FRIDAY, 22 SEPTEMBER 2023
Fremantle, Western Australia
Get ready for a jam packed one-day conference on Extended Reality (XR) combining virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, 360 video, immersive technologies and the metaverse! Our program will feature keynote speakers, industry experts, and thought leaders who will share their knowledge on XR's impact on different sectors, including mining, resources, health, education, training, marketing, social impact, and creative arts. We'll cover cutting-edge technology, emerging trends, applications, and best practices in XR across diverse industries.
Immerse Connect is a proud partner of the inaugural WA GAMES WEEK which will be held across Perth at multiple venues from 17th to 23rd September 2023.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Immerse Australia presents a high quality boutique event for our inaugural XR event. Our audience attendees will include companies and professionals who want to learn more about this fast growing industry and opportunities for real business outcomes. Join us for a day of informative and educational sessions including presentations and panel discussions featuring XR experts across a range of topics.
- Education and Training
- Mining, Resources and Engineering
- Architecture, Design and User Experience
- Games and Immersive Worlds
- Metaverse and Mixed Realities
- Creative Industries
- Social Impact and Change
- Virtual Production
- Contemporary Art
- Storytelling and Narrative Design
- Spatial Computing, AI and more!
LEARN + EXPLORE + CONNECT
Our conference is ideal for designers, software developers, UX professionals, engineers, marketers, entrepreneurs, researchers, educators and executives who are interested in the potential of Extended Reality and immersive technologies. Attendees will discover how Extended Reality is already being usitlised by a diverse number of industries to create engaging and immersive experiences for education, marketing, training, monitoring, planning, collaboration and more. You will also learn about current trends in XR software, hardware, platforms as well as the convergence with adjacent technologies including artificial intelligence and blockchain.
Don't miss this chance to gain valuable insights and network with XR industry experts and innovators. Tickets to this one-day event include access to all panels, networking opportunities and catering.
SPEAKERS
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Dr Paola Magni
Forensic Science Educator, Researcher and Consultant & Associate Dean Engagement.
Murdoch University
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Dr Brennen Mills
Senior Lecturer, School of Medical & Health Sciences
Lead, Simulation & Immersive Digital Technology Group
Edith Cowan University -
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David Smith
State Chair, The Design Institute of Australia
CoFounder, Perth Design Week
Director, United Studio & Markr Systems
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Adam Trainer
Community Engagement Officer - Arts and Culture
State Library of Western Australia
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Event Program
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08:15 Registrations Open
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09:00 Introduction
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09:15 Keynote
Professor Richard Blythe, Pro Vice Chancellor Humanities, Curtin University
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10:00 Morning Tea & Networking
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Garden Suite: Industry Applications
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Rottnest Suite: Creative Industries
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10:30 Panel - Immersive Learning in Education and Training
- Karina Price (Moderator), Founder, STEM XR
- Ben Bauert, CEO, Facilitate VR
- Professor Cheryl Kickett-Tucker, Faculty of Humanities, School of Education, Curtin University
- Dr Brennen Mills, Senior Lecturer, School of Medical & Health Sciences. Lead, Simulation & Immersive Digital Technology Group, Edith Cowan University
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10:30 Panel - Behind the Screen with Virtual Production and 360 content
- Justin McArdle (Moderator), CoFounder, Frame Labs
- Michela Ledwidge, Founder and CEO, Mod
- David McDonnell, Director, Last Pixel
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11:30 Panel - Innovations in Mining, Resources and Engineering
- Lucy Cooke (Moderator), Founder and CEO, SpaceDraft
- Doug Bester, Founder and Managing Director, Sentient Computing
- Michael Ovens, Software Engineer, Immersive Technologies
- Jordan Russell, Software Engineer, Austal Ships
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11:30 Panel - Contemporary Art and Immersive Audience Experiences
- Miranda Johnson (Moderator), Public Program & Studio Manager, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts
- Elham Eshraghian-Haakaansson, Artist, Forrest Fellow, Forrest Research Foundation
- Shanti Gelmi, Artist
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12:30 Lunch and Networking
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1:30 Panel - XR for Social Impact and Change
- Natalie Marinho (Moderator), Chair, Immerse Australia. Creative Director, Voyant AR
- Grady Habib, Managing Director, Sandbox
- Jonathan Pillai, Head - Animation & Game Design, Curtin University
- Adam Trainer, Community Engagement Officer - Arts and Culture, State Library of Western Australia
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1:30 Panel - Games and Immersive Worlds
- Mark Smith (Moderator), Digital Games Manager, Screenwest
- Caitlin Lomax, Founder, Intr Studio
- Chris Murphy, Unreal Engine Specialist, Epic Games
- Scott Whiteley, Director & CoFounder, Ready Team One
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2:30 Panel - User Experience, Design and Architecture
- David Smith (Moderator), State Chair, The Design Institute of Australia. CoFounder, Perth Design Week. Director, United Studio & Markr Systems
- Hazem Halasa, Architect, Hassell Studio
- Shaun Miller, Director, Parametric
- Megan Pusey, Senior UX Designer, Esri Australia
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2:30 Panel - Storytelling and Narrative Design for XR
- Rebecca Kerr (Moderator), Lecturer, SAE Institute
- Ivan Ertlov, Founder, Homegrown Games
- Amy Doherty, Creative Director, Developer, Arch Rebels
- Poppy van Oorde-Grainger, Director, Same Drum
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3:30 Afternoon Break & Networking
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3:45 Panel - Convergence: Spatial Computing, AI and the Metaverse
- Cameron Stevens (Moderator), Director, Technology & Digital Transformation, Pocketknife Group
- Jamie Bentley, Vice President of External Projects, PlaySide Studios
- Dr Paola Magni, Forensic Science Educator, Researcher and Consultant & Associate Dean Engagement, Murdoch University
- Tristan Morgan, Computational Design and Automation Lead, Aurecon Group
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5:00 Informal Networking
Ball and Chain, 45 Marine Terrace, Fremantle
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Virtual Architecture of Empathy
Launching exclusively as part of WA Games Week, Immerse Australia is pleased to share this work by award-winning artist and Forrest Fellow, Elham Eshraghian-Haakansson. Elham will also be participating at Immerse Connect as a panelist on "Contemporary Art and Immersive Audience Experiences".
In her powerful virtual reality (VR) work, Virtual Architecture of Empathy, Iranian-Australian artist Elham Eshraghian-Haakansson explores how immersive mediums such as VR can foster empathy in the viewer. The work follows her family’s experiences of forced migration, inviting audiences to form an emotional connection while evoking empathy for and a deeper understanding of migration, displacement and homelessness.
Weaving live theatre with film and poetry, the virtual world created by Eshraghian-Haakansson makes visible the cultural stories that transcend personal experience – becoming universal tales of the human condition. Using VR, the artist immerses the viewer in their story, shifting the viewer’s perspective from one of passive spectatorship to that of witness and participant. By facilitating an emotional, active experience, Eshraghian-Haakansson asks the viewer to consider their ideas of what constitutes a home.
Event Notes and Content Warnings: The following artwork contains depictions of trauma which may be upsetting to some audiences. Parental guidance is advised.
EXHIBITION
Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA), 19 - 24 September 2023
SUPPORTERS
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
We would love to partner with your organisation to help promote and connect you with relevant opportunities in the XR industry in Australia. We are also happy to discuss alternative in-kind partnership arrangements including software/hardware discounts for attendees or prize donations.
For more information please contact our event team at hello@immerseaustralia.org
