Keynote Address: Seeing Anew: Paradigm shifting across the virtuality continuum

As an original pioneer of Virtual Reality, Tom Furness, founder of the international network of HIT Labs, presents both the legacy and future of Mixed and Augmented Reality through innovations that unlock and link minds. Inventing some of the original inspirations that led to the Google Glass and Oculus Rift, his keynote will inspire making creative leaps to realize the promise of research. Since the 1960's, his career has been about how to achieve radical innovation through helping others to “see anew.” In inspiring a paradigm shift in thinking about the virtuality continuum, his work and global network of labs has shifted the thinking from being about function to purpose; perception to performance; from capabilities to possibilities. “The virtuality continuum for me has been really about really bridging between the wonders of the real world and the infnite possibilities of the human imagination.” As Mixed and Augmented Reality innovation begins to transform everyday life, Dr. Furness presents the future role of trans disciplinary research and curriculum in melting the boundaries between Science, Technology, Media, Art, Humanities and Design to teach the next generation of innovators. He shares his future venture of the Virtual World Society that is creating a collaborative initiative of experiential learning, using virtual, mixed and augmented reality as a platform to empower youth to envision and create a better world for tomorrow.