Last week at the Los Angeles Convention Center, SIGGRAPH L.A. 2012 once again brought together the worlds of art and science to show attendees the latest in computer graphics and interactive techniques. This convergence results in a nearly endless spectrum of artistic applications of science and scientific expressions and impressions of art.
The event attracted over 21,000 artists, research scientists, game developers, filmmakers, students and academics from 83 countries. The sessions and panels featured over 1,200 speakers, and 161 companies and industry organizations exhibited on the show floor.
In the exhibit hall, attendees were able to view demonstrations of current or upcoming products from companies like Autodesk, Lightworks, MAXON, Mocha, NewTek and Vicon. Companies took advantage of a chance to interact with attendees on a personal level and to involve them in promotional giveaways and contests.
The Emerging Technologies portion of this year’s conference focused on tangibility and 3D applications. “Telesar V: the tele-existence surrogate anthropomorphic robot,” from Japanese Science And Technology Agency (JST) and Keio University‘s Tachi Lab was present to demonstrate its abilities to convey not only visual signals to its operator, but also tactile sensations such as temperature and vibration. Charith Lasantha Fernando was on hand to demonstrate and explain how Telesar V allows a user to feel what it feels.
The Hungarian company, Holografika, had a display of its “natural 3D” technology. The HoloVizio 721RC is the latest model of Holografika’s autostereoscopic capabilities, which allow viewers to experience 3D without the aid of 3D glasses.
Programming for this year’s SIGGRAPH allowed attendees an exclusive look at the efforts that went into the visual effects for some of this year’s recent and upcoming features, as well as panels that discussed the potential effects of new technologies on the industry.
The SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival was held in the Electronic Theater each day of the conference, starting Monday. These screenings showed some of this past year’s most impressive feats of animation. Featured during this screening were various music videos, film reels from prominent visual arts companies, examples of animation in advertising and animated shorts submitted to the festival’s committee and jury, which was composed of various visual effects professionals.
At the first of these screenings, after the regular clips had finished, the audience was treated to an exclusive preview of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ upcoming animated short Paperman. Moviegoers will be able to see this delightfully romantic short before Wreck-it Ralph, in theaters Nov. 2.
SIGGRAPH 2013 is scheduled for July 21-25, 2013 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.
