This is a first for me! Usually, when I write about the metaverse on this blog, I write for a global audience. After all, virtual worlds and social VR platforms bring people together regardless of their physical location on the planet Earth!
But this is a local, made-in-Manitoba event, even though it will be held on the social VR platform AltspaceVR due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and therefore open to a broader audience.
Winnipeg’s Alternate Reality Club is a Meetup group with over 630 members, which has been around since 2015, and they describe themselves as follows:
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are entirely new mediums that are transforming many of the ways we currently interact with technology, which will have a massive impact on the world over the next 10-20 years. Let’s get together to discuss ideas, share knowledge and development techniques, foster new collaborations, and increase awareness of what local developers are creating in these amazing new mediums.
On Thursday, April 28th, 2022, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, I will be one of six invited panelists, who will be talking about the metaverse:
Meetup #15 Alternate Reality Club: Winnipeg XR Meetup
METAVERSE?
Curious about the metaverse? We’ve gathered a panel of people to share their thoughts on what the metaverse is, could be, should be, and what that means for all of us. In case it gets complicated, we’ll also do a Q&A! All are welcome.
Moderated by Jonathan Phú Son Lê, Training Manager at New Media Manitoba, the full line-up of panelists consists of:
- Sheila Harris – Capstone Ridge Group / Transformation Consultant
- John Luxford – CTO, Flipside XR
- Daniel Blair – CEO, Bit Space Development Ltd.
- Dee King – Co-Founder, ZenFri Inc.
- Ryan Schultz – Blogger and Librarian, University of Manitoba
- Mike Himbeault – Director of Business Solutions, Powerland Computers
As we’re still being a bit cautious about in-person events here in Manitoba, this meetup is being held virtually on AltspaceVR, and is open to all who want to join in virtual reality (Vive, Oculus or Windows Mixed Reality), or through their computers using AltspaceVR’s Desktop Mode. Please visit the AltspaceVR website to download the app and set up your account. There are separate downloads for Vive, Rift/Quest, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets, as well as a 2D/flatscreen desktop version for Mac and Windows.
I’m looking forward to making some local connections at this virtual event. See you there!
UPDATE April 29th, 2022: Here’s a picture of the panel from the AltspaceVR event! (I’m second from the left, wearing a blue-and-white sweater).
