Revolutionary virtual laboratory reaches out to Australia, bringing future of scientific research

​Australian scientists, researchers, engineers, artists and businesses will be among the first in the world to hear first-hand about the potential of a ground-breaking Californian virtual reality research facility known as the AlloSphere.

Enclosed in a three-storey metal sphere, the AlloSphere is a 360-degree virtual reality chamber which uses the world’s largest dynamically varying digital microscope to transform large scale data sets into immersive, three dimensional experiences of sight and sound.

From brain function to electron behaviour in atoms, researchers can use the AlloSphere to visualise, ‘fly-through’ and even listen to their data sets through music – producing new and often unexpected insights.

The AlloSphere’s director, Dr JoAnn Kuchera-Morin (University of California, Santa Barbara), is in Australia from November 26-30 to present at XMediaLab’s ‘Global Media Cultures’ event at the Sydney Opera House (Friday 27^th November).

On Thursday 26^th November, Dr JoAnn Kuchera-Morin will speak to leading Australian academics and researchers at the ‘Exploring the AlloSphere Forum’, hosted by the University of Technology, Sydney in association with the Creative Industries Innovation Centre and X I Media I Lab. UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research Professor Attila Brungs says: “Researchers and industry representatives will have an opportunity to hear from and speak with Dr Kuchera-Morin and explore the business and research potential of the AlloSphere.”

Powered by a super-computer, current projects utilising the AlloSphere include the visualisation of cosmic background radiation; macroscopic modelling of the human brain using fMRI data; multi-modal representations of atomic bonds and investigations of quantum mechanics and the hydrogen atom. "The AlloSphere is a place where you can use all of your senses to find new patterns in data,” says Dr JoAnn Kuchera-Morin. "You can almost say researchers are shrunk down to the size of their data, immersed at a perceptual level."

Dr JoAnn Kuchera-Morin will be speaking at the following event:

Exploring the AlloSphere Forum:

Thursday 26^th November 3pm – 5pm. University of Technology. CB03, Bon Marche Studio, Level One, 755 Harris Street, Ultimo UTS.

XMediaLab Sydney "Global Media Cultures":

Friday 27^th November (9am – 5pm). The Studio, Sydney Opera House. Dr JoAnn Kuchera-Morin will speak at 11am session.

To view videos and imagery of the AlloSphere:

www.allosphere.ucsb.edu  

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About XMediaLab

XMediaLab is the internationally acclaimed professional network and digital media event for the world’s creative industries.  XMediaLab provides assistance with creative industries development, business development and access to international expertise and finance.  Each XMediaLab is a completely unique event where people with original digital media ideas connect with a superb international network of independent creative thinkers, technology wizards, commercialisation experts, potential business partners and financial resources. www.xmedialab.com

XMediaLab returns to the Sydney Opera House on its sixth anniversary.  Since it’s founding at the Sydney Opera House in 2003, 26 XMediaLab events have been held in 10 locations all around the world including: Melbourne, Singapore, Seoul, Beijing, Suzhou, Mumbai, Auckland, London, Wellington and Los Angeles.

About UTS and the Creative Industries Innovation Centre

The Creative Industries Innovation Centre (CIIC) is part of the Australian Government’s Enterprise Connect initiative. The CIIC helps small and medium sized enterprises in the Creative Industries improve their operations, productivity and competitiveness by providing professional business advisory and development services.

The CIIC is hosted by the University of Technology, Sydney, and brings together a consortium of leading corporate, industry and university partners across Australia, committed to working together to support a thriving creative economy.