Emerging Tech Interest Group

The ETIG was a pretty large group. The room lay out was a little strange… there was a table in the center that not many people wanted to sit at, so people sat along the walls and propped up against the wall.

Began with an introduction to ETIG (discussion at midwinter, program at annual). Program plans for annual fell through. Was suppliers, deliverers, and consumers (libraries) and contacted Amazon to talk about the Kindle, Clearwire, and libraries. Trying to do digital information & innovations track. Agrees that downloads and iPods etc are no longer emerging. Asked the group what represents a fall back. Asked if we thought a managed discussion would be better. Rest of discussion focused on emerging tech program.

What represents emerging technology?

• data harvesting
• automated metadata extraction
• tools that help judge quality the materials (tech tools)
• info lit assessment tools (clickers, online tests, etc)
• emerging disabilities for the disabled
• mobile media metadata movement (ubiquitous computing & context aware services)
• something on how owning specific devices (ex. iTouch) changes relationship to information
• virtual reality
• what OCLC is doing with innovation/social networking
• sony ereader rather than kindle?
• Negroponte & OLPC
• Mellon technology collaboration awards for the past few years for ideas
• video conferencing
• anything MIT media lab is doing
• innovative use of digital signage
• emerging media formats (jpg2000, bluray, etc)
• Microsoft photosynth project
• large scale demonstration of usability testing in search (Google, Syracuse?)
• panel of 18 yo or some type of representative talking about what kids are really doing, or trying out some of our emerging tech
• someone recommended asking lis students for input
• Android as a new open product (Google)
• mobile search as an emerging technology
• open source as a theme, exciting things happening abroad, will still be emerging at the conference
• participatory media: Miro

Discussed the general goodness of OLPC and thought that it’d be nice to lend our institution’s support to that program.

Pointed out that people come to Emerging Technologies to learn new things who aren’t necessarily techies, so doesn’t have to be totally bleeding edge.

Wrapped up with a few people volunteering to be on the program planning committee.