Australian Creative Industries Attract International Attention

12th October 2004

For immediate release

World-class research and development in the cultural heritage and entertainment areas was unveiled in Brisbane today.

Once commercialised, the research and development projects are likely to be taken up around the world and have the potential to be new export opportunities for Australia.

The two projects comprise ‘Digital Songlines’, which is focused on preserving aboriginal culture and heritage and the ‘Interactive Lounge’, showcasing the lounge room of the future including a ground-breaking gesture recognition device.

The project unveiling marks the official launch of ACID – the Australasian CRC for Interaction Design (ACID).

“Australia’s creative industries have produced these groundbreaking R&D results within a very short period of time,” said Professor Jeff Jones, CEO of ACID.

“Australia’s top researchers, supported by industry entrepreneurs, have worked collaboratively on some of the most exciting developments achieved in this sector,” he said.

An innovative and detailed technology to digitally preserve aboriginal culture will be unveiled, described by communities and cultural organisations as a world-class breakthrough.

The Digital Songlines project will allow others around the world to experience, with three-dimensional impact, the way Aborigines lived over 200 years ago.

“This is an incredible milestone for the future preservation of aboriginal culture,” said Digital Songlines Project Leader, Mr Brett Leavy.

“Culture and heritage from over 200 years ago will be replicated in three-dimensional virtual reality.

“Not only will the traditions, stories and artefacts be authenticated, the landscape will replicate real places as well,” he said.

At the same time, the Interactive Lounge project enabling interaction with digital content will also be unveiled.

The Interactive Lounge project will show Australians what the lounge room of the future might look like and how they can interact with digital content via a world-class gesture recognition device.

"As television viewing becomes more complex, it becomes more critical to design devices to better facilitate our interaction with television," said Interactive Lounge Project Leader, Professor Duane Varan.

"The gestural system being developed at ACID reflects exciting new opportunities to pioneer the future,” he said.

Full simulations and demonstrations of both research breakthroughs, as well as other projects currently being facilitated by ACID, were on display today at the Creative Industries Precinct in Brisbane.

For more information:
Jason Pickersgill, ACID. T: 07 3337 7929 or 0432 163 886. E: jason@acid.net.au