Research Track

The Research Track will explore the ways in which OpenSimulator has become a laboratory for research in a wide range of areas, from computer science and engineering to ethnography and economics.

Call for Contributions

We invite submissions describing results of theoretical, technical, empirical, conceptual and experimental work in virtual environments. While the primary interest of this conference is the use and expansion of the OpenSimulator platform, interesting work performed using other virtual environment platforms will also be considered.

Topics of Interest

We invite your submissions in the areas of applications, infrastructure, content, and social impact. This includes the following:

  • OpenSimulator applications in various domains, including but not limited to Health Sciences, Urban Planning, Military Training, Education, etc.
  • Design of, and experience with, OpenSimulator modules and extensions
  • Performance studies of OpenSimulator and other virtual environment platforms
  • Immersive and collaborative information visualization
  • Integration with external simulation frameworks
  • Connecting the real world and virtual world, cyberphysical systems
  • Non Player Characters (NPCs) in virtual worlds
  • Studies of virtual communities and the impact of virtual worlds on social issues
  • Virtual Worlds and Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs)
  • Studies of business practices in virtual worlds
  • Studies of artistic expression through virtual worlds

Types of Contributions

We accept the following kinds of contributions:

  • Research papers: papers that push the boundaries of knowledge in interesting and scientifically sound ways.

  • Experience reports: papers that describe experiences with the use of OpenSimulator and related technologies.

  • Artifacts: executable packages (e.g. region modules, Web-based addons, etc.) that perform innovative functions. Artifacts accepted for presentation are expected to be shown live during the conference, in some capacity.

How to Submit

A publication style paper is requested for all contribution types. We encourage the liberal use of screenshots and in-world images. All submissions must conform to the following general typesettings and limits:

  • Body text: 12 point, Times (roman) font, single-spaced

  • The submission must not exceed 8 pages, including figures and citations

Each submission will be reviewed by two members of the PC. Submissions will be evaluated on the basis of their scientific and educational value.

Submissions are open. Please submit your paper here.

Presentation Types

Submitted work can be in a variety of maturity stages, from very early work to fully matured. The Program Committee will select the conference program accordingly; some submissions will be invited for a live presentation at the conference, while others will be invited to be presented as posters or in-world video.

Important Dates

Submission deadline: July 1st, 2013
Notifications: August 1st, 2013

Accepted speakers must register for the conference by August 7, 2013 in order to be included in the conference schedule and program.  You may wish to register for the conference even before receiving notification  to ensure that your registration has been processed by the August 7th date.

Organization

Program Chairs

Mic Bowman, Intel Research, USA
Crista Lopes aka Diva Canto, University of California Irvine, USA
Austin Tate aka Ai Austin, AIAI, University of Edinburgh, UK

Technical Program Committee

Olivier Battini, virrea / New World Grid, France
Tom Boellstorff, University of California Irvine, USA
David Burden, Daden Ltd., UK
George Djorgovski, Caltech, USA
Aaron Duffy, Utah State University, USA
Edmund Edgar, SLoodle and Avatar Classroom, Japan
Shun-Yun Hun, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
Daniel Livingstone, University of the West of Scotland, UK
Kay McLennan, Tulane University, USA
Gregor Schiele, DERI, Ireland
David Harris Smith, McMaster University, Canada
Robin Teigland, Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden

 

Presenter Contact Information

Please double check your email address, since this will be our primary way of contacting you regarding your proposal status!
Please provide a phone number where we will be able to reach you in the event of an emergency. Ideally this will the phone number where you can be reached during the conference. PLEASE INCLUDE COUNTRY CODE AND AREA CODE.
If you have a professional or work related website we should review, enter that URL here.
If you have a personal website we should review, please enter the URL here.
Do you have a Twitter account? If so, what is your Twitter URL. (URLs please, NOT just your username.)
Conference planners often use Skype, and we may use Skype as a backup method for audio streaming during the conference. If you have a Skype account, please enter your Skype username here.

Presenter Photos

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Maximum upload size: 516MB
This is the image we will use for the conference program, website, and other media and marketing about the conference. Whether your photo is a real life or avatar picture, it should be a well-lit headshot primarily of your face, not a graphic, design, or full body shot, and as high resolution as you can provide in .JPG or .PNG format. All photos must be professionally appropriate!

Presentation Information

What is the title of your presentation? This is the text that will be printed in the program schedule and on the conference website. Please double-check for spelling and typo errors!
Please provide a brief description of your presentation in no more than 2-3 sentences. This is the description that will be used in the conference program and on the conference website. Please double-check for spelling and typo errors!
Please enter a brief, professional biography in no more than 2-3 sentences. This information will be used in the conference program and website, so please proofread for spelling and typo errors!
What equipment do you need for your presentation? Do you have any special needs or setup requirements? Please note that conference organizers will do their best to meet all requests, however, we cannot guarantee that special equipment, space, or setup options will be available. Musical performers are expected to stream their own audio, and should be as detailed as possible in listing any special requirements.
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Maximum upload size: 516MB
Multiple files should be uploaded as a single .zip or other common archive file.