Mary T Duda - Panel Chair
VR Pioneer, Media Ecology Expert, CEO/President at SciOart Inc.
Scio is Latin for Knowledge. Los Angeles, CA
The company axiom is: “The Art of Knowledge… Learning through Fun”.
Duda has been a technology industry leader and forward thinker for over three decades. In the 1980’s, she developed a reputation as an authoritative voice on the creation and application of digital animation, and computer technology for entertainment and education.
After founding her own multimedia company in 1982, Duda Design, Inc., she quickly gained acclaim by producing Disney World’s EPCOT Grand Opening (1983), which utilized multimedia in ways never before realized. Upon completion of her work with Disney, Duda became the leading multimedia architect for the Los Angeles Olympic Committee (1984).
Duda produced & directed the World's Fair in Japan (1985) and advised on many others. Duda worked with AFI (American Film Institute), the U.S. & Canadian Governments, along with publisher Houghton Mifflin to develop next generation ‘edutainment’ programs.
In 1996, Duda forged the production team that was responsible for “A Virtual Day in Paris,” which was one of the first live cybercasts in history, sponsored by Apple Paris.
In 2000, Duda established Virtue Arts, a 3D VR animation and game software company. As CEO/President of Virtue Arts, Duda has used her extensive knowledge of production and software to manage the deployment and development of industry leading tools which allowed programmers to write programs more quickly and efficiently.
In 2003, Duda launched VirtuePlay, a game software development company, dedicated to games in virtual reality applications. VirtuePlay released the first VR simulation of the 3D Lunar surface using NASA’s data, to run on normal laptop computers with motion seats and military grade HMD’s. In 2011, MoonPlay Inc was launched as the premiere digital game creator for science games. In 2016, SCiOArt was launched as the parent company of the MoonPlay brand.
In 2020, SCiOArt will release the first virtual world of its kind: Moon Racing Challenge; an astronomically and physically correct lunar exploration racing game, rockets to Mars and underwater worlds in 2021.
From Computer Graphics to Virtual Reality, Duda with scholars at UCLA created the term ‘edutainment’ to explain this new form of education. She is currently working on a PhD, on accelerated learning in the application of technology such as Virtual Reality at Pepperdine University. She has a BS in Media Arts, and a MA.Ed. in education technology. From 1985 to 1997, Duda was an advisor and instructor to the Animation, Computer Graphics and Interactive Technologies as part of UCLA’s professional programs.
Duda’s mission is creating new content and software systems for VR/AR experiences. ‘Edutainment’ that is Engaging, Enlightening, & Entertaining which promotes Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS & Mathematics, known as (STEAM) with collaborators such as NASA.
Damien “E-Love” Matthias
Co-Founder of VR Innovator
Damien “E-Love” Matthias is a multi-platinum award winning writer, producer, director, with over $2 Billion sales worldwide and co-founder of VR Innovator (“VRI”) in 2016. VRI is a hardware and software content creator for Sports, Entertainment, and Technology (‘SET”).VRI is a paradigm shift in the VR space, fusing virtual reality gaming and Hip Hop culture, setting trends for consumers of Sports, Entertainment,and Technology in an unparalleled, affordable, high quality ecosystem, including Virtual Reality commerce - a new business platform within the Virtual Reality experience. VR commerce provides extraordinary customer service via Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality with worldwide distribution by Starz, and Net Dragon, the second largest gaming company in China. VRI Sports launched the brand, SEYA: “Leave all negativity and my competition behind”. SEYA includes high performance footwear, signature shoes with multiple models and PE (player endorsed sneakers) designed for several NFL and NBA players and rising stars in high school and collegiate football and basketball with millions of loyal fans worldwide connecting vast social media platforms. SEYA is also developing a “Stop Watch” for one of the league’s hottest NFL’s stars, Henry Ruggs, III, first round pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2020 NFL draft. VRI Entertainment created the reality show, NEW FACE OF TECH (NFOT), that covers production of VRI’s mobile virtual reality drift driving racing game, “Fearless D”, the world’s first, and virtual reality mobile boxing game, the “Takeover”, another first. NFOT covers production of the singles for these pioneering games including “Step Back” by hot new artist, rapper Chris Payne featuring iconic rapper Chuck D, of Public Enemy, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member. NFOT also covers production of the games’ soundtrack produced and directed by E-Love and his multi-platinum team DJ Khalid, DJ Bobcat, DJ Battle Cat, Easy Mo Be, and Big Chuck. VRI Technology developed the world’s first 2 K Stand Alone Head Mounted Display (“HMD”) and the game “Fearless D”, featuring iconic Keiichi “Drift King” Tsuchiya, a former F1 Driver, the founder of Drift Driving who inspired the world famous franchise, “Fast and Furious”. In December 2016, VRI launched and R & D tested both the HMD and “Fearless D” before a crowd of 150,000 at the historic first International Comi-Con in Japan co-sponsored by VRI. In addition to “Fearless D”, VRI is developing the boxing game, “The Takeover”. The face of the game is Honduran American boxer, Teofimo Lopez, age 23, World Lightweight Champion. Lopez will step in the ring and battle Ukranian boxer, Vasiliy Lomachenko age 32, for the remaining three lightweight world championship titles in Las Vegas on October 17, 2020, for the unified lightweight championship on ESPN before an estimated 70 million in the US and 250 million Latino viewers worldwide, the most anticipated fight of the Century.
David Bass-Clark - Director of VR/AR, R&D Unity College, Portland Maine
Educational technologist, eXtended Reality strategist, and current Director of AR/VR Research and Development at Unity College. David Bass-Clark joins the session to share a glimpse of what the future of distance learning might look like. His work focuses on XR experiences, immersive learning design, and innovative distance learning. David also co-leads the NERCOMP Emerging Technology group, co-chairs the Champions in Higher Education for XR Consortium as part of the Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN).
Dana-Marie Faneker - Founder Captain VR, Netherlands
Dana-Maria has been sailing on big traditional Sailing Vessels first as a crew member and later as a Captain and now she is helping people to become the captains of their lives and Virtual Reality is the most powerful tool to help her with her mission. That’s why she founded a tech-startup called CaptainVR! CaptainVR is developing digital (health) experiences to empower people, so they can practice, learn, and develop in a safe environment. Corporate Vision awarded CaptainVR this year for most innovative Coaching & Training VR Solutions Developer. One of the VR tools that CaptainVR has developed to reduce stress is the VR MoodBooster. The VR MoodBooster for stress reduction has already gotten good results and now we are going to expand this tool with the ImmuneBooster. The ImmuneBooster is a digital tool with VR & AR coaching and mindfulness exercises in which employees learn to recognize signals at the right moments and take action on them. CaptainVR provides proven stress management, health, vitality & wellbeing methods to create healthy, happy, and more productive people. Be the Captain of your Life!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danamariacaptainvrvirtualrealitycoach/
David Fox - VR Game Designer, San Anselmo, California
Producer/Game designer, iOS, and Android app development with Unity3D and Corona, iBook creation, Location Based Entertainment (LBE) design, Virtual Reality, and Location-Based VR (LBVR).
David is one of the founding members and first game designer/project leader at Lucasfilm Games/LucasArts (1982), designing/project leading/scripting many of their graphic adventures of the 1980s.
David has been designing for Location Based Entertainment (LBE) since 1978 and was the Experience Designer on the 1990 Lucasfilm-Hughes Mirage project.
The overarching theme in all of David's work is finding ways to use technology to enrich people's personal lives and to use humor and entertainment to empower change.