links for 2009-02-09

Ubiquitous Computing at a Crossroads: Art, Science, Politics and Design – A collection of interesting, inter-disciplinary presentations from a range of people.

(tags: ubicomp computing academic UK ubiquity STS technology anticipation pervasive_computing wifi urbancomputing)

Some interesting commentary on the use of vision videos in the design process and the rationale one might employ in their production. E.g. – "A successful envisionment focuses the viewer on the ideal experience. It clearly points out the difference between the way things are done today and the way they could be in the future. This helps the team know the direction they should take."

(tags: technology future vision prototyping anticipation futurism visualisation design computing)

A collaborative aggregate blog giving mutliple perspectives on utilising nascent/novel technologies/techniques in educational settings – "The Emerge project is an innovative 28 month consortium-based project. Its primary aim is to support the creation of a sustainable community of practice (CoP) that will develop and exploit new emergent technologies (e.g. social software, pervasive computing) for use in educational settings."

(tags: socialnetworking collaboration community education futurism blogs academic socialsoftware)

Bleecker takes on a workshop on 'Pervasive' advertising a la "Minority Report", the darling of dystopian ubicomp visions – " it’s not a future that I think has particularly exciting prospects in the category of “habitable”, fun, non-invasive, non-bothersome, non-pop-up-in-your-face futures. And, the advertising thing. I’m serious. If someone can’t paint a picture of a world without advertising..I’m listening. "

(tags: future ubicomp pervasive anticipation futurism futurology advertising urbancomputing locative forecasting)