Annual Conference is No Game

Dundee and Angus reaffirms its reputation as a leading business tourism destination with the announcement that it is to host the largest UK human-computer interaction conference, HCI2010. The 24th BCS International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), which studies the interaction between people (users) and computers, will see around 200 researchers, developers and industrialists from around the world descend on the University of Abertay Dundee for this week long event taking place from 6 – 10 September 2010.

With the gaming sector being a multi-billion pound global industry, generating more revenue than Hollywood, the conference has the fitting theme of ‘Play is a Serious Business’. It is the first time the conference, which is being jointly organised by Abertay University and BCS, the chartered institute for IT, has been held in Dundee, with previous host cities including Cambridge and Liverpool.

Dr Colin Cartwright of the local organising committee says: “As an innovative city, internationally renowned for its excellence in computer games education, Dundee is the perfect location for the HCI conference. It will give international experts an insight into the research and development being carried out in the city.

“The Apple iPhone and iPad, the Nintendo Wii and the upcoming Kinect system on the Xbox 360 show that we are still discovering new exciting ways of interacting with technology, and games in particular. Developments in this area are potentially very significant commercially and Abertay is involved in research into these novel forms of interaction."

Topics to be discussed at the event include ambient intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, design methods, models of interaction, new interaction techniques and devices, and usability studies.

Karen Tocher, Manager at Dundee & Angus Convention Bureau says, “Dundee has become a hub for the Scottish gaming Industry in the past few years, with more than half of the nation’s games design companies now based here. It is a very important part of the creative industries in Dundee and one which contributes significantly to the local economy. The HCI conference will provide the perfect platform from which to raise the profile of the innovative, talented individuals we have working in the gaming industry and the developments we are making, in the city.

“We have worked closely with the local organising committee to develop a social programme to showcase what Dundee and Angus has to offer and highlight the city’s important history. Delegates will attend a dinner aboard HM Frigate Unicorn, the world’s most original wooden warship berthed at the city’s Victoria Dock. Incorporating social activities into the conference gives delegates the opportunity to enjoy all that the area has to offer, not only giving them a well-rounded visit but also enticing them to return for a leisure visit.”

To register to attend the conference, or for more information about Dundee & Angus Convention Bureau, visit www.conventiondundeeandangus.co.uk or call 01382 434318.