From: sharkey@robots.ox.ac.uk (Paul Sharkey) Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds Subject: CFP: European Conference on Disability, Virtual Reality, Assoc. Tech Date: Wed, 9 Aug 1995 14:02:15 GMT Organization: Robotics Research Group, Engineering Science Dept, Oxford, UK. Lines: 188 Message-ID: <1995Aug9.140215.19811@lucrece.robots.ox.ac.uk> Here is a call for papers for a forthcoming conference on disability, virtual reality, and associated technologies. Please feel free to distribute European Conference on Disability, Virtual Reality and Associated Technologies - 1996 July 3-4-5, 1996, Reading, UK (provisional) Call for Papers The purpose of this first European Conference on Disability, Virtual Reality and Associated Technologies is to provide a forum for international experts and researchers to present and review how advances in the general area of Virtual Reality can be used to assist people with Disability. This international conference will encompass all aspects of technology used in Virtual Reality systems. Papers are sought in which technical innovation is backed up by evidence of original and practical implementation, or which promise practical implementation in the very near future. Presentations which include video material and/or experimental systems are particularly welcome. Facilities for presenting such material will be available at the conference. The research presented at the conference will be presented in a peer reviewed Proceedings which will be made widely available. Selected papers will be reviewed for possible inclusion in an associated journal. Also available at the conference will be an exhibition area for commercial companies to present their products, and demonstration/multi-media facilities for research presented at the conference. Finally it is hoped that the conference will act as a focus for international collaboration The first conference will be held in Reading, a town situated 45 minutes from Heathrow, London and Oxford. Subsequent conferences will be held on an annual basis at different centres across Europe. Initial conference sponsors: BT and the University of Reading. Topics: Papers are encouraged in all areas which span Disability, Virtual Reality and its Associated Technologies, encompassing both practical application and more generic research. The following topics are just a few of those which will be relevant to the conference: Telepresence for people with disability; Input Devices, Sensors and Actuators; Communications aids; multi-user systems for user interaction; Tools for architectural/CAD design; visual impairment through virtual simulation; wheelchair navigation through virtual environments; Testing designs of products for the disabled; Training tools: for personnel assisting people with disability; to heighten public awareness; for people with disability for rehabilitation; Augmented reality for people with disability; 3D sound; Cognitive processing and virtual environments; Human Factors issues; The conference Programme Committee also welcomes proposals for posters outlining the kernels of collaborative research with the specific aim of fostering international collaboration for the development of cooperative research proposals seeking European Community or other similar programme support. Publication of Papers: All accepted papers will be published in the conference Proceedings which will be available at the conference. A Video Proceedings will supplement the conference proceedings if the quality and content is of sufficient interest. Submission of Papers: Authors are requested to send 3 copies of a 2 page extended abstract, or 1 page abstract plus VHS video (PAL format) to: ECDVRAT 96 Dr Paul M Sharkey, Dept. of Cybernetics, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AY, UK Voice: +44 (0)1734 316 704, Fax: +44 (0)1734 318 220 Email: ecdvrat96@reading.ac.uk General enquiries: ecdvrat96-request@reading.ac.uk WWW page: http://www.cyber.rdg.ac.uk/cyb/ecdvrat96/ecdvrat96.html The abstract should include: Title; All author's names, affiliations, and addresses; Name of author to contact for correspondence; Email address and fax number of contact; Up to 5 keywords to describe the paper. Please note that each submission will be reviewed under the following specific headings: originality of concept(s); clarity of presentation; relevence to the conference; technical soundness; and importance of results. It is particularly important to provide sufficient information for the last two headings in the abstract to facilitate assessment. The conference language is English. On submission of the final paper, authors should indicate their preference for "Oral Presentation" or "Poster Presentation". All oral presentations will be c. 20 minutes, allowing 5 minutes for specific questions, and with a further discussion period scheduled for the end of each session. Poster presentations will be on display through the course of the Conference. 3 papers will be chosen for keynote presentation (30 min., first session) and a prize will be given for the best conference paper from young researcher(s). All papers accepted for Oral Presentation should be presented by one of the contributing authors at the conference. Important Dates: In order to produce the conference Proceedings in time for the conference it is important that the following dates are strictly respected: Submission of Abstracts November 1, 1995 Notification of Acceptance January 31, 1996 Submission of Camera Ready Copy April 15, 1996 The registration fee will be announced on January 31 and will include full attendance to all sessions, lunches and coffee breaks, pre-conference reception, Conference Banquet, and Conference Proceedings. Accommodation is not included but will be available at reasonable rates. There will be a reduced registration fee for conference speakers and early registration. Furthermore, a limited number of places will be reserved at considerably reduced rates for registered students and people with disabilities. Extra banquet tickets will be available. International Programme Committee: Dr. David Brown, VIRART, Dept. of Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham, UK Mr. Riach Cammoun, Commisariat a Energie Atomique, Cedex, France Dr. Sylvie Collins, Dept. of Psychology, University of Leeds, UK Prof. Paolo Dario, Scuola Superiore D. Anna, Pisa, Italy Prof. Toshio Fukuda, Dept. of Mechano-Informatics and Systems, Nagoya University, Japan Prof. Jim Hewit, Dept. of Appl. Physics and Electronic & Manuf. Eng., University of Dundee, UK Dr. Javier Ibanez-Guzman, ESA IGELEC, Saint-Nazaire, France Dr. Harry Murphy, Centre on Disabilities, California State University, Northridge, USA Dr. Stuart Neilson, Centre for Health and Disability Studies, Brunel University, London, UK Prof. Alan Newell, Applied Computer Studies Division, University of Dundee, UK Dr. Helen Petrie, Dept. of Health and Human Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, UK Mr. Chris Ramsden, Clinical Engineering and Design Systems, Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability, London, UK also Hon. Sec. of the British Institute for Design and Disability Prof. David Rose, Dept. of Psychology, University of East London, UK Mr. Simon Rushton, Dept. of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, UK Dr. Paul Sharkey, Dept. of Cybernetics, University of Reading, UK Mr. Phil Smythe, BT, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, UK Prof. Kevin Warwick, Dept. of Cybernetics, University of Reading, UK Dr. Paul Wilson, Virtual Reality Research Group, Dept. of Psychology, University of Leicester, UK Dr. Ali Zalzala, Dept. of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering, University of Sheffield, UK Local Organising Committee: Dr. Paul Sharkey, Dept. of Cybernetics, University of Reading, UK Mr. Martyn Cooper, Technology & Disability Research Group, Dept. of Cybernetics, University of Reading, UK Mr David Roberts, Dept. of Cybernetics, University of Reading, UK Mr Phil Smythe, BT, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich, UK If you require specific information not covered above please email ecdvrat96@cyber.reading.ac.uk