Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014 - (Page 28)

From gimmick to game-changer Helen Papagiannis is harnessing technology to improve people's lives. AlumnA's Adventures in Augmented-reAlit y lAnd By Sharon aSchaiek James Kachan, image arts '07 T he surreal worlds and sensational adventures featured in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the LookingGlass have sparked the imagination of augmented reality (AR) expert Helen Papagiannis, Communication and Culture (MA) '07. "For me, the books are about creativity, imagination, entering fantastical realms, dreaming the impossible. All of those things are what augmented reality is as well," says Papagiannis. Papagiannis is chief innovation officer for New York, N.Y.-based Infinity Augmented Reality Inc., which has developed the first AR software platform to connect universally with digital eyewear - think Google Glass - that syncs with smartphones, tablets, smart TVs and connected cars. The software instantly overlays web-generated virtual data, images and video on top of what the wearer sees, enhancing everyday life. Users can access weather updates, get directions to destinations, take photos, view and post to social media, even determine someone's mood by using a voice analyzer. The 35-year-old Toronto native has been enchanted by AR's magic since first discovering it during a demo in which a virtual blue cube suddenly appeared before her; the fascinating visual illusion got her excited about the technology's potential. The experience shaped her professional and academic career: she has taught new media at Ryerson and the University of Toronto; done research at York University's AR Lab; presented her interactive work at TEDx and other global conferences; and is currently completing her PhD in communication and culture at York. In her current role, she's trying to transform the public's perception of AR from gimmicky to game-changing by emphasizing an additional meaning for the acronym: Amazing Relevance. "It's about looking at the human needs in regards to this emerging technology," says Papagiannis, who was named among the Next 100 Top Influencers of the Digital Media Industry in 2013. "How can we harness the technology in a meaningful way to build something that will make peoples' lives better?" n Sharon aSchaiek WriteS aBout hiGher eDucation iSSueS, trenDS anD GraDuateS. 28 ryerson university Magazine * W i n t e r 2014 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014

Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014
Contents
President's Message
Showcase
Gould Street
Bee-ing the Change
Agents of Change
Crafting it Old School
To Lightly Go...
Who's That Girl?
From Gimmick to Game-Changer
In My Opinion
Giving Back
Alumni Diary/VP Viewpoint
Class Nots
Remember When?

Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014

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