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Merging Media Productions has added three new 2011 Advisory Committee Members who will be assisting with advice and support for the upcoming October 2011 Conference+ Masterclass:

• Katie Jeffs Director Membership Development and Outreach, CMPA (National)
• Jonathan Carringan, President & Co-Founder, MOBCOM Consulting Inc.
• Lynda Brown, CEO/Founder of ZuluMe

Merging Media also extends its gratitude to its 2010 Advisors Betsy Chaly, Ravi Singh, Fiona McAuley and Ted Nugent for their generous support during their 2010 event.

Merging Media Productions Inc. in partnership with the Canadian Media Production Association BC is proud to be a part of SIGGRAPH 2011 this August 7-11 in Vancouver. Merging Media and CMPA will be facilitating the International B2B Matchmaking Program that is being organized by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) and the Government of British Columbia. If you’d like to meet visiting International Media professionals during the event, here are the full details:

• B2B Matchmaking Program – August 8 – 11

The Business to Business Matchmaking Program will help facilitate meetings between Canadian domestic companies and international/ US companies attending SIGGRAPH. The B2B online platform will allow you to profile your company, view the profiles of other companies and request meetings with international/ US companies of interest. Meeting requests will be coordinated through the Canadian Media Production Association and booked into meeting rooms reserved onsite (unless otherwise specified).

• SIGGRAPH Welcome Reception – Sunday, August 7

Supported by BC Film, DFAIT will be hosting an International Delegate Welcome Reception from 6-8pm on Sunday, August 7th. The welcome reception will offer an opportunity to meet some of the US & International business delegates at SIGGRAPH 2011 as well as local industry and support organizations. This event is invite only with limited capacity, so please indicate your interest to Marc Coderre if you would like to be added to the invite list.

• Transmedia Vancouver Meetup – June 29

The Transmedia Vancouver Meetup Group will be having its first Guest Speaker event featuring Merging Media’s Advisory Board Member Matt Toner of Zeroes to Heroes on Wednesday June 29th, 5pm at CMPA-BC. This is a not to be missed event for those keen on meeting like-minded folk involved in Transmedia.

Submissions are now open for the brand new Desire2Learn Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning which was announced last week by Desire2Learn Incorporated and The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education at the STLHE 2011 Conference, held at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon last week.

This Award, to be initially awarded in June 2012, has been established to celebrate and recognize innovative approaches that promote learning in new ways at post-secondary institutions. Up to five awards will be presented annually. Recipients will be the basis of a community of knowledge, expertise and innovation that can be drawn upon globally to enhance learning for all.

“With the launch of the Desire2Learn Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning, STLHE is proud to offer the most comprehensive national awards program in the world,” explains Arshad Ahmad, Ph.D., President, STLHE and 3M National Teaching Fellow. “Recognizing innovation not only complements existing STLHE awards in teaching excellence, educational leadership, collaborative learning, and lifetime achievements, but also fits strategically in the Society’s mission to promote learning through change.”

Instructors currently teaching at a post-secondary institution are eligible to apply. A demonstrable record of innovation(s) in areas including pedagogical approaches, teaching methods, course design, curriculum development, assessment methods, various tools and technologies that enhance learning and have had a significant impact on post-secondary education is required.

Ahmad adds, “The Desire2Learn Award also promises to build community as cohorts, who will be recognized each year, will have the opportunity to spend time together, learn from each other and collaborate in future undertakings. Desire2Learn’s legacy of innovation is matched by its enthusiasm to unlock the potential of learners globally. This is one of the many reasons why there is a natural fit between our organizations. Above all, we share a mutual interest in improving the quality of the student experience before anything else. We look forward to a long-term partnership with a common purpose to make a qualitative difference in the lives of our students.”

Patrick Lyons, Director, Instructional Technologies Educational Development Centre / Carleton University OnLine, Carleton University has been appointed as the inaugural coordinator. Lyons is well known in the Canadian post-secondary community as an advocate for effective teaching and use of technology.

“STLHE is the most important organization in Canada supporting the development, recognition and encouragement of excellent teaching and learning practices,” notes Lyons. “The Desire2Learn Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning is a powerful and concrete opportunity to encourage and promote innovative learning initiatives in post- secondary institutions across North America and from around the world.”

“We are pleased to be partnering with The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher in Education in recognition of teaching that is truly innovative,” states John Baker, President & CEO, Desire2Learn. “Through this award, instructors who are providing a notable and sustained impact on student learning and development will be acknowledged for their inventive approaches to education. These individuals emulate our mission of transforming teaching and learning.”

McAfee has extended its mobile device portfolio for consumers with McAfee Mobile Security and McAfee WaveSecure Tablet Edition.  These mobile device offerings change the mobile security landscape by offering security safeguards that help consumers secure their mobile devices for personal use, commerce and work.

A recent Leger Marketing survey of 1,500 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, was completed over the period May 24-26, 2011 for McAfee Canada. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/- 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20. The report results showed that Canadians overwhelmingly want security technologies to protect their mobile devices. Eighty three per cent (83%) of Canadians who use a mobile device want some (36%) or full (47%) protections (e.g. ability to remotely lock the device from unauthorized access; ability to remotely wipe the device’s memory; ability to locate the device using GPS technology; and ability to back up the device) to secure their mobile devices. Only 17 per cent of respondents do not feel the security of mobile devices is important.

According to a mobile security report released last week by McAfee and Carnegie Mellon University, titled, “Mobility and Security: Dazzling Opportunities, Profound Challenges,” respondents named their top three security concerns to be the loss of personal or work data through the accidental loss of a device, physical theft of the device, or loss of their data due to their device “crashing.” In addition, close to half of all respondents said they were using their smartphones both for personal use and work, demonstrating that consumers want more than just personal device security.

McAfee Mobile Security software, available for both smartphones and tablets, provides a comprehensive mobile security solution by combining three leading McAfee mobile security products:  WaveSecure, VirusScan Mobile and SiteAdvisor® for Android. It is ideal for users who want protection for their data and privacy in the event of loss or theft, protection against the growing threats of viruses and spyware targeting mobile devices and protection from Web- based threats, such as phishing sites that probe for personal and sensitive information. Read the rest of this entry »

Two Toronto companies will have greater opportunities to develop new technologies thanks to a Government of Canada investment of nearly $2 million announced today by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

“The Government of Canada is investing in the people, businesses and communities of southern Ontario to create jobs and encourage economic growth,” said Minister Goodyear. “New businesses face many challenges getting access to capital. Today’s investment will help these companies develop new ideas and bring them to market.”

Nulogy Corporation will receive a contribution of up to $954,687, which will allow it to be first-to-market with its ‘PackShop’ software that is used to customize packaging design for marketers and retailers. The company has also received support from the growth equity investment company Klass Capital Corporation.

“Nulogy will use this financing to expand as we secure new customers and enter new markets around the world,” Jason Tham, Chief Executive Officer of Nulogy Corporation. “Living and investing locally, while competing globally, has always been important to us, and we are very grateful to be able to continue our journey with great partners like FedDev Ontario and Klass Capital.”

Maintenance Assistant Inc. will receive a contribution of up to $975,000 to enhance its Collaborative Computerized Maintenance Management software to help businesses better maintain equipment and machinery, as well as procure parts and services through a web-based format. The company has also received support from accredited angel investors.

“I am extremely pleased to receive this federal funding through Investing in Business Innovation,” said Marc Castel, Chief Executive Officer of Maintenance Assistant Inc. “In combination with our angel investment through the Golden Triangle Angel Network and the Niagara Angel Network, the government support will allow us to focus on our growth objectives and build a world-class enterprise software company for equipment maintenance.”

Investing in Business Innovation is a direct result of feedback from business leaders, academics and community leaders from across southern Ontario, who suggested FedDev Ontario take a leadership role in encouraging entrepreneurs and investors to take the risks necessary to put southern Ontario businesses on the map.

FedDev Ontario was created as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan to support businesses and communities in southern Ontario. Now in its second year of operation, the Agency has launched a number of initiatives to create a Southern Ontario Advantage and place the region in a strong position to compete in the global economy. These initiatives are designed to support businesses and other organizations through partnerships and investments in skills and training; innovation; research and development; and increased productivity. 

TD Bank Group today announced a multi-year, $3.7-million renewed investment to the program to help Library and Archives Canada, Toronto Public Library and CNIB run the TD Summer Reading Club through to 2014.  As Canada’s largest reading club, more than half a million children are expected to participate and will read more than two million books in both English and French each year.

“The TD Summer Reading Club is a great way to keep young minds stimulated over the summer months,” said Frank McKenna, TD Bank Group deputy chair and literacy champion. “We are proud to help kids discover the joy of reading this summer and make a splash using their imaginations.”

From scuba diving for treasure to studying mythical water creatures, the award-winning TD Summer Reading Club’s theme, Splash! Celebrate Summer will inspire children to use their imaginations to explore lakes, rivers and oceans through reading.  Children in participating provinces will make a splash at their local libraries by registering for a free TD Summer Reading Club kit. Each child is encouraged to set a reading goal for the summer and at the end of the summer, the local librarian will present each child with a reading certificate.

“Children and their families are encouraged to dive into a good book at their local library,” said Jane Pyper, Toronto Public Library’s City Librarian. “Thousands of children participate in the program every year, building confidence in their reading abilities and providing a safe place to have fun during the summer.”

Summer reading clubs have a positive impact on children’s reading, but family really plays an important role by encouraging children to read for pleasure at home. Studies show that reading as little as six books over the summer will help young children maintain their reading levels.

“Nothing stimulates a child’s imagination like reading,” said Dr. Daniel Caron, Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada. “It brings them to a world where magic can happen, the kind of world we once all believed in and a sense of wonder that we yearn for as we get older.”

In 2009, CNIB joined the program in an effort to increase accessibility for children with print disabilities. “We are thrilled to make the TD Summer Reading Club available to children with vision loss, by bringing stories to life with French and English audio recordings and Braille,” said Al Jameson, Chair, National Board of Directors, CNIB.

Ivey School of Business case studies are now available anywhere, anytime through Apple’s iBookstore. One of the world’s leading business case publishers, the Richard Ivey School of Business is the first publisher to make business case studies available on the iBookstore. Starting today over 500 cases from Ivey’s inventory are available to download for $3.99 each. The iBookstore is available through the free iBooks app for iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

Since the Ivey Business School’s inception in 1922 the case method has been the keystone of its highly regarded approach to teaching general management. Students and executives at universities around the world use Ivey cases to learn by doing. Business students, executives or anyone can now benefit from enhanced convenience, quicker delivery, and more flexibility in accessing published cases.

“Making Ivey cases available through the iBookstore provides an opportunity to reach a new and wider audience that may not have been exposed to business case studies previously,” said Paul Beamish, Director of Ivey Publishing. “It supports our emphasis on making Ivey cases easily accessible to everyone.”

Each case provides readers with an opportunity to stand in the shoes of the decision-maker, analyzing the business issue presented, making judgments and determining a course of action. Ivey is the second largest producer and distributor of business case studies in the world.

Over 500 cases are currently available, with newer cases to be added regularly.  More than 200 new cases are created each year from business faculty at Ivey and from other partnered universities. Articles from the Ivey Business Journal will also be available through the iBookstore.

Richard Ivey School of Business, the world’s largest producer of Asian cases, will continue to offer its inventory in printed or digital PDF form through its network of 18 traditional academic publishing partners including Harvard Business Publishing and the European Case Clearing House.

From the telephone to the BlackBerry, from satellites to walkie-talkies – it’s all telecom, and it’s all Canadian. Today, Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame proudly announced that the 2011 Telecom Laureate Awards will be held Wednesday evening, November 2nd, 2011 at the new Ottawa Convention Centre in Ottawa. Mark your calendar now and plan to join over 400 telecom business and government luminaries to celebrate excellence in Canadian telecommunications and to honour the Class of 2011 Telecom Laureates who have made significant contributions to the industry throughout their careers.

The Telecom Laureate Awards gala is the annual flagship event staged by Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame, the not-for-profit organization with a mission to safeguard, promote and celebrate the past, present and future excellence of Canadian telecommunications. The Telecom Laureate Awards Gala is an important celebratory night for the telecommunications industry featuring extensive networking reception opportunities, speeches and awards presentations by key industry and government leaders, as well as exciting audio-visual staging and lighting. It is one of the few annual events where the industry can unite together to celebrate its success and promote its future.

“We are expecting an excellent turn-out for our 7^th annual gala dinner and induction ceremonies,” says Lorne Abugov, Founder and Director of Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame. “Over the years, our guests have included senior executives from Canada’s largest telecommunications companies, suppliers to the telecommunications industry, Government of Canada and Provincial officials, members of the CRTC, Industry Canada and the Competition Bureau and the family and guests of the Telecom Laureates and award winners. This is a premiere networking event.”

The Class of 2011Telecom Laureates and a Special Recognition Award recipient will be officially inducted into Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame joining a prestigious list of 42 other remarkable Laureate and Special Recognition Award inductees who have received the industry’s highest distinction since 2005. Profiles of previous inductees can be found in the virtual Hall of Fame, along with photo and video galleries that display images of the past six Awards gala events.

“The Telecom Laureate Awards gala is always the culmination of a year’s work for Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame, and we are very pleased this year to have secured one of Canada’s most spectacular event venues in the new Ottawa Convention Centre”, adds Lorne Abugov. “On behalf of all of our volunteers and the members of our Board of Governors, I cordially invite all of those who serve within or support this great Canadian industry to gather on November 2^nd in Ottawa for what has quickly become Telecom’s Golden Evening.”

Ontario’s ARCAD, Inc. has introduced the new DC Arc Flash Analytic (DCAFA V1.0) software program for arc flash and shock hazard analysis in DC power systems including but not limited to photovoltaics, battery banks, rectifiers and telecommunications equipment.

The program takes system voltage, available short circuit current, gap between electrodes, circuit time constant, electrode material, protective device type and rating or a preset arc duration value, and determines incident energy released by arc flash, hazard risk category at working distance and flash protection boundary.

For systems with variable gap between electrodes, for example when gap is not fixed and distance between electrodes is anticipated to increase by separation of contacts, the program will examine power and energy released by an arc as a function of arcing voltage and current, arc duration, electrode materials and calculate maximum incident energy that could be released by the arc within two seconds time interval. A person exposed to an arc flash will move away quickly if it is physically possible and two seconds is generally accepted as a reasonable maximum time for arc flash calculations.

Among various key capabilities, the DCAFA V1.0 performs analysis using metric or imperial units, saves input configurations and calculation results for future reference or printing, and generates customized arc flash warning labels in electronic formats.

For nearly forty years SIGGRAPH has inspired, educated and influenced the direction of research, production and artistic communities. At SIGGRAPH 2011 in Vancouver this August 7th through 11th, the conference is introducing the SIGGRAPH Symposium: The Business Think Tank. This one-day event on August 7th will bring together leaders to address the past, present and future of the global computer graphics industry.

The Business Think Tank introduces an opportunity for industry leaders and visionaries to discuss issues related to finance, strategy, culture, and creativity in a conversational environment. This full-day event features discussion groups and two enlightening featured speakers intended to spark frank and honest interaction about the industry in the 21st century.

“The intimate, interactive nature of this inaugural Business Think Tank is the ideal forum in which to inspire idea-sharing and problem-solving among some of the visionaries within the global computer graphics community,” says Jill Smolin, SIGGRAPH 2011 Director from 3ality Digital. “This highly interactive day will feature conversations and presentations of industry-specific issues and challenges within our local and global community.”

Planned participants include:

Featured Speakers:

• Gail Currey, Head of Studio, PDI/DreamWorks
• Andy Hendrickson, Chief Technology Officer, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Business Session:

• Victoria Alonso: EVP, VFX and Post Production, Marvel Entertainment, LLC
• Rory Armes: CEO, Gener8 Digital Media Corp.
• Dan Glass: EVP, Senior VFX Supervisor, Method Studios
• Namit Malhotra: CEO, Prime Focus
• Don McGowan: General Counsel, The Pokémon Company International
• Marc Weigert: Executive Producer, VFX Supervisor, CEO, Uncharted Territory, LLC

Culture Session:

• Steve Bocska: CEO, Pug Pharm Productions Inc.
• Kim Davidson: Co-Founder, CEO, President, Side Effects Software Inc.
• Warren Franklin: CEO, Rainmaker Entertainment Inc.
• Jenny Fulle: Founder, Visual Effects Producer, The Creative Cartel
• Shannon Gans: CEO, Co-Founder, New Deal Studios, Inc.

This Symposium is a new initiative for SIGGRAPH, and is intended to accommodate approximately 200 people who are on the business side of the industry. They might be artists who are now company leaders or leaders who work with artists. They are the people who look to each other and other leaders to define and run the industry.

Registration for the SIGGRAPH Symposium: The Business Think Tank is now available – space for this event is very limited, so register soon if you plan on attending.

Maplesoft™ has announced a new release of MapleSim™, the high-performance physical modeling and simulation software. With its broader application scope, streamlined modeling environment, and ability to efficiently simulate even more systems, MapleSim 5 makes it easier to tackle large projects and get results quickly.

MapleSim 5 comes with over 150 new components, including new libraries for magnetics and thermal fluids, which means the power of MapleSim can be applied to even more modeling projects. With these components, customers can use MapleSim 5 to quickly develop a wider range of applications, such as the solenoids in dialysis machines and fuel injection systems, saturating motors and transformers, and heat exchangers for machine cooling systems.

The MapleSim 5 interface includes many new and improved features to reduce model development time and help customers manage the complexity of their models. For example, enhanced diagnostic tools provide early feedback related to the definition of the model itself, such as identifying inconsistent initial conditions. MapleSim then provides assistance in resolving the problem, so corrections can be made before running the simulation. Other additions include increased control over parameters and initial conditions, easy export of 3-D animation simulation results, and streamlined design environments for building both model diagrams and 3-D model representations. The improved simulation engine in MapleSim can now generate highly optimized C code for all MapleSim models. This royalty-free code can be incorporated into other software in the toolchain.

MapleSim uses a fully developed symbolic modeling engine to handle all of the complex mathematics involved in the development of engineering models. This symbolic engine offers unique advantages that expand the modeling and simulation capabilities of engineers. Each MapleSim release further develops these capabilities, which include automatically generated model equations in full parametric form, equation-based custom components, optimized code generation for real-time systems, revolutionary multibody technology, and an interactive analysis environment that captures the full engineering knowledge that goes into each project.

“By leveraging symbolic computation technology, MapleSim offers unique advantages that enable our customers to succeed at very difficult design projects they simply cannot do with other tools,” says Laurent Bernardin, Executive Vice-President and Chief Scientist, Maplesoft. “MapleSim reduces model development time from months to days while producing high-fidelity, high-performance models. With MapleSim 5, our customers can apply those time and cost savings to even more projects, while further reducing the time needed to design their complex models.”