stellenbosch University, and holds a PhD in Electronic Engineering from the same institution. He spends most of his research time at the Electronic Media Laboratory (the "Medialab") as the lab's director, where his work focuses on new media technologies: applying cutting-edge research in Telecommunications, Signal Theory and Software Engineering to the emerging ways in which humans communicate with each other and with computers. Web applications, mobile technology, and futuristic stuff like augmented reality (AR) are some of the stuff that drive him.