Mobile Nation Conference March 21, 2007

http://www.mobilenation.ca

The Ontario College of Art and Design, as a member institution of the Mobile Digital Commons Network, and in concert with the Canadian Design Research Network, will be hosting "Mobile Nation: Creating Methodologies for Mobile Platforms", an international conference of experts on research, design and engineering for mobile experiences, from March 22 - 25, 2007 in Toronto, Canada. This conference will focus on the methodologies that different sectors and disciplines bring to the challenge of designing for mobile platforms.

Mobile Nation will provide an important means to engage designers, engineers and end-users across diverse sectors, such as cultural industries, architecture, educational content delivery, way-finding, and advertising in the exciting potential offered by mobile platforms, such as cellular telephones, MP3 devices, Personal Digital Assistants, and mobile game systems. Mobile Nation will also explore and share the many challenges faced by researchers, designers, artists and engineers supporting design for these platforms, within an array of technological contexts. These include WiFi, sensor systems such as Radio Frequency ID, Global Positioning Satellite and Bluetooth; various networks such as Personal Area Networks); as well as responsive wearable and ambient contexts, such as intelligent garments and billboards. Multiplatform content design, within the context of a sensor and interactive technology workshop setting, will be a key element of the conference.

Mobile Nation promises to be a lively, informative and important international event, which will include keynote addresses, international speaker presentations, panels, teleconferences, workshops, participatory demonstrations, networking and social events. We are looking forward to the community's participation and attendance at this event. Registration information, and the Conference Programme and website address will be provided soon.

Confirmed speakers include; Matt Adams, Founder, Blast Theory (UK); Drew Hemment, Futursonic, Director of Future Everything, Research Fellow, University of Salford (UK); Heather Kelley, Games Designer, A2M (Canada); Raja Khanna, Co-Founder and Producer of the Year, Quick-Play Media (Canada); Parmesh Shahani, Head of Vision and Opportunities at MI Lab, Mahindra & Mahindra (India); Dr. Nigel Thrift, Pro-vice Chancellor (Research) University of Oxford (UK); Leena Saarinen, Co-Creator, Accidental Lovers (Finland); Dr Rob Shields, Chair, University of Alberta (Canada); Suzanne Stein, Insight and Foresight, NOKIA (UK); Dr. Nina Wakeford, Director, INCITE Incubator for Critical Enquiry into Technology and Ethnography (UK); Jan-Christoph Zoels, Senior Partner, Experientia, Senior Associate Professor, Interaction Design Institute IVREA (Italy); MDCN Researchers Dr. Barbara Crow (York University), President Sara Diamond, Dr. Paula Gardner, Professor Bruce Hinds, and Professor Martha Ladly (OCAD), Angus Leech (Banff New Media Institute), Professor Michael Longford (Concordia University), Dr. David McIntosh (OCAD), Dr. Kim Sawchuk (Concordia University), and Professor Geoffrey Shea (OCAD); and Workshop Leaders Tom Donaldson (MDCN Lead Engineer), and Professor Ron Wakkary (Simon Fraser University).

The Mobile Nation conference will bring international context to mobile
research and commercialisation, afford opportunities for high level exchange between national and international colleagues and industry, and highlight the work of the Mobile Digital Commons Network, providing a capstone event for the dissemination of current mobile research.

We invite you to join us at Mobile Nation.

For more information contact Mobile Nation Co-Chair, Professor Martha Ladly: mladly@faculty.ocad.ca

Participating organizations include: Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD), The Canadian Design Research Network (CDRN), the Mobile Digital Commons Network (MDCN), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and Canadian Heritage.

Official Website: http://www.mobilenation.ca