Image-metrics: Face Animation; So Real - So Easy

A bold new technology for the metaverse...

wow... a key technology for the metaverse is already here. "you will not be able to figure what is true and what is false".

In the DLD conference .. I have seen the future. Image Metrics -- a company in Manchester, United Kingdom -- following 10 years of reserach -- can capture facial expression and plug them into other images. The demo is very convincing... (one tiny problem: transforming video to the new image does take "over night." Still not on-the-fly... new chips will do that... amazing.)

See the presentaion from the conference here... full video -- look for the Monday 9:00 Andy Wood presentation.

or look at their web site: http://www.image-metrics.com/

The one laptop per child (The $100 machine)

"It's an education project, not a laptop project."
Nicholas Negroponte
Our goal: To provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves. read more

OK.... I have seen it... and the vision is near. Note that the network is really a mesh network... which means each computer is like a little hub. see more http://laptop.org/ and also http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Home

DLD Conference

I had the pleasure of attending the amzing DLD conference in Munich. DLD (Digital, Life, Design) is Europe's conference for the 21st century; covering digital innovation, gaming, arts and science and bringing together thought leaders from Europe, the Middle-East, America and Asia. The conference site is full of information see it http://www.dld-conference.com/.

Metaverse 101: Intro and engineering challenges

This is an introduction to the metaverse which is the focal point of my research center in Afeka (the IMS: the cetner for Internet, Metaverse and Society).

I talk about:

- what is the metavres

- exammples: Wow, Second Life, Guild Wars

- and discuss some of the technical challanges we face.

The presentation is a PDF file.

Enterprise 2.0 -- People and Computers Conference -- Presentations

"People and Computers" Productions hosted a conference Enterprise 2.0.
The program was developed by Raz Hypherman of Bezeq (the largest Israeli Telco), Gadi Ariav (Tel Aviv University) and Yesha Sivan (Afeka College).

We got good feedback re the conference from many people. Thanks you.
I am adding the presentations here as I get them

Intro:
The Enterprise 2.0 (English)– Web 2.0 – Dr. Yesha Sivan, Afeka College
Why is this important – Ranit Zexer, CTO, Matrix
The VC point of view – Yaron Polak, Genesis Partners

Custumer point of view:
E-web 2.0 (Hebrew) – Raz Heiferman, Bezeq Corporate Computing
What is Web 2.0 at McKinsey (English) – David Chin, McKinsey
The CEO point of view – Erez Meltzer, CEO Africa-Israel Investment

Supplier Point of view:
How to do it – Prof. Gadi Ariav, Tel Aviv University, Business School
Supplier Mapping – Jimmy Schwarzkopf , STKI
What do we think? – Mor Sagmon, SAP

Enterprise 2.0 Keynote:
Presented by: Pini Burtman, IBM Global Technology Unit
David Boloker, CTO for emerging Internet Technology, IBM Software Group, Cambridge USA.
IBM Enterprise 2.0 strategy = Innovation + Middleware

Enterprise 2.0 Presentation - Yesha

Lots of people asked for my Enterpise 2.0 presentation. So here it is.
This version is taken from the People and Computer conference -- so it is the latest. Have fun...

See the presentation in PDF format.
Claim: Web 2.0 is here. Lots of buzz.

–Time – person of the year is you.

–MySpace – 580m$ by NewsCorp

–You-Tube – 1.65B$ by Google.

–Lots of news coverage (media feeds itself a bit – blogs writing about blogs, about wikis etc.)

What does the enterpise need to explore

–1. Internally

–2. Externally

–3. And in terms of the way we do business (new products, new services, new partners etc)

There are no definite answers – mainly questions, we are all learning

Enterprise 2.0 -- How McKinsey & Company is using Web 2.0 to Transform its Internal Knowledge Management

I have written extensivly on knowledge managment in the past. Two years ago I arrived at the sad conclusion that very few companies can actually enjoy knowledge managment. Well McKinsey & Company is definantly one. I had the pleasure of hosing David Chin in a Enterpise 2.0 conference in Janurany 15, 2007. His presnetaiton highlight the committment, and the value that McKinsey hopes to get from KM -- especially when it comes to new tools like the Wiki.

If you need the details please contact David_Chinn AT mckinsey.com

Note: I am publishing this on Feb 24, 2007; but it will move to the Jan 15, 2007 - close to the event.

Second Life Talk re Darfur w Mia Farrow

This is an imporat topic. So I am posting it for 2 reaons. The topic itself; as well as the use of Metaverse to send a message. From http://www.rikomatic.com:

... an incredible video of the in-world briefing on the genocide in Darfur organized by the US Holocaust Museum that took place last month. The video features a very skillful and powerful juxtaposition of in-world footage and images from Sudanese refugee camps. Makes me want to work on my video editing skills. Produced by Lichtenstein Media, machinima footage by In Kenzo.

Well worth your 12 minutes.

Link here.

I have joined Afeka College

Ok I have joined Afeka.... horay... back to academia...

Afeka College of Engineering was established in the 1996. Afeka was among the first non-university institutions accredited by the Israel Council for Higher Education to grant academic degrees in engineering. Combining an educational philosophy of instruction, aimed at broadening educational opportunity for students showing technological aptitude, with a curriculum that is responsive to the needs of industry, the College has become a unique presence in the field of higher education.

1,650 students studied engineering in the following departments:

• Electrical and Electronics Engineering


• Mechanical and Systems Engineering


• Software Engineering


• Industrial Engineering and Management --> this is my depatment.


• Medical Engineering has been opened.

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