ISGD2008, HC'2008, iED Japan Held at the University of Aizu

ISGD2008 was co-chaired by Professor Victor Ryzhii of the Computational Nanoelectronics Laboratory and was held at the University-Business Innovation Center. Approximately 80 people from Japan and abroad participated in the symposium on graphene devices which have attracted increasing attention in recent years. Researchers in the field of those technologies, physics, and modeling gave presentations on their research, including one graduate student of the University of Aizu.

HC'2008, which marked its 11th this year, was an international conference on the latest research on Humans and Computers. Its session meetings regarding "Software Engineering, Internet Applications" and "Kansei Engineering, E-Learning, Cognitive Engineering" were held at the University. From the University of Aizu, Professor Lothar M. Schmitt of the Mathematical Foundation of Computer Science Laboratory was invited to the conference for a lecture and graduate students also made research presentations regarding their fields of study.

The Immersive Education Initiative ---an international collaboration of universities, research institutes, and companies that are working together on developing immersive education and its platforms--- held a series of immersive education events in Japan (iED Japan), hosted by Professor Michael Cohen of the Computer Arts Laboratory at the University of Aizu and Professor Aaron Walsh of the Grid Institute, and featuring Professor Adrian Cheok of the National University of Singapore and Keio University. Keynote lectures and research presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on interactive workshops on immersive education used for on-line classes and distance learning which combine 3D graphics, virtual reality, simulation technology, video games and voice chat were included in the program. Many students participated in the workshop held in conjunction with the University of Aizu Graduate School Distinguished Lecture Series and the International Conference on Humans and Computers.