Digital Research Conversation (DRC)

How far can we go with VR, AR and Visualisation?

Purpose of the Event

Around 2.5 million terabytes of raw data are created globally every day. Data visualisation is the process of taking the raw data and transposing it into graphs, charts, images or even videos that explain the numbers and allow us to gain insight into the data. These virtual representations assist the data scientist in finding correct patterns and relationships in the raw data. The virtual patterns (2D or 3D images) can be viewed with the naked eye or through stereoscopic glasses, VR (Virtual reality) and AR (Augmented reality) headsets.

There is a clear distinction between VR and AR; VR closes off the viewer for a solo experience, whilst AR mixes reality with digital images, projections and holograms. You may have experienced AR on your smart phone if you’ve ever played Pokemon GO or seen AR on Apple watches.

VR and AR glasses are currently too bulky and heavy and are impractical to wear for long periods. They are also dependant on a PC so they are not mobile. Nevertheless, in the future the technology will inevitably improve, so which of these realities will impact our daily lives the most in terms of education, science, medicine, archaeology, engineering, architecture, the military, and virtual museums?

At this free event, established academics from a variety of different fields of research will talk about how they are currently using VR and AR in their work to visualise and handle large data sets. There will also be insights into how developments in AR and VR technology will assist the way we handle and view data even further in the future.

5th Digital Research Conversation (Draft Programme)

Speaker

Title

Registration and refreshments

(11:30 am -12:00pm)

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Dr Phil Murgatroyd, Europe's Lost Frontiers - Project and Modelling Manager

Title: Data Visualisation and augmented reality under the sea

Victoria Williams (PhD Dept of Eng Literature FT)

Title: Considering the Real-Time, or What Phenomenology Might Reveal about Emergent Engagements with Virtual Reality.

Dr Biao Cai, (School of Metallurgy and Materials and also an Alan Turing Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute)

Title: Visualizing Crystal Growth in 4D in ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ world.

12:50pm- 1:35pm Pizzas, networking

Richard Graham (Department: Department of English Literature)

Title: Teaching Virtual Reality in the Humanities: Pedagogies of Small Datum"

Professor Henry Chapman FSA (Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology)

Title: Data Visualisation and Archaeology

Benefits of the Event

• Listen to talks and presentations and start thinking about visualising your large data sets
• Hear ground-breaking ideas
• Use the opportunity to ask questions and receive useful and stimulating answers
• Get practical advice on the best way to handle huge data sets
• Meet your peers (like-minded people), network and make friends
• Share ideas and generate new ones
  
  

We look forward to welcoming you to this free event. The registration desk will be open at 11:30am and tea, coffee, soft drinks and nibbles will be provided. Pizza will be served in the foyer at 12:50pm.

Register today

If you’d like to attend the 5th Digital Research Conversation, please register now online. Capacity is limited, so make sure you don’t miss out!

If you have any questions about the event then contact the University of Birmingham Advanced Research Computing team at res-comp-engage@lists.bham.ac.uk