Ambient Connections via Ron Edwards

Forterra OLIVE New Release Update & New Video

Ron Edwards — 2008-07-07T00:46:23+00:00

Here's a repost of this link as the last one has been archived already. We can't wait to get our hands and our client's hands on the new Forterra OLIVE release due shortly - it will have streaming video, eLearning content embedded in-world and easy to use powerpoint among several other features key to enterprise collaboration and training.. Contact me if you'd like a sneak peak.

A new better video of the Forterra OLIVE SCORM eLearning content is now available.. We're working on some non-military examples as well. You can access the Youtube version below or download and play .wvm - 100 meg download here.

Forterra are about to release an important update which will enable embedding SCORM compliant e-Learning in-world. Content can be accessed by participants directly or assigned by instructors as well as attached to objects for contextualised learning. Exciting!

Updated New Forterra Video Showing SCORM Content in-world

Ron Edwards — 2008-05-27T22:50:12+00:00

**UPDATE** New better quality video link for the Forterra SCORM video is now available.. We're working on some non-military examples as well. You can access the Youtube version below or download and play .wvm - 100 meg download here.

The new video is now below.

Podcast: Comparing Forterra OLIVE to other VWs

Ron Edwards — 2008-04-18T10:16:34+00:00

I was interviewed by Mike Ohara for the Virtual Worlds Business Cast recently and it has just been published. You can subscribe to these podcasts directly on the site or in Itunes. I discsussed some of the key differences between Forterra OLIVE and other virtual world platforms and highlighted some of the benefits of private interoperable virtual worlds. Follow this link to listen. Comments welcome!!

CNBC World Business Video on Secure Virtual Worlds for Collaboration

Ron Edwards — 2008-04-07T14:14:11+00:00

Here's the video clip from last week's showing on CNBC Europe's World Business program featuring Forterra Systems OLIVE and ourselves. We're looking into getting the rights for a higher resolution version with Forterra. Let us know if you find it of value and would benefit from having it availalbe to show your stakeholders interested in serious virtual world applications for meetings and collaboration.

CNBC Europe World Business Video Segment on Enterprise Virtual Worlds Tonight!

Ron Edwards — 2008-03-28T16:42:29+00:00

We did an interview with CNBC Europe at the Serious Games Institute as well as in world using Forterra Systems OLIVE where we created photo realistic avatars of journalist Joanna Harrison and myself and gave her a tour in-world. She interviewed Claus Nehmzow and Serious Games Institute Director David Wortley as well, let's see what made the final cut!

Here are the details:
The segment is part of the World Business programme which is broadcast three times over the weekend at the following central European Times (one hour earlier if you are in London)

CNBC World Business 28 March: Friday 20:30 (CET) Saturday 22:30 (CET) Sunday 22:30 (CET)

After airing on CNBC, the show is then syndicated to Sky, TV New Zealand, Euronews, PBS-TV in the US and 17 other national broadcasters around the world. We don't have advance notice of when these stations plan to air the show but it will be within 7 days of premiering on CNBC.

Special thanks go out to the Forterra team whose virtual actors for the role playing scenarios shown were (are) great and for creating the photo realistic avatars so fast. Thanks also to Now Communications for helping faciliate the video shoot and to Alex Jevremovic for capturing additional video of us in world.

Virtual World Training Effectiveness Studies

Ron Edwards — 2008-03-17T14:34:10+00:00

We often get asked for studies on effectiveness of virtual worlds based training.

Two studies we are aware of were done at SUMMIT (Stanford University Medical Media & Information Technologies) recently.

One was completed last year and shows that using virtual world (Forterra Systems OLIVE **Disclosure: Ambient is Forterra Systems' partner in Europe**) based training to teach high school students to perform CPR increased their confidence and ability to remember the correct procedures and found that 'While manikin-based training continues to be the most appropriate method for learning the basic psychomotor skills of CPR, this study demonstrates the potential added value of MMOS for situated learning in which laypersons are able to practice the sequence of actions necessary to respond appropriately to different medical emergencies.' Link to buy article ($20.00).
Link to SUMMIT page with videos and more information on the project is here.

The other big study at SUMMIT was published last month in the World Journal of Surgery. The abstract is below. They found that virtual world based training was effective in 'providing repeated practice opportnities in dispersed locations', and that it was adequately realistic to 'suspend belief', and easy to use.
The article can be purchased online here ($32.00).

A video clip showing the OLIVE platform in action is below.

Dr. LeRoy Heinrich presented this research at the Serious Virtual Worlds Conference in September 2007.
You can view an archive of his presentation (and the others) here.
The dates for Serious Virtual Worlds 2008 are September 11,12, again to be held in Coventry in partnership with the Serious Games Institute.

John Burwell on Owning Your Own Virtual World (video)

Ron Edwards — 2008-03-10T23:46:29+00:00

Here's a video I just found of John Burwell, Forterra Systems VP discussing their OLIVE platform and benefits of having full control over development and performance, using the Emergency Response demo he gave at our Serious Virtual Worlds conference as an example which is based on the TATRC project at Stanford . (video archive of the conference is here - scoll to the bottom of the list past last weeks conference on Tourism, Heritage and technology or the SVW content).

The Metaverse, Virtual Afghanistan and Video Journalism (video story)

Ron Edwards — 2008-03-05T19:47:49+00:00

I'm really impressed with David Dunkley Gyimahs ability to see an interesting story and pull it together with a few interviews and video clips and leave us wanting more at the end. He just published a new piece featuring the Forterra OLIVE platform and comments by virtual world journalist James Wagner and myself. You can check it out at his Viewmagazine.tv or directly here.

At the end of the video story he says he's excited to be one of the first video journalists to cover a live exercise in a virtual world, I am too!

David blogs here. I like how he's descibed our first residential week in the SMARTlab Phd Programme too.

Here's a video David shot of me at SMARTlab describing the platform which has an area of Afghanistan modeled for training purposes (I look a bit out of context wearing a suit there!)

Update: Live Stream today

Ron Edwards — 2008-03-04T09:34:08+00:00

Hi! The live stream of today's overbooked summit on advanced tourism applications will only be streamed into second life - here's the slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/SGI%20THR33/99/107/27
Search on SGITHR33 or just SGI in the map to find it - it's the auditorium outside the sgi building if the slurl doesn't work.

I'll broadcast live from my mobile at lunchtime below, this feed may also be broadcast into Secondl Life if we have time.

March 4 Free Live Stream - 3D, Mobile, AR, LBS for Tourism Projects

Ron Edwards — 2008-03-04T00:05:04+00:00

The overbooked event on leading and bleeding edge technologies for tourism and cultural heritage projects at the Serious Games Institute (where we've recently opened an office!) on March 4 will be streamed live over the web and into their Second Life island. I will try to stream interviews with participants and exhibitors live from my mobile phone into Second Life for fun at lunchtime.

I'll be speaking about mobile augmented reality applications, 3d visualisation and location based education and tourism services at 11:30 GMT.

An overveiw of the event is below.
The live webcast from 09:30 GMT will probably be at this link (not certain, will post new link if necessary).
Search in Second Life for the Serious Games Institute, associated with Coventry University to watch there.
Streaming by partners Datmedia.

Virtual World, Wireless, Mobile, Video, Sound, GIS and Augmented Reality Technology Showcase on March 4th 2008 at the SGI

Leading experts in a range of digital media and communications technologies will be showcasing the use of advanced and innovative technologies to enrich the culture, heritage and tourism experience and make it globally accessible to the widest audience.

The workshop will also feature demonstrations and innovative interactive displays from industry leaders. It is a unique opportunity to get a comprehensive overview of the potential benefits of a holistic and integrated approach to technology solutions for culture, heritage and tourism.

8 Virtual Worlds in 8 Minutes

Ron Edwards — 2008-03-03T23:46:07+00:00

I met Sharon Burns, MacArthur Foundation CIO at the Virtual Worlds Salon in London last week. She told me how much fun she had creating the video below in which she gives us a tour of 8 virtual worlds. I like that she covered 8 virtual worlds other than Second Life first, inverting the usual 'virtual worlds such as second life' as usually described in the press and presentations ' without mentioning any of the others. They are funding a few very interesting virtual worlds projects, I look forward to learning more about them and the results soon.

The Metaverse & Collaboration

Ron Edwards — 2008-02-21T12:02:49+00:00

It's a been a busy week having started my PhD at the SMARTlab Digital Media Institute in London with my first residential week there. I'll be researching what makes collaboration in virtual worlds and the Metaverse effective and will be sharing that research here.

I've been doing several presentations this month about components of the Metaverse, where they are predicted to go and become interoperable with examples of how we're active in each of the four usage areas described in the Metaverse Roadmap - Mobile augmented reality, lifelogging, mirror worlds and virtual worlds.

I'm glad to see the Metaverse Roadmap project continue with a summit last week and good coverage on Cisco's Virtual World blog here. The Game Developers Conference has been going on this week too and I've found a little coverage so far on the virtual world summit there although our developers and colleagues are there so we can't wait fo the debriefing. You can start with Mark Oehlert's blog here.

I'm glad to have met David Dunkley Gyimah at SMARTlab who is researching video journalism. He's excited about video journalism in the Forterra OLIVE virtual world platform and looking at using it for a journalist training platform. Cool! He blogs here. Check it out!

Companies Explore Virtual Worlds As Collaboration Tools

Ron Edwards — 2008-02-08T17:28:44+00:00

Great article in CIO Magazine highlighting several enterprise applications of Virtual Worlds, most are based on the Forterra OLIVE platform!
Virtual worlds aren't just for games; companies are experimenting with virtual environments for everything from training exercises to meeting spaces for remote workers....

read more | digg story

Speaking Engagements Today and this month - most are free!

Ron Edwards — 2008-01-16T07:17:21+00:00

I am co-leading a free webinar on enterprise use of serious games and virtual worlds today at 15:30 GMT with Jude Ower of Digital 2.0, an hour on strategic reasons why to use them, followed by next weeks focus on implementation, same time, same price. Hosted by Learning Light. Register here.

I am really excited about my presentation at the end of the month too, one on streaming video live into virtual worlds and mobile phones titled 'Its Life Jim...Streaming in the Enterprise' - also free on the 31st. Hosted by Broadcast Media and Video Forum at Earls Court. Info here and the other at Apply Groups Symposium 2008 Towards Best Practice - 'Towards Best Practice in Designing & Developing Serious Games for Learning & Communications: Focus on Internet, Mobile & Virtual Worlds.on mobile delivery of games and learning.'
Check out this event, while not free there are several knowledgeable speakers - It should be worthwhile.

Our events calendar is below, you can subscribe to it with RSS. We will be running and contributing to quite a few events this year so stay tuned!

My BBC Radio 4 Interview - Virtual Worlds for Training & Collaboration

Ron Edwards — 2008-01-08T17:34:55+00:00

The interview I did for BBC Radio 4 was broadcast yesterday on the PM show. I discussed how the Forterra Systems OLIVE virtual world platform is being used for military, emergency response and corporate collaboration applications and why it's delivering better training and collaboration than alternatives.

The BBC sent over just our piece which is in a podcast below. You can download the full PM news show from the BBC site here.

Click here to get your own player.