How do our brains behave in a virtual reality (VR) environment and what are the limits of believability? Can we fully understand the impact of literally putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes?
These are among the questions that will be explored at the third More than Just a Game conference on 6 – 7 April 2017, organised by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).
Immersive and interactive virtual, augmented and mixed reality experiences are revolutionising the way we enjoy content and interact with each other. This year’s conference has a major focus on the legal and moral questions posed by VR. Leading international experts will focus on topics including the current state of VR development and predictions for the future; how the brain works in a VR environment; and whether immersive reality heightens or threatens our empathy towards other people.
The conference is organised by Dr Gaetano Dimita, specialist in interactive entertainment law at QMUL’s Centre for Commercial Law Studies (CCLS).
“The objective is to get a sense of where VR and AR [augmented reality] are in terms of product development and innovation. It is an industry that is morphing and changing constantly, and while that throws up incredibly interesting opportunities, it also poses enormous legal and regulatory challenges,” said Dr Dimita.
He added: “The conference will bring together some of the most exciting thinkers and practitioners in the field to talk about how to manage virtual worlds from a legal and ethical standpoint.”
Other topics include: the law on representing real buildings in VR and AR; protecting intellectual property in the virtual world; freedom of thought in VR; privacy and consumer protection; licensing rights in the games industry.
Speakers are drawn from the most senior levels of the gaming industry in the USA and internationally, as well as from specialist practitioners at the forefront of legal questions posed by virtual reality. The programme includes keynotes from Canon Pence, Epic Games; Dr Kimberly Voll, Riot Games; and Felicia Strehmel, BBC.
The conference will include a panel of senior Judges: Sir Robin Jacob from University College London; Sir Richard Arnold, Judge of the High Court of England and Wales; and Professor Lord Hoffman from Queen Mary University of London.
Tickets and the full programme are available on the conference website. The event is sponsored by Beiten Burkhardt, Frankfurt Kunit, Allen and Overy, Banner and Witcoff, Blaca, and Osborne Clarke.
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