This event is part of the Brunch Bytes programme of technical briefings, aimed at digital and creative companies across the Northwest. The series is running parallel at both Lancaster University's InfoLab21 and Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus. To view the entire programme go to:

Brunch Bytes

NB. To be eligible to attend this free event you should be from a northwest SME from the digital and creative sector. Priority will be given to Northwest based SMEs from the digital and creative sectors. Places can only be guaranteed to companies booked onto 3 or more briefings.

Interactive Tables and Surfaces

Interactive surfaces like tables, floors and digital signage offer a dynamic, attractive and novel way of delivering computer applications/services into the surrounding environment. As well as providing a unique channel to engage with your customers -- livening up reception areas, hotels, shops, restaurants and trade shows with interactive content -- the latest interactive surface technology can help foster a range of advantages in the workplace.

So what opportunities does this technology present?  

This event will cover past, present and possible future uses of this technology along with the challenges and limitations that need to be considered. You will learn how interactive surfaces can be used to help integrate teams, construct and communicate shared visions and form the basis of productive collaborative environments.  This event will address what needs to be in place in order to deploy such technology and also discuss the long and short term implications of sustained interactive surface usage.  The presentation will conclude by offering thoughts on what needs to change in order for this innovation to advance and how market trends are likely to develop.

Why attend and what will you get out of it? 

• Discover innovative uses for this technology
• Discuss potential opportunities this can present to your company
• Hear about past and present market trends and likely future directions of this technology
• Learn about the capabilities of interactive surfaces and the challenges that need to be overcome
• Quiz an expert on your areas of interest or concern

Who should attend?

• SME owner/managers in the digital and creative industries
• Companies looking to gain insight into emerging technologies
• SME Owner/managers wanting to apply new technologies within their company 
• Companies looking to utilise academic expertise from InfoLab21 

John Hardy

John is a third year HighWire PhD Student at Lancaster University currently involved in research projects centred around a network of transient public displays. This divides into both the supporting plumbing and subsequent evaluation of the technology once applied. In addition, John has invested interests in the fields of game development processes, graphics, computer vision, software engineering, embedded systems and HCI.

During 2006-2009 John undertook a BS.c in Computer Science Innovation and graduated with First Class Honours and the Chancellor’s Medal.  More recently, he joined the HighWire programme and after the first year obtained a MRes with distinction in Digital Innovation.

In his spare time John is the Technical Leader of an ever-growing international, multi-disciplinary project to build a computer game that has received attention from the mainstream media.  Through research interests I am associated with the PD-NET project.  This aims to lay the scientific foundations for a new form of communications medium with the same potential impact on society as radio, television and the Internet.

Agenda

10:15 - Registration and refreshments

10:30 - John Hardy - Interactive Tables and Surfaces

11:30 - Q & A

12:00 - Lunch and networking

13:00 - Close

Please contact Carolyn Hayes c.hayes2@lancaster.ac.uk or 01524 510465 if you have any problems with registering.

ISTEP at InfoLab21
This event is supported by InfoLab21 as part of  ISTEP's regional events programme.

About ISTEP

ISTEP is a project designed to indentify and support interactions between the North West’s Digital and Creative industries and InfoLab21’s School of Computing and Communications, directly helping businesses to collaborate with the 270+ strong research community at InfoLab21.

ISTEP is delivered under the “Innovation, Advice and Guidance” product, part of the Government’s Solutions for Business portfolio, a highly targeted, publically funded suit of products and services offering solutions to real business needs.

More about ISTEP