Photos courtesy REAP
Some of the latest interactive display technologies were recently featured during the Canadian Digital Media Network’s (CDMN’s) fourth annual ‘Canada 3.0’ forum in Stratford, Ont., which connected businesses, academia and government to promote competitiveness and job creation.
The University of Waterloo’s (UW’s) Research Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP) showcased a variety of interactive display environments and applications (IDEA) from the Felt Lab in St. Jacob’s, Ont., where UW students, faculty and industry experts jointly develop digital signage and related technologies. As the lab’s main users, REAP students are encouraged to create products for new markets.
“We’re delighted REAP is joining us to demonstrate how IDEA can create opportunities in a range of sectors, including arts and culture,” said Kevin Tuer, managing director of CDMN, during the forum in late April.
The displays were hosted in the REAP Recharge Lounge, where forum participants could relax while recharging their mobile devices. Installations included the Art Allies interactive gallery, which enabled gesture-based browsing of Waterloo Region artists’ work on a 1.8 x 2.4-m (6 x 8-ft) screen, and a custom display that immersed users into a variety of scenes, ranging from a boxing ring to the Great Wall of China.
“The REAP showcase exemplifies innovations using digital media in ways that can create companies and jobs for Canadians,” said Tuer.
