Visiting IBM’s 3D Data Center in Second Life
By Tom Werner | October 6, 2008
I stopped by IBM’s 3D Data Center in Second Life (SLurl) (YouTube).
My understanding is that this version in Second Life is a demo.
IBM actually builds its working versions in OpenSim, the open-source version of Second Life’s server software.
The demo is quite intriguing.
You can see how a 3D visual ‘front end’ would help with ’seeing’ the operation of something complex like a data center.
Several screens that show the status of the data center (top snapshot).
Visual effects that show things like heating and cooling.
I’m not exactly sure what the red fireballs indicate, but they’re definitely attention-getting (middle snapshot).
Your avatar can open a server rack and pull out a server (bottom snapshot).
A simple but powerful idea is that a working 3D model (connected to the real thing) can make it easier to operate a complex system.
Topics: 3D Internet, Second Life® | No Comments »
My First Visit to Openlife
By Tom Werner | October 3, 2008
I spent some time in Openlife today.
Openlife is a virtual world built on OpenSim, the open-source version of Second Life.
Like Second Life, it’s free to join. Like Second Life, you can buy land and start building.
The Openlife client looks and feels like Second Life, but without all of the places and Inventory content of Second Life.
The top snapshot shows my avatar, the default female often called a “Ruth.” (I didn’t have much luck modifying her, other than putting on an Openlife t-shirt.)
I wandered around and found a nice art gallery on a place called Petrona (middle snapshot).
And I was able to create an object and put a photo of Trigger on it (bottom snapshot).
Overall, an interesting experience.
(I didn’t realize how I accustomed I am to the stuff in my Second Life Inventory and to freebie stores until I arrived in Openlife without anything!)
What struck me about visiting Openlife is the obvious point that when you leave Second Life and go to an open-source version, you have to “bring your own fun with you”: you have to build your own stuff, tell your friends to join, etc. You don’t have the context and resources of what’s already built in Second Life.
Of course what IBM and others are doing are using to OpenSim software on their own servers to create their own private virtual worlds.
The open-source movement will of course have huge implications for virtual worlds as it grows.
Topics: 3D Internet | No Comments »
My Presentation on Second Life at the 2008 Innovations in Learning Conference
By Tom Werner | October 1, 2008
Here are the slides from my presentation at Brandon Hall Research’s 2008 Innovations in Learning Conference last week in San Jose.
Topics: Second Life® | 1 Comment »
Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Second Life for Workplace Learning
By Tom Werner | September 3, 2008
Brandon Hall Research recently published a report on using Second Life for workplace learning.
The report lists advantages and disadvantages, some of which are described in this video.
Topics: 3D Internet, Second Life® | No Comments »
Vyew + Skype = Free Web Conferencing
By Tom Werner | August 28, 2008
I gave a presentation in my colleague Gary Woodill’s workshop the other day.
Gary’s workshop was in Houston.
I was in Michigan.
We used Vyew for sharing my desktop into his session.
And Skype for my audio into his session.
Both are free, and worked fine.
Here’s a video on the new features in Vyew 3.0.
Topics: Tools | No Comments »
Head Tracking in Second Life
By Tom Werner | August 27, 2008
This video shows a head-tracking tool for Second Life from VR-Wear that’s on the way.
(A little bit of info is here.)
To me, this shows how quickly technology for virtual worlds is developing.
Just a year ago something like this would have seemed way off in the future…
Meet me at Innovations in Learning.
Topics: 3D Internet, Second Life® | No Comments »
Texas State Technical College’s Certificate Program Completely in Second Life
By Tom Werner | August 25, 2008
This is one of those tipping-point moments for learning in virtual worlds.
Beginning in Fall 2008, Texas State Technical College (TSTC) (SLurl) will offer a Digital Media certificate program using Second Life as the primary delivery method.
The Digital Media certificate will be followed by an associate degree in Digital Media starting in Spring 2009.
Topics: 3D Internet, Higher education, Second Life® | No Comments »
The Astonishing Graphics of City Space
By Tom Werner | August 13, 2008
TechCrunch has posted a video by LivePlace.com of a virtual world called City Space.
There’s some mystery about who or what LivePlace.com is, and there’s even some discussion among observers about whether the video is real, or fake, or some combination of real-and-doctored.
If it’s real, the graphics are amazing.
The story behind it is that it is browser-based.
The heavy computing is all done, not on your computer, not on their server, but “in the cloud” (using a cloud of virtual servers as needed, so to speak).
If it’s not real, it’s still an interesting mocked-up look at what future virtual worlds could be like.
Topics: 3D Internet | 1 Comment »
New Blog: Workplace Learning Today
By Tom Werner | August 12, 2008
We at Brandon Hall Research have a new blog.
We think there’s a need to scan and highlight online information that’s related specifically to learning in the workplace.
It’s a group blog. The analysts at Brandon Hall Research will all be contributing.
Topics: Trends | No Comments »
Diagnosing Virtual Patients in Second Life
By Tom Werner | August 4, 2008
The Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London has developed a learning activity in Second Life (SLurl) for diagnosing and treating virtual patients.
They have five virtual patients suffering from problems such as lung cancer and pneumonia.
You can look at the patient’s chart, talk to the patient, listen to the patient’s breathing, select tests to run, and so forth.
What’s particularly noteworthy here is:
O The activities are asynchronous.
O The natural fit of Second Life (and virtual worlds in general) for healthcare training.
O How actively higher education is using Second Life for workplace-related training such as this.
Topics: 3D Internet, Second Life® | 3 Comments »
