Envisioning the Future

Faculty and students from NYU Shanghai's Program on Creativity and Innovation (PCI) recently took part in the 2017 Global Cre8 Summit in Shenzhen. The weekend event, co-organized by the Longgang Government and Tian‘an Cyber Park, attracted scientists, entrepreneurs, students and tech enthusiasts from around the world, to address the challenge of an "innovative and entrepreneurial relationship with the future."

Speaking at the opening of the conference on December 2, alongside Trevor Hawkins, former director of the Human Genome Project, and bestselling author Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired magazine, Prof. Adam Brandenburger, Director of PCI, highlighted the importance of adding creativity to business strategy. “To stand out from competitors, you have to be different, and to be different you have to think differently, which is the essence of creativity,” he said.

Photo Credit: Kacper Krasowiak ‘18

“Hyperspace”, a multimedia immersive outer space experiencing project developed by Prof. Christian Grewell and his hive, was the spotlight of the gathering. It combines the best of VR, computer graphics, motion capture, zero latency spatial motion, audio and sensing technologies to create an experience for viewers to inter with others in the virtual world.

“We are trying to create a space to provide people with a total media experience,” said Grewell of Hyperspace’s ambition. “The stuff of science fiction, where everything you see, touch and interact with is not as it appears. Entering this space should give you a total sense of presence in a virtual environment.”

Photo Credit: Justin Amoafo ‘18

Another high moment for the NYUSH delegation at the conference came when Profs. Christian Grewell and Michael Naimark joined Kadallah Burrowes ‘18 on an expert panel moderated by Sean Kelly ’17 to debate the future direction of VR technologies.

“The development of VR is not only about advancing fascinating technology, but also about creating more accessible ways to democratize VR,” said Burrowes, an Interactive Media Arts major. He added “For example, the ubiquity of smartphones in recent years could help promote VR to people who lack access to high-end VR technologies.”

Photo Credit: Justin Amoafo ‘18