Book: Virtual Worlds, Second Life and Metaverse Platforms: CALL FOR CHAPTERS

CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS

Proposal Submission Deadline: February 15, 2010

Virtual Worlds, Second Life and Metaverse Platforms:
New Communication and Identity Paradigms




A book edited by Nelson Zagalo, University of Minho, 
Leonel Morgado, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, and
 Ana Boa-Ventura, The University of Texas at Austin

To be published by IGI Global

Introduction
The metaverse is emerging, through the increasing use of virtual world technologies that act as platforms for end-users to create, develop, and interact, expanding the realm of human communication, and collaboration. Researchers and scholars are experiencing the importance of this new area. The private sector is also strongly investing in these domains. Even more importantly, society is responding, and this will have a huge impact on life transformation.
This book will present texts whose focus are the scientific research on uses, effects, developments and applications of various metaverse platforms, such as Second Life, Home (Sony), OpenSimulator, Open Croquet, Activeworlds, Project Wonderland, World of Warcraft and others. The goal is to provide a forum for the research community to present and discuss innovative approaches.
Whereas metaverse platforms are not a novel topic, they continue to pose challenges in areas such as the adaptation of conventional research methodologies and communication practices. Furthermore, these platforms are reshaping our frameworks in topics as important as digital identity, collaboration, entertainment and play, technology and arts, educational objects, virtual space and digital representation, and communication design.


Objectives of the Book
The mission of this book is to discuss the main issues, challenges, opportunities and trends related to the metaverse and its potential for research, society and technological evolution.
The overall objectives are:

. To discuss the impact of the metaverse and related new paradigms; 


. To present new technological developments, and their current and future possibilities


. To present affective and cognitive effects of virtual worlds 


. To discuss anthropological and social impacts;


. To present new creation and simulation perspectives for art and design


. To discuss the future generations of virtual worlds; 


. To provide guidance for further research and development; 


. To build a bridge between research and practice.


Target Audience
The target audience of this book will be composed of professionals and researchers working in the fields of virtual worlds, virtual environments, virtual reality, videogames, communication, design, computer science, education, psychology and information technology.


Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
. Design
. Interactivity
. Technology
. Simulation
. Games and Play
. Aesthetics
. Creativity
. Communication Paradigms
. Education
. Collaboration
. Behavioral studies and Emotion


Submission Procedure
Potential contributors are invited to submit on or before February 15, 2010, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by March 15, 2010 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by June 15, 2007. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project. To follow the progress of this project, please visit regularly: http://sites.google.com/site/metaverseparadigms


Publisher
This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference,” “Business Science Reference,” and “Engineering Science Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2011


Important Dates

February 15, 2010: Proposal Submission Deadline
March 15, 2010: Notification of Acceptance
June 15, 2010: Full Chapter Submission
August 30, 2010: Review Results Returned
October 30, 2010: Final Chapter Submission
November 30, 2010: Final Deadline


Editorial Advisory Board Members (under construction)
Graham Attwell, University of Warwick, United Kingdom
Craig Becker, Emerging 3D Internet and Virtual Business EBO, IBM, USA
Isabel Valverde, Institute for Human Studies and Intelligent Sciences, Portugal



Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) or by mail to:

Nelson Zagalo,
Communication and Society Studies Centre,
University of Minho - ICS
4710-057 Braga - Portugal
Phone: +351 253 604 214 . Fax: +351 253 604 697 . Mobile: +351 962761660
e-mail: nzagalo@ics.uminho.pt or nzagalo@gmail.com

http://sites.google.com/site/metaverseparadigms

"Poesia Matemática" de Millôr Fernandes | "Mathematical Poetry", by Millôr Fernandes

Obrigado/Thanks, De Rerum Natura, pela dica/for the tip:

Dissertação de mestrado | Master dissertation - Luís Santos - ToonTalk

My master student Luís Santos just successfully defended his master dissertation on Mathematics and Natural Sciences, entitled "Modelling experimental systems in ToonTalk for educational environments: the water cycle", devoted to his effort to apply animagadgets from the Playground project to grammar school level (10-12 years) teaching Natural Sciences.

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O meu mestrando, Luís Santos, defendeu com êxito a dissertação de Mestrado em Matemática e Ciências da Natureza, "Modelação de sistemas experimentais em ToonTalk para Ambientes Educativos: Ciclo da Água", onde descreve o esforço de utilização das "engenhocas" (animagadgets) desenvolvidas no projecto Playground, mas a um nível etário e contexto educativo diferente: 5º/6º ano do ensino básico.

Modelação de sistemas experimentais em ToonTalk para Ambientes Educativos: Ciclo da Água

Thesis/Tese: Framework for Computer Programming in Preschool and Kindergarten

In 2005, I completed my PhD thesis (viva in 2006), Framework for Computer Programming in Preschool and Kindergarten. Since it's a large PDF file hosted in the slow network of UTAD, many haven't been able to retrieve it - and indeed, Google hasn't indexed its contents.

So now I placed it in Scribd. Enjoy!

Framework for Computer Programming in Preschool and Kindergarten

Research Grants | Bolsas de Investigação

Bolsas de Investigação – Mundos Virtuais

Está aberto concurso para atribuição de duas Bolsas de Investigação (BI), para a área de sistemas informáticos apoiados em plataformas de mundos virtuais, nas seguintes condições:

1. Duração e Regime de Actividades: Duração de 1 ano, com início previsto para Fevereiro de 2010, em regime de exclusividade. As bolsas poderão ser prorrogadas por um período adicional de 24 (vinte e quatro) meses.

2. Objecto de Actividade: Investigação e desenvolvimento científico-tecnológicos na área dos sistemas informáticos apoiados em plataformas de mundos virtuais, com ênfase para as plataformas Second Life Grid e OpenSimulator.

3. Orientação Científica: Leonel Caseiro Morgado (UTAD).

4. Formação Académica: Mestrado em Informática ou áreas afins.

5. Remuneração: € 980 / mês, de acordo com a tabela de valores das Bolsas de Investigação no país atribuídas pela FCT (http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores.phtml.pt).

6. Datas: O concurso está aberto entre os dias 7 de Dezembro de 2009 e 7 de Janeiro de 2010.

7. Documentos de Candidatura: Os candidatos devem enviar uma carta de candidatura acompanhada do curriculum vitae, portfólio de trabalhos desenvolvidos e cópia do certificado de habilitações, para:

Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro

Departamento de Engenharias – Eng.I

A/C Prof. Dr. Leonel Morgado

Quinta de Prados

5001-801 Vila Real

Podem também ser enviadas as candidaturas por e-mail para leonelm@utad.pt.

Vila Real, 30 de Novembro de 2009

Leonel Morgado

(Professor Auxiliar)

Research grants – Virtual worlds

A call is open for two Research Grants for the field of computer systems based on virtual world platforms, under the following terms:

1.Length and operation: For 1 year, planned to start on February 1st, 2010, under and exclusivity contract. Grants may be extended for an additional 24 (twenty four) months.

2. Research activities: scientific and technological research and development in the field of computer systems based on virtual world platforms, with an emphasis on the Second Life Grid and OpenSimulator platforms.

3. Scientific supervision: Leonel Caseiro Morgado (UTAD).

4. Academic background: Master degree in Computer Science or similar.

5. Grant amount: € 980 / month, following the FCT stipends table (http://alfa.fct.mctes.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores.phtml.en).

6. Dates: the call is open between December 7th, 2009, and January 7th, 2010.

7. Applications: interested parties should send an application letter accompanied by a curriculum vitae, a portfolio of previous works and a copy of their diploma, to:

Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro

Departamento de Engenharias – Eng.I

A/C Prof. Dr. Leonel Morgado

Quinta de Prados

5001-801 Vila Real

Portugal

Alternatively, documents may also be sent by e-mail to leonelm@utad.pt.

Vila Real, November 30th, 2009

Leonel Morgado

(Assistant Professor)

Master Thesis | Dissertação de Mestrado - Luís Sequeira - Mechanisms of content transfer between Second Life and OpenSimulator

My master student, Luís Miguel Richheimer Marta de Sequeira, one of the founders of Beta Technologies (see his interview here), has recently presented successfully his Master Thesis/Dissertation in Informatics, entitled Mechanisms of Three-dimensional Content Transfer between the OpenSimulator and Second Life Grid Platforms (the full package with the code is also available as part of the public thesis, including the version of libopenmetaverse he used).

It's a great piece of engineering work, and includes details on the operation of the Second Life Grid servers which you won't find elsewhere, since he had to interview Linden Lab employees to clear several doubts on the operation - for the sake of technical correctness of what is said.

=========================

O meu aluno de mestrado, Luís Miguel Richheimer Marta de Sequeira, que é um dos fundadores da Beta Technologies (podem ver aqui uma entrevista com ele), defendeu recentemente com êxito a sua dissertação de mestrado em informática, com o título Mechanisms of Three-dimensional Content Transfer between the OpenSimulator and Second Life Grid Platforms (também está disponível o conjunto completo de texto e código, incluindo a versão utilizada da libopenmetaverse, que faz parte da dissertação apresentada publicamente).

É uma bela obra de trabalho de engenharia, que inclui pormenores acerca do funcionamento dos servidores da Second Life Grid, que não se encontram em mais lado nenhum, pois o Luís teve de falar com funcionários da Linden Lab para esclarecer várias dúvidas acerca do funcionamento destes servidores (a bem da exactidão técnica do que é dito na dissertação).

Babbage Linden and Rocky Musashi at Vila Real

After last week's Second Life seminar, we went for dinner at Cardoso, in Vila Real, famous for arguably the best Portuguese-style croque-madames (locally known as francesinhas, basically a croque-madame with a spicy sauce). Here's a shot of Jim (Babbage) and Rocha (Rocky) during dinner.

==============================

Depois do seminário sobre Second Life da semana passada, fomos jantar ao Cardoso, cá por Vila Real, que tem as melhores (ok, podem discutir...) francesinhas. Eis uma fotografia do Jim (Babbage) e do Rocha (Rocky) durante o jantar.