Workshop on Computational Semiotics for New Media

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

Where: University of Surrey (UK, approx. 1 hour from London)

New Media refers to computer-based media incorporating one or more modalities, including digital video and audio, 2D and 3D models and visualisation, still images and text. Interaction may make use of conventional keyboard and screen technology, or may include 3D visualization systems, haptics, and other new interaction technologies. Media that make unique use of the capabilities of digital systems are of particular interest, such as interactive video, virtual realities/environments, including computer games and interactive entertainment, hypertext, and hypermedia.

Semiotics is the study of signs, symbols, and signification, and hence is the study of how meaning is created. Computational semiotics is here understood as the utilization and evaluation of semiotic theories for the analysis, design, and development of new media computing systems (comp. ling.). (An analogy for this is the role of linguistic theories in computational linguistics.)

This workshop is concerned with the ways in which new media systems encode and convey meaning to system users. The workshop will explore the issue of meaning in new media systems, to work towards common understandings of principles for encoding meaning as a basis for system and production development and design, and for the development of generic software models, tools and components. Of particular interest are theories and techniques that have been demonstrated or derived from implemented software systems and/or new media productions, and that have clear applicability to the development of new systems and productions.

Potential topics include, but need not be limited to:

• application of semiotic theories to new media
• system analysis and design principles, tools and techniques, software architectures and technologies based upon generic semiotics or models
• models of genre, style and form (eg. film genres such as film noir, romantic comedy, western, etc., computer game genres such as adventure, simulation, RPG, etc.)
• principles for multi-modal design and interaction, cross-modal relationships and metaphors
• narratology, including both linear and non-linear narrative form within new media
• theories of agency in new media
• role of AI representation formalisms and techniques in new media, such as scripts, conceptual graphs, learning algorithms and evolutionary computing

Organisers:

Andy Clarke, KinoNet, London andy@kinonet.com
Clive Fencott, University of Teeside, UK P.C.Fencott@tees.ac.uk
Craig Lindley, CSIRO, CWI/INS2, Australia/Netherlands craig.lindley@cmis.csiro.au, Craig.Lindley@cwi.nl
Grethe Mitchell, KinoNet, London grethe@kinonet.com
Andrew Salway, Universty of Surrey, UK a.salway@eim.surrey.ac.uk

Interested researchers and new media producers are invited to send position papers (together with supporting material) and proposals for discussion topics.

Deadline for papers: 31 May 2000

Venue: The University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK (approx. 1hr from London)

Notification of attendance deadline: 16 June 2000

Send papers to:

Craig Lindley
INS2
CWI
P.O. Box 94079
NL - 1090 GB Amsterdam

email: lindley@cwi.nl
phone: +31-20-592-4127
fax: +31-20-592-4199