DiGRA ISRAEL

MIND THE GAMES 2008 DiGRA ISRAEL Conference כנס די.ג.ר.ה ישראל

When: Wednesday, 19th of March 2008
Time: 17:45-21:30
Were: AMDOCS, West Building Auditorium. 8 Perl St. Rannana, IL.

Agenda and Speakers:

17:45-18:30 Networking & SHITA's Young Game Makers Expo
18:30-19:00 Opening

Dr. Hanan Gazit, Israeli DiGRA Chapter

19:00-19:45 Possible implications for brain computer interface for the next generation
Dr. Ofer Melamed, H.I.T- Holon Institute of Technology
"The thought by itself controls the game – without any touch or any other bodily signal is required". This sentence is no longer science fiction but already relates to a shelf product. The combination of neuroscience, computer science and engineering develops a new type of communication. The thought is translated into a computer command, such as for a computer game. Gaming using brain computer interface triggers several worrying questions concerning the development of kids. How should we use this technology? May this technology damage the brain of our kids? Is it possible to use this technology to improve mental skills such as creativity, associatively, memory or even coordination? Will this type of games lead to a breakthrough toward helping kids with special needs, such as ADHD? Such questions will be discussed.

19:45-20:30 PlayStation® as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, ADD according to the Focus, Mastery, and Control Method
Ofer Timna, M.Ed., PhD Candidate at Constantin University, SL.
Asperger's syndrome, ADHD, ADD are essentially in the interpersonal realm, difficult to deal with from emotional, expressive, and conventional psychotherapy. Tools for focusing on rules and regulations: what is allowed and forbidden? What is possible and what is not? What will lead to failure and what to success?
When the Asperger’s patient sits in front of a psychologist, the treatment which demands emotional and interpersonal questioning might be seen as threatening and the therapist as “the enemy”. The virtual treatment allows distances from emotions and intimacy with the therapist.
The rich and varied myriad of situations with changing characters and environments allows the patient to deal with limitations and confronts the patient with real situations that stem from the rules and regulations of the virtual reality, as well as with the real world as expressed in the real rules of the treatment (stopping of the game, relating to the real time of the session, response to special rules of the treatment room). The metaphor is clear – what transpires in the virtual environment equips the child for the needed confrontation with real happenings in the real world outside of the treatment room, such as school yard, home, street, or any other place.

20:30-20:45 Coffee Break

20:45-21:15 "Hide and Seek" Make the web your playground!
Michal Ferber, B.A in Interactive Design, User interface and interactive designer at NETiCA.co.il
Hide n' Tag is a new web game that updates the classic childhood game of and takes it into the interactive online world. The web game adds to the experience of surfing the internet and enables users to address the web as a playground, a physical space in which they need to find hiding-places.
The thrill of Hide n' Tag comes from the sense of excitement of being the hunter or hunted as users track down the Hiders or Seekers. Users can find endlessly clever ways of teasing their pursuer by testing whether they see the same mental link between the websites as others do. It is therefore a great way to introduce new websites to friends.
The game has won 1st place in "Games" category in the "Europrix Top Talent Award 2008" festival that took place in Graz, Austria.

21:15-21:30 Closing notes
Dr. Hanan Gazit, Israeli DiGRA Chapter

This is a free Entrence Event. Due to limited number of places plz

Target Audience:

Researchers, Students, Game developers, Practitioners, Training industry, games industry, business enterprises, and anyone that has an interest in Digital Games & Virtual Worlds in general and in research and development in particular.
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Sponsored by: VR.Tech Worlds Ltd. professional services for Israeli companies and organizations interested in using digital games and virtual worlds such as Second Life for business & marketing, training and education.

For Sponsoring opportunities plz E-mail

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About DiGRA ISRAEL

The Israeli DiGRA Chapter is a non-profit Israeli association of academics and practitioners whose work focuses on digital games, virtual worlds and associated activities, currently under preparation. Focus technologies of the association include (but are not restricted to) existing types of computer and video games, online games, virtual worlds, arcade games, games on handheld and mobile devices and games delivered through digital television or other forms of interactive technologies.

© 2006-2008 DiGRA ISRAEL. All rights reserved.
האתר פותח ועוצב על ידי: VR.Tech Worlds Ltd.