Hyperinteractive? (editor's note).(SIGGRAPH, the International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques)(Editorial)

For years, SIGGRAPH (the International Conference on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques) has tended to focus more on graphics--specifically, realism in graphics and, even more specifically, realism in graphics in film--than on interactive techniques. And Computer Graphics World has certainly followed suit. A search of our online archives turned up countless references, not simply to realism, but to all its variations as well, including photorealism, enhanced realism, ultrarealism, and hyperrealism--from vendor sources and contributors alike.

It's not that there's anything wrong with that. In retrospect, I'd be hard-pressed to differentiate between terms like ultrarealism and hyperrealism, but it's understandable that a technological quest as vibrant as graphics realism would generate this kind of diversity and hyperbole. In [act, this year's conference will continue to showcase advances in realistic film graphics (see "Scoping out SIGGRAPH," at www.egw.com under Web Exclusives for a preview of film-related presentations and "Art Studio," pg. 50, for highlights of the state-of-the-art films in SIGGRAPH's Computer Animation Festival).

But the show will also place more emphasis on the forgotten half of the industry, largely in the Emerging Technologies venue. "The conference has had a bias toward CG, particularly in film," says Emerging Technologies chair; Joshua Strickon (see "Bonding Experiences," pg. 12). "I took my goal to be that of bringing as broad a perspective as possible to what interactive techniques are." To that end, the 21 exhibits look at a full spectrum of interactive tools and techniques. Here are a few highlights:

* Context-aware objects: The Smart-Its project aims to make the concept of ubiquitous computing a reality. This approach integrates tiny, "context-aware" computers--equipped with sensors and wireless communications capabilities--into everyday ...