Category Archives: publication

The Phenomenology of Virtual Places (observations)

Announcements, Book, game, publication, virtual heritage, Virtual Reality, ,

Just submitted a draft of the above edited book of 14 proposed chapters to Routledge, to their Research in Phenomenology series.

The Phenomenology of Virtual Places is an edited book on the history, implications and usefulness of phenomenology for real places and virtual places, with chapters by philosophers, cultural geographers, architects and archaeologists.

I won’t summarize the chapters right now as the series editors have the right to ask for major subtractions, additions and revisions but I am very happy about the range of disciplines, perspectives and topics.

I do have some observations

  1. One thing very much under-represented is the unconventional, the alternative and the non-Western or not so obviously Western (and I don’t like the term “Western” but what are better options here)?
  2. Also, the connections and distinctions between phenomenology and ethnography are perhaps still to be explored, especially for game and VR evaluation.
  3. Phenomenology deserves even more criticism. It is either obvious, or difficult and subtle, available to all or best practiced by trained phenomenologists (or is that, people trained to detect or extract or train phenomenological accounts).
  4. Writing introductions to edited books can be very difficult.
  5. How HMDs will challenge our notions of embodiment and social presence in VR will be a very big thing.
  6. Locative media raise very interesting research avenues for embodiment and the concept of place.
  7. And on a workflow-related note, if the publisher doesn’t give you a complete, formal template at the start, stick to your own and demand it be used by all authors even if the final template changes. Saves a world of pain.
  8. Also, game and VR companies would save us all trouble by clearly saying which screenshots can be used in academic books or provide a pathway for a quicker permissions/rejections process. If your images are in a book, it is free PR!

Fidus Writer

Academic, Digital Humanities, Open Access, publication

This is an online writing app that allows you to automatically reference then export into various academic-friendly format. Collaborative editing. Open source as far as I can see.

Fidus Writer is an online collaborative editor especially made for academics who need to use citations and/or formulas. The editor focuses on the content rather than the layout, so that with the same text, you can later on publish it in multiple ways: On a website, as a printed book, or as an ebook. In each case, you can choose from a number of layouts that are adequate for the medium of choice.

“power of archives” food for thought.

Conference, heritage, infrastructure, publication, respositories,

We regularly hear about the ‘power of the archive’ and know about the importance of the archive for accountability and identity within our societies. But do we ever actually stop to think about the term ‘power of the archive’? What is the nature of this power? Do archives have inherent power? Or is it those…

via Considering “The Power of the Archive” — Identity & Archives

Book series in Digital Humanities and Digital Heritage

archaeology, Digital Humanities, Open Access, press, publication, virtual heritage, , , , , , ,

Digital Heritage/Archaeology

Digital Humanities

See also https://adho.org/publications which lists

Books and Book Series

NB Is UWM also a Digital (book series) publisher? http://dc.uwm.edu/arthist_mobilizingthepast/1/

A 3D Pedagogical Heritage Tool Using Game Technology

archaeology, Open Access, virtual heritage, visualisation

Just published an Open Access article in the International Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology & Archaeometry!

Abstract:

This paper will propose and address issues that contribute to a serious challenge for virtual heritage: that there are few successful, accessible and durable examples of computer game technology and genres applied to heritage. Secondly, it will argue that the true potential of computers for heritage has not been fully lever- aged and it will provide a case study of a game engine technology not used explicitly as a game but as a serious pedagogical tool for 3D digital heritage environments.

Citation:

Champion, E. (2016: in press). A 3D PEDAGOGICAL HERITAGE TOOL USING GAME TECHNOLOGY. International Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology & Archaeometry, (special issue, selection of VAMCT2015 conference papers). International Journal MAA (ISI Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Thomson Reuters, USA; Scopus) Vol.16, No.5, pp. 63-72.URL: http://maajournal.com/Issues2016e.php DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.204967

Curtin Cultural Makathon

3D and game editors, archaeology, Architecture, Biofeedback, design, digital heritage, Digital Humanities, game, heritage, Open Access, respositories, Symposium, visualisation, workshop, , ,

Thanks to a Curtin MCCA Strategic Grant six reseachers and Library staff at Curtin University bought Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality equipment and ran two events to help staff develop digital prototypes and experiences using cultural data resources and digital humanities tools and techniques

  1. 26/08/2016 (AM) GLAM VR: talks on Digital heritage, scholarly making & experiential media (26/08/2016 (AM) 49 registrations-twitter: #GLAMVR16
    THEN Cultural Datasets In a Game Engine (UNITY) & Augmented Reality Workshop 6/08/2016 (PM) 34 registrations
  2. Curtin Cultural Makathon (11/11/2016) 20 registrations-twitter: #ccmak16 OH and before the Makathon, there was a TROVE API workshop! Or read Kathyrn Greenhill’s notes.

Our Curtin Cultural Makathon, great fun, four finished projects, excellent judges and data mentors, fabulous colleagues and atmosphere, plus pizza! Must do again but with more 3D and entertainment technology! Slides: http://slides.com/erikchampion/deck-4#/

There are also GLAMVR16 slides: http://slides.com/erikchampion/glamvr16-26-08-2016#/

Yes you can control the slides.com slides from your phone! if you like the slides.com technology, check out http://lab.hakim.se/reveal-js/

Want Western Australian / Australian datasets for your own hackathon? http://catalogue.beta.data.wa.gov.au/group/about/curtin-cultural-makathon

 

How many journals should you review for?

Academic, archaeology, Conference, Journal, Open Access, publication

If like me you are asked every week or so to review for a journal, then I have the following suggestion (for both of us).

  1. Write to the best journal in your field that you wish to support (after all, you are contributing your time and risking your academic reputation by association so considering the accessibility of the journal is important).
  2. Offer your services.
  3. Stick with them as long as the arrangement is mutually beneficial.
  4. Quality not quantity.

NB Ensure you know whether the journal will republish your material without informing you – this has happpened to me.

Taylor and Francis offer the following helpful guide: http://editorresources.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/reviewers-guidelines-and-best-practice/

If you are writing an article there are various suggestions on the web:

Sorry, I had intially titled this post inaccurately, I’ll blame it on jetlag.

PhD Scholarships at Curtin University

archaeology, digital heritage, Digital Humanities, job, Open Access, PhD, respositories, virtual heritage, visualisation

The call for PhD scholarships (UNESCO Cultural Heritage and Visualisation) at Humanities, Curtin University, has now been extended to 17 October 2016. See https://scholarships.curtin.edu.au/scholarships/scholarship.cfm?id=2782.0

I can be contacted for enquiries or submission but I am away from 1-16 October so email replies may be slow.

 

Current Projects

Announcements, publication, , ,

Grants

UNESCO Chair in Cultural Visualisation and Heritage

  • UNESCO and CURTIN signed.
  • Now writing up Research Fellow and 2 PhD positions
  • Will re-contact proposed advisory board
  • Drafting up specs for PCs/MACs, Blog post here.

GLAMVR project (MCCA School Strategic Research grant, $12,700, CI., with colleagues from MCCA)

  • Digital Heritage: Workflows & issues in preserving, exporting & linking digital collections (especially heritage collections for GLAM.
  • Scholarly Making: Encourage makerspaces & other activities in tandem with academic research.
  • Experiential Media: Develop AR/ VR & other new media technology & projects esp. for humanities.

The symposium/workshop is now over (my blog post here, EVENTBRITE details here, twitter feed here), cultural hackathon next. VR equipment has already started to arrive.

ARC-Linkage Grant Proposal

Working on proposal with Dr Stuart Bender and A. Prof Michael Broderick (Murdoch), based on Fading Lights.

WAND

Small Grant WAND application, advisor:  (submission by Michael Ovens, CI., UWA). See Michael’s blog https://thineenemyproject.wordpress.com/

DAAD

https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/global-engagement/international-collaboration/international-agreements-and-activities/Australia–Germany-Joint-Research-Cooperation-Scheme#.V1Y5xOckjuA

Submitted “Travelling heritage – exploring mixed realities for the digital reuse of cultural materials” application with colleagues and U of Hamburg and Leuphana. Results due November.

OTHER

CAA ‘Other’ Session (CAA2017, Atlanta)

Title “Mechanics, Mods and Mashups: Games of the Past for the Future Designed by Archaeologists” and blog post here.

Archaeologists and people of a historical persuasion:

  • Either take a game with an inspiring concept, technique or mechanic
  • OR extrapolate a current or past game to a game or simulation of the future
  • OR they share their vision of a game or simulation that reveals, expresses or augments their own research.

At the workshop the writers will either:

  • Bring their own designs, video cut-scenes, and illustrations and media depicting what this new vision would look like
  • OR have some form of play-testing demonstration, cards, or illustrations or physical play-throughs (preferably involving the CAA workshop audience) revealing how this new level, mod or gameplay episode COULD be experienced or how it could be revealed.

The writers will:
Ask the audience to play through or role-play the actions that would be in the creative piece.

The audience will:
Give the writers feedback ideas and nominate the best presentation in terms of fun and engagement, imaginative ideas, and archaeological relevance (in promoting archaeology, teaching archaeology or extending archaeological scholarship).

PENDING PUBLICATIONS

Books

  1. Benardou, A., Champion, E, Dallas, C., and Hughes, L., (). (2017: In press). Cultural Heritage Digital Tools and Infrastructures. Routledge, UK. https://www.routledge.com/products/9781472447128. ISBN 9781472447128.

Book chapter

  1. Champion, E. (2017: in press). “The Role of 3D Models in Virtual Heritage Infrastructures” in Benardou, A., Champion, E, Dallas, C., and Hughes, L. (Eds.). (2017). Cultural Heritage Digital Tools and Infrastructures. Routledge, UK. https://www.routledge.com/products/9781472447128. ISBN 9781472447128.

Book review

  1. Champion, E. (2016). Heritage and Social Media: Understanding heritage in a participatory culture [Book Review]. Heritage & Society, 8(2). In press.

Journal article

  1. Champion, E. (2016: accepted). Digital Humanities is Text-heavy, Visualization-light and Simulation-poor. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities (DH2015 Special issue).
  2. Champion, E. (2016: in press). Bringing Your A-Game To Digital Archaeology: Why Serious Games And Virtual Heritage Have Let The Side Down And What We Can Do About It. SAA Archaeological Record: Forum on Digital Games & Archaeology (special issue).
  3. Champion, E. (2016: accepted, I think!). Worldfulness, Role-enrichment & Moving Rituals: Design Ideas for CRPGs. Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association (ToDIGRA), (special issue, selected DiGRA2015 conference papers). URL: http://todigra.org/index.php/todigra/index
  4. Champion, E. (2016: accepted). Ludic Challenges For New Heritage and Cultural Tourism. International Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology & Archaeometry, (special issue, selection of VAMCT2015 conference papers). URL: maajournal.com International Journal MAA (ISI Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Thomson Reuters, USA; Scopus) scheduled for Dec 2016, Vol.16, No.5.

Conference paper/session

  1. Champion, E. (2017: accepted). “Mechanics, Mods and Mashups: Games of the Past for the Future Designed by Archaeologists”. Other session, Computer Applications and Quantitive Methods in Archaeology (CAA), Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 14-16 March, 2017. URL: http://caaconference.org/
  2. Champion, E. (2016: accepted). Virtual Heritage Infrastructure. 14th EUROGRAPHICS Workshop on Graphics and Cultural Heritage, 5-7 October 2016, Genova, Italy. URL: http://gch2016.ge.imati.cnr.it/.

Upcoming talks

  1. Talk at Aula Silvio Trentin (Aula Magna) of Ca’ Foscari University, in Palazzo Ca’ Dolfin, organized by Ca Foscari University, Venice, 3 October.
  2. The EUROGRAPHICS GCH conference as above, in Area della Ricerca di Genova, Via De Marini 6, 16149 Genova (Genoa), 5-7 October.
  3. Talk at Spazju Kreattiv (the National Centre for Creativity), Malta, 12 October.

STILL TO FINISH WRITING

Books

  1. Champion, E. (2017: in process). Phenomenology, Place and Virtual Place. Routledge.
  2. Champion, E. (2017: accepted). DESIGNING THE ‘PLACE’ OF VIRTUAL SPACE. Indiana University Press, Spatial Humanities series.
  3. Champion, E. (2017: contracted). Organic Design in Twentieth-Century Nordic Architecture, Routledge.

Book Chapters

  1. Champion, E. (2017: invited). 3D models and cultural heritage. Open access book chapter with Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung. Details to be updated.
  2. Champion, E. (2017: invited). “State of the Art: A Critical Review of Games and Game-Like Simulations Relevant to Digital Archaeology and Digital Cultural Heritage” in Jimenez, D. (Eds.). (2017). Title to be confirmed, redTDPC, Mexico.
  3. Champion, E. (2017: in process). “The Missing Theory of Virtual Places”In Malpas, J. (Ed). Virtuality and Place. Provisional. In discussion with Bloomsbury/Malpas.

Publications Available for Download

heritage, Journal, publication, virtual heritage, Virtual Reality, , ,

Fo those interested, many of my publications are available for download at

https://curtin.academia.edu/ErikChampion

Also, the following paper passed its embargo period so feel free to download that one as well.

Defining Cultural Agents for Virtual Heritage Environments

(Presence, Vol. 24, No. 3, Summer 2015, 179–186, doi:10.1162/PRES_a_00234, 2015, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract
This article describes the primary ways in which intelligent agents have been employed in virtual heritage projects and explains how the special requirements of virtual heritage environments necessitate the development of cultural agents. How do we distinguish between social agents and cultural agents? Can cultural agents meet these specific heritage objectives?

Book in preparation “Organic Design in Twentieth-Century Nordic Architecture”

Architecture, Book, publication, ,

Yes I know I don’t normally write in architectural history (any more) but this research gave me a great deal of insight into place design and virtual space non-place design. Even though the first draft is not due to August next year, I’d just like to thank Routledge for allowing me the chance to publish in this area.

I wrote this book because I realised there was very little of critical import on what organic really means (it is often used as a compliment or a criticism without an explanation). I did not know why Nordic architects seldom featured in global architectural history books and yet those who visited their buildings were in such admiration. Indeed I also wanted to explore how Nordic architects could incorporate modernism without turning their backs on earlier styles and traditions, for they were seldom either modernist or postmodernist.

The Broad Theme/ back cover:

Can a communicable and thus useful definition of ‘Organic Architecture’ be made? In this book I say yes, there is both a practical and therefore useful definition of ‘Organic Architecture’ if we view it as an attempt to thematically unify the built environment through the allegorical expression of on-going interaction between the designer and the forces of flux and change in the real world.

I have focused on the works and writings of major twentieth-century architects of Nordic countries structured around three major premises:

  • The most prominent architects of the four major Nordic countries were influenced by similar principles.
  • The works of these prominent architects can be seen as evolving from several major ideas traceable thought their buildings.
  • From the ideology of their writings these architects made explicit claims as to the existence of such ideas in their work.

3D popups and scholarly books

archaeology, augmented reality, digital heritage, Presentation, publication, visualisation

Scholarly publishers want to produce quality longterm-durable books. I get that. But some of us young digital guerilla turks want to combine 3D and augmented technologies so 3D models can be shared and experimented (played) with.
And 3D models should be able to change over time, to link to different scholarly resources and models and links and linked resources should be able to be maintained and modified.

So how do we have stable print materials and changing, dynamic 3D models?

Easy peasy.
Consider the magic book. You put on these special see through glasses. Open a book. The camera recognises the augmented reality tracker (marker) on an open page and on your see-through glasses is projected a virtual 3D object. It can move, it can have animations. But typically the AR 3D object relates to a point on the page. Now I believe the original marker and related augmented 3D shape was stored on the magic book glasses/goggles.
But this won’t do for scholarly preservation.
Say you open a book, You hold your camera phone over a mark (tag, tracker) on the page of the book. On your phone lens appears a 3D playable object. But the phone does not natively hold the 3D virtual object.
Instead, the tracker/marker on the book induces the phone to search through an online library and retrieve the current 3D virtual object that links to that augmented reality tracker.marker/barcode on the book.
And downloads the most recent virtual model.
Why is this useful? The scholarly publisher only has to produce a normal book but with augmented reality markers (as an image).
The library or academic organisation supplies the links (perhaps the 3D virtual object has its own URI). The phone retrieves the most recent 3D AR object from a database (online) maintained by a library or scholarly community.
And as you open/read the book, augmented reality models dance/float/appear on your book (or iPad or Android tablet).
Perhaps the way you move the tablet/eReader changes the appearance or animation of the AR object (for example: lift it up and the model changes forwards in time,lower the tablet and earlier versions of the model appear)..
And theoretically the book will still be useful even 10 years from now if someone maintains the digital assets available at the URI that the book markers point to.

Still don’t understand? Perhaps I need a diagram!

NB below photos are not mine but from http://masters.donntu.org/2012/iii/akchurin/library/article9.htm in “Collaborative Augmented Reality” written by Mark Billinghurst, Hirokazu Kato, Communications of the ACM – How the virtual inspires the real, Volume 45 Issue 7, ACM New York, NY, USA – July 2002, p. 64–70.

New Digital Humanities series ARCHumanities Press

Announcements, Book, Conference, Digital Humanities, Open Access, publication, , ,

Dymphna Evans, new editor at www.arc-humanities.org (THE APPLIED RESEARCH CENTRE IN THE HUMANITIES AND PRESS LTD) informed me they are developing a digital humanities list on digital humanities.
I don’t know the press but I vouch for Dymphna as editor (she was the editor for Critical Gaming: Interactive History and Virtual Heritage, when she was at Ashgate before it became Routledge).
As well as publishing monographs and collections they are launching a series of short books (20-40,000 words).

Refer https://mip-archumanitiespress.org/series/impact/
The Arc Impact book offers a new route to publication at Arc Humanities Press connecting and looking beyond medieval studies to contemporary humanities research issues. The Arc Impact book offers a route to publish for scholars who have undertaken a specific research project, which does not lend itself to publishing as a traditional journal article or a long-form academic monograph. A more generous word count and faster turnaround time than a journal article allows for rapid publication of results, more scope for case study material and a more immediate impact on the field. The books are typically 20-40,000 words long and priced at an affordable level with open access options.

Two new full papers added

Academic, publication, virtual heritage, , , , ,

I have been given permission to upload these two journal articles to my website. Click the paper title to go to the PDF in question:

Champion, E. (2015). Defining Cultural Agents for Virtual Heritage Environments. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments-Special Issue on “Immersive and Living Virtual Heritage: Agents and Enhanced Environments,” Summer 2015, Vol. 24, No. 3: pp. 179–186. MIT Press. URL: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/toc/pres/24/3

Champion, E. (2015). Entertaining The Similarities And Distinctions Between Serious Games and Virtual Heritage Projects. Special Issue in the Journal of Entertainment Computing on the theme of Entertainment in Serious Games. Volume 14, May 2016, Pages 67–74. Elsevier. Online.

 

A Good Publisher For A Virtual Heritage +3D Open Access Journal

3D and game editors, publication, virtual heritage, , , ,

If I gathered academic colleagues and other partners to produce an Open Access Virtual Heritage/Digital Place Journal with dynamically linked 3D models viewable online or as downloads for computers or Head Mounted Display formats like WebVR perhaps) who would be a good open access publisher?

archaeology publishers mostly in the area of digital archaeology and video games

Academic, archaeology, Book, digital heritage, Digital Humanities, game, heritage, Open Access, press, publication, virtual heritage, , , , , ,

I have been given a deadline of February 3 to source funding for a flight to the Netherlands to the “Interactive Pasts” Value conference 4-5 April 2016. They said they hope to publish an edited book from the conference and I asked them if they had heard of the below publishers (although they probably have their own) so I added the below links. Hope this is of use to someone. Happy to add links to publishers that I have missed.

Call for Book Chapters: “Place and the Virtual”

Architecture, Book, cfp, heritage, publication, virtual heritage, Virtual Reality, , ,

I am seeking 8-12 chapters for an edited book on “Place and the Virtual”. Proposed chapters can be on

  1. Definitions, main concepts, historical interpretations.
  2. Critical reviews of virtual places (theoretical or individual existing or past or future examples).
  3. Investigations into the similarities dissonances and differences between real places and virtual places.
  4. Applications of theories in other fields to the design or criticism of virtuality and place.
  5. Implications of related technologies, social trends, issues and applications.

Typical book chapter length: 5,000–8,000 words

Current Status of Proposal: The book proposal will be sent to the below editors for review when I have approximately 8-12 chapter abstracts.
Submission format: by email or attached word or RTF (rich text format) document, approximately 300-500 words.
Deadline for chapter abstracts: Still considering applications.

Email your abstract to: erik DOT champion AT Curtin DOT edu DOT au

Proposed to be part of a new planned Bloomsbury Books Series: Thinking Place, Series Editors Jessica Dubow and Jeff Malpas.Please distribute to interested parties.

What has pushed me towards Open Access, or at least, more open and scholar friendly publications

infrastructure, Journal, publication, , , , ,

I was asked to help manage a special session of Entertainment Computing on Entertainment in Serious Games and Entertaining Serious Purposes, UTS, Sydney 2014.
Then I was asked to help edit a special issue of Entertainment Computing on Serious Games. I accepted, nice people.
My paper “Entertaining The Similarities And Distinctions Between Serious Games and Virtual Heritage Projects” also went through review (by reviewers unknown) and after some serious defense of my essay which I think is relevant to virtual heritage people in general, it was accepted.
And now today Elsevier the publisher asked me to sign online forms.
This is what dumbfounded me:

Open Access: No, I do not want to publish my article gold open access, and would like my final published article to be immediately available to all subscribers.

I have to sign this and agree to this, OR pay. No alternatives.
I do want my journal article to be open access but as I helped edit the special issue FOR FREE, wrote the article FOR FREE, and have to sign away all my rights to a journal publisher that did nothing except create a huge amount of work for me, I am rather UPSET that I am forced to sign that I DON’T WANT OPEN ACCESS. I do, I JUST DON”T WANT TO PAY FOR IT.

So if you are reading this Elsevier, I suggest you change your dictatorial and deliberately misconstruing forms. I suggest you give people more options AT THE START.

With a profit from 2014 of 955 million pounds ($1.27 billion) and 1.18 billion pounds the year before, I think you can afford to!

It saddens me that there are no established open access journals in my research area of virtual heritage (well, unless the author pays for it).
But I will keep looking.

upcoming article for MIT Presence (2015? 2016?)

Academic, AI, digital heritage, Journal, publication, ,

This article may provoke some responses..

Title:
Defining Cultural Agents for Virtual Heritage Environments

For:
Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments-Special Issue on “Immersive and Living Virtual Heritage: Agents and Enhanced Environments”

Keywords:
Cultural agents, virtual heritage, computational archaeology, visualization, virtual environments, immersion.

Abstract
This article describes the primary ways in which intelligent agents have been employed in virtual heritage projects and explains how the special requirements of virtual heritage environments necessitate the development of cultural agents. How do we distinguish between social agents and cultural agents? Can cultural agents meet these specific heritage objectives?

Introduction
As the call to papers for this special issue has noted, “Most heritage applications lacked a sense of immersion in terms of ‘livingness’, life, behaviour and intelligent agents in the virtual environments, and there has not been any progression in such developments since a decade ago. This criticism of “lifeless” and “sterile” digital environments (and virtual heritage environments in particular) is shared by various scholars (Papagiannakis et al., 2002; Roussou, 2008) but a simple directive to ‘populate’ a virtual environment with intelligent agents masquerading as walk-on characters will not necessarily communicate cultural significance (Bogdanovych, Rodriguez, Simoff, & Cohen, 2009). And communicating cultural significance is an objective of virtual heritage environments even if it is not a requirement of all virtual environments.

…

Summary
Virtual heritage environments have special needs that create more criteria than those required by mainstream digital environments and too many agent-virtual heritage projects have not communicated the significance and value of the heritage content) due to their focus on perfecting the technology. In their attempt to create more engagement, virtual environment researchers and designers have conflated social presence with cultural presence (Champion, 2005, 2011; Flynn, 2007). A solution is to develop agents who help interpret cultural cues and transmit to the human participant a sense of situated cultural presence and an awareness through place-specific and time-specific interaction of the cultural local significance of the simulated sites, artefacts and events. Such agents would be cultural agents, not merely social agents, as they would convey accummulated and place-specific cultural knowledge that would outlast or extend beyond their own individual ‘lives’

.