Dr. Sara Diamond moderates panel discussion at BIO International Convention

Dr. Sara Diamond with panel members
Thursday, June 22, 2017 - 2:15pm

This week, President Sara Diamond moderated a panel discussion on gamification at BIO 2017, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry. Titled Game Theory and the Brain – How Gamification is Leading to Better Brain Heath and Outcomes, the panel discussion explored the relationship between internet quizzes and video games with better brain and mental health. Attendees learned about new gamification approaches in the guise of an internet quiz, which can identify markers for brain health and help lead to earlier assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients.

Panel members included Michael Meagher, president and CEO, Cogniciti; Patrick Dwivedi, chief executive officer, Ehave, Inc. and Dr. Graeme Moffat, vice-president, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs, InteraXon Inc. The speakers led an engaging and educational panel discussion on brain research, commercialization and care while confirming Ontario’s role as a world leader in these categories.

Tweetris

Tweetris -- pairs compete in front of a large display to make random Tetris blocks (Tetrominos). A picture is taken of the winner of each round as they make the shape, and this is tweeted to TweetrisTO. Anyone can play a game of Tetris using these Tetromino images in real time on their smartphone or web browser. This was a curated exhibit in Scotia Bank Nuit Blanche on October 1, 2011, and has since been demoed at the Digifest 2011 conference, Dalhousie University Open House, and will be submitted as an art exhibit to TEI 2012. Research is currently underway to examine factors impacting gameplay (setting, audience participation, observation of prior players) over the course of Nuit Blanche.

http://forum.grand-nce.ca/index.php/Artifact:4325

 

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An image of someone playing the Tweetris game
Sunday, August 19, 2012 - 7:15pm
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Pokémon Go - a game changer for augmented reality

Screenshot from Pokemon GO

Everybody’s talking about Pokémon Go! The augmented reality game isn’t even (officially) available in Canada yet but it’s taking the country by storm. In the US, the game already has more users than Tinder and Twitter.

Augmented reality is a real-world view that is supplemented (augmented) by computer-generated elements such as sound, images, graphics or video.

OCAD U faculty member Emma Westecott is a world leader in gaming and game design. She was a programmer and then producer for the best-selling Starship Titanic game.

“Pokémon Go is a game changer as it marks the evolution of a classic gaming brand on to new platforms using new technologies,” Westecott says. “To become mainstream, any new technology needs widespread adoption, and the fan base brought to augmented reality by passionate Pokémon players provides that.”

Games have always been used to introduce new technology to markets, Westecott says. “I think it has taken a while to get the technologies working together reliably. GPS is a fairly mature technology, whilst augmented reality is much newer. Getting them working together reliably enough to handle the amount of Pokémon users Go has is non-trivial.”

“The popularity of Pokémon Go will trigger an explosion of augmented reality collecting games. Perhaps more interestingly, it will bring an exploration of different genres of games in augmented reality and the mixed reality game sector.”

Discover three Pokestops at OCAD U and battle it out at a Pokémon gym, located by the mural on the outside of our Student Gallery. You can also learn more about augmented reality and game design in our undergraduate and graduate Digital Futures programs. 

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