Special Session on Mixed Reality Entertainment Computing
Co-sponsor: IEEE Systems Man and Cybernetics Society Singapore

Chairs:
Adrian David Cheok (National University of Singapore)
Hirokazu Kato (Hiroshima City University, Japan)
Mark Billinghurst (HIT Lab, University of Washington, USA)

Mixed reality (the fusion of augmented and virtual reality) is a the technology that allows the digital world to be extended into the user's physical world. Unlike virtual reality in which the user is immersed in an artificial world, mixed reality operates in the user's real world. This is made possible through the use of head-mounted displays where the user's real-world view can be overlaid with 3D computer graphics, text, video, audio and speech.

Mixed reality can be used to develop an almost magical environment where the virtual world, such as 3D computer graphics images and animations are merged with the real world as seamlessly as possible in real time. For example architects could work on a realistic virtual 3D model on their desk, and then enter the model together to explore the inside of the virtual buildings, surgeons could "see" the inside of a patients body before operating, children could see animals from exotic lands, and play with them in their real physical space, people could play games with each other together with virtual characters or creatures that appear in their real environment.

Hence mixed reality is can become a highly important component of future entertainment computing systems. It will allow humans to interact with each other in ways that now can only be imagined in movies or television, and will allow humans to interact with computers in a way that goes beyond the desktop computers we have now. It will allow us to create a mystical world that man has never experienced before. There will be applications in a great variety of areas in computer entertainment.
It would be useful for the computer gaming industry to be more directly involved with the mixed reality research community. Conversely, as an application area, entertainment provides new challenges for the mixed reality computing research community. This special session is intended to bring together mixed reality computing researchers and professionals from the entertainment software industry. It will provide a forum to explore mutual interests, including (but not limited to) new mixed reality techniques for entertainment software, research avenues that might benefit the entertainment industry, and ways to more easily transfer technology.

Activities will include presentations and demonstrations on the following topics (longer research presentations / demonstrations are encouraged, furthermore there will be a 1 hour open forum): Mixed reality computing applied to the topics of:

- tangible interaction
- virtual and physical interaction,
- virtual/augmented reality virtual agents
- shared space / shared worlds
- interaction between augmented and virtual reality
- novel applications of mixed reality
- new directions for mixed reality in entertainment computing - virtual ecosystems
- successful applications of mixed reality techniques in entertainment software
- multiple, reactive interactive mixed reality systems that focus on creative and improvisational play
- mixed reality tools and engines that can be easily used by software professionals in interactive entertainment and art, and multi-user virtual worlds

Potential participants should submit a paper describing a work recently completed or in progress. For all submissions, participants should include a CV or resume highlighting their work in this area.
Send submissions(extended abstracts of 2 to 4 pages) to Adrian David Cheok, National University of Singapore, adriancheok@nus.edu.sg in postcript or PDF format before Dec.31 2001.

Participants must register for the main conference (see http://www.graphic.esys.tsukuba.ac.jp/iwec2002/registration.html for registration details)

Demonstrations are also highly encouraged; please contact us before the submission date for details.