Village Gamer

ACM SIGGRAPH, the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Graphics and Interactive Techniques will present its Award for Lifetime Achievement in Digital Art to Charles Csuri for his visionary and creative merging of art and technology.

Through his work, Csuri inspired generations to embrace computer imaging as a serious form of artistic investigation.  An artist, computer graphics pioneer and professor emeritus at The Ohio State University, Csuri will receive the award at SIGGRAPH 2011 in Vancouver, BC, August 8.

ACM SIGGRAPH Art Award Chair Cynthia Beth Rubin said Csuri is a true visionary.  “Decades ago he embraced the aesthetic potential of early computer imaging, and since then he has unfailingly worked in both teaching and aesthetic production, keeping us growing, discussing, and moving forward.”

Csuri was instrumental in the establishment of Ohio State’s Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD), a leading center on the use and integration of emerging arts technologies, with funding from the National Science Foundation.  “Chuck Csuri’s early and unique vision of an interdisciplinary collaborative, creative research center between the arts and sciences continues to permeate our culture,” said Maria Palazzi, director of ACCAD. “All of us who have had the privilege to study and work in this environment are profoundly grateful to Chuck for his vision, persistence and leadership in this field and at Ohio State.  He has impacted the lives of generations of students who are now top professionals in graphics and animation throughout the world.”

Csuri began his work in intertwining of art and computer science in the 1960s. He experimented with computer animation, winning awards and acclaim throughout Europe and the United States.  As a painter, Csuri was immersed in the passionate discussions of his time, when abstract expressionists challenged everything from the purpose of art to the functions of abstract compositional elements.  Through his personal network of colleagues, he was also aware of parallel discourses among scientists who debated the role of computers in society.   His profound understanding of these two cultures put him in a unique position to merge aesthetics and computing, long before either group recognized the potential synergies.

With support from NSF, the US Navy and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Csuri directed research on computer graphics for over 22 years. The results of these studies have been applied to flight simulators, computer-aided design, architecture, magnetic resonance imaging, visualization of scientific phenomena and special effects for TV and film.

Csuri’s work is included in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the ZKM Center for Art and Media, and other important collections.  He received B.F.A. and M.A. degrees from Ohio State.

Telus has selected a packet microwave solution from DragonWave Inc. to provide additional high-capacity connectivity forspecial events. Working with DragonWave’s partner, Alliance Corporation, Telus selected DragonWave’s Horizon Compact primarily because its all-outdoor, zero-footprint design will allow for rapid deployment of service to remote locations without need for trenching optical fibre.

“The DragonWave solution offers us a cost-effective, simple and fast way to provide capacity forspecial events,” said ZouheirMansourati, VP, Network Technology & Planning, Telus. “Our partnership with DragonWave to provide last-mile capacity for video and data connectivity allows us to continue providing reliable, high-performance Telus serviceswherever and whenever opportunities present themselves.”

The Horizon Compact provides a resilient, high-performance backhaul network solution that enables service at low power consumption per bit and minimal ecological footprint. The DragonWave solution delivers simplified operations and improved total lifecycle costs.

“With the Horizon Compact, Telus can rapidly and economically deploy the reliable bandwidth that it requires for video conferencing and other innovative servicesforspecial events.” DragonWave President and CEO Peter Allen said. “Our solution’s capacity and built-in economical flexibility are unparalleled in the packet microwave industry.”

The DragonWave Horizon^® line of packet microwave systems delivers the highest levels of spectral efficiency and reliability for carrier-grade delivery of advanced applications and services. An uncompromised product design delivers pure “packet” microwave performance with software-scalable, ultra-low latency transport of up to 4 Gbps per link.

Cineplex Entertainment has announced that the official grand opening of the new IMAX theatre at SilverCity Windsor Cinemas will take place on Thursday July 14^th with a promotional presentation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2: An IMAX 3D Experience. Beginning July 15^th, guests at SilverCity Windsor Cinemas can enjoy this highly anticipated final installment of the blockbuster film series based on the beloved books by J.K. Rowling.

The IMAX theatre at SilverCity Windsor Cinemas provides guests with an immersive movie-going experience. The theatre features revolutionary projection technology that delivers crystal-clear images and is complemented by IMAX’s latest sound system, which features its proprietary loudspeaker technology and uncompressed digital sound.

“SilverCity Windsor Cinemas is the first theatre in Southwestern Ontario to present the latest Hollywood movies in the immersive IMAX format,” said Pat Marshall, Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations, Cineplex Entertainment. “With the addition of the IMAX theatre, we are providing our guests in Windsor and the surrounding areas with a great new entertainment option to experience.”

Scene members who purchase tickets for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in IMAX 3D at SilverCity Windsor Cinemas between July 15^th and July 29^th will earn 500 bonus Scene points. Scene members earn points with every movie admission ticket purchased at Cineplex theatres and can redeem their points for free movies and other great entertainment rewards. The Scene program is free to join.

Tickets can be purchased for upcoming IMAX presentations at the theatre box office, through the Cineplex Mobile Apps, online at the Cineplex web site, or via the Cineplex mobile site.

Every year Canada’s three levels of government invest about $12 billion in grants and contributions, but many companies report that they have little understanding of how to access these resources. With today’s launch, The Funding Portal can help Canadian businesses secure public funding through four easy steps: Find It, which is free. Should you wish to Apply for It, Score It and Advance It through the Funding Portal,  these latter three steps all require the payment of fees based upon the amount being applied for, in return for professional reviews of your application and the ultimate submission of your funding request, as described below.

The Funding Portal website features TFP Search™, a high-powered search engine that allows users to instantly search all Canadian public funding programs. Users complete their applications in secure online workrooms and can have their drafts evaluated by the Portal’s Expert Review Panel to gain valuable feedback through a TFP Scorecard™.

The Funding Portal boasts Canada’s top funding experts, including: Marielle Piché, the former Executive Director of the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP); Dr. Kevin Goheen, a respected expert on tax credits (SREDs); and Dr. Sherif Barakat, a recently retired Vice President, National Research Council of Canada (NRC).

Businesses can also advance their applications using The Funding Portal’s advancement services provided by trusted accounting, law, government relations and intellectual property firms. The new service is already receiving praise from key industry associations, including the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) and Chambers of Commerce.

“Our members report significant challenges identifying the public funding programs that exist and in complying with the application processes—they welcome the launch of this public funding portal,” said John Reid, CATA’s president and CEO.

The Funding Portal is operated by the same group who operates The Funding Store, a private funding search and application service for Canadian businesses.