4-D Space in Virtual Worlds

This is just to stimulate the imagination — an experiment with 4-D space in a 3-D virtual world:

Crooked House

At landing, read the info board; and then click to be transported into the house.

Inside, as you move from from room to room, the house will bend around you in simulated 4 dimensions. So, you will be walking as if through a series of continuous rooms — on a floor at one moment — then through a door and onto a ceiling the next moment. The 4-D effect is known as a tesseract:



Trying to return to the starting point can become a math game if you want it to. "If you go four times in one direction, you end up back where you started; also, if you make three ninety degree turns, you come back where you started," according the creator of the house, Seifert Surface in an interview with Hamlet Au: "— And He Rezzed a Crooked House," New World Notes.

Be careful. If you are not the focal point in the house, then sit down. Seated, you will become like an object moving along with the fluctuations while someone else is exploring. Otherwise, you might find yourself in the ether when a part of the house moves away. Likewise, if you take a friend with you, tell your friend sit while you explore.

To explore, just press a button on a table in the first room to make yourself the focal point.



Remarkably, the house is a rather early creation in SL. It is already two years old. So, it is very advanced (or most of us are quite retarded). It really can simulate the imagination and provide some motivation.

Native American Columbus Day

An exhibit about the Arawak Taino Indians who discovered Columbus on their shores.

Oct. 12, 2008
Noon SL time.

Native American Columbus Day

For more information and/or to help with the event, send an IM to Nany Kayo in Second Life.

Virtual Worlds in Education Conference, East Carolina University in SL

The Virtual Worlds in Education Conference: Real Education in a Virtual World, Using Online Virtual Environments for Teaching and Learning.

November 10 and 11, 2008.

Venue: East Carolina University islands in SL.

Hosted and sponsored by East Carolina University.

Conference Theme:

• The conference is focused on the uses of virtual worlds for instructional purposes. Examples of instructional activities including novel methods of presentation, simulation, and collaboration will be showcased. Research on using virtual worlds for instruction will be presented.

Examples of presentation topics include, but are not limited to:

• Reports of research conducted on the use of virtual worlds for instructional purposes.
• Educational simulations conducted in-world.
• Building and design projects conducted in-world.
• Social functions held in-world to promote or support educational activity.
• Contests or competitions promoting problem-based learning held in-world.

American Anthropological Association, In-world Collaboration

Meeting:
Sat 4th Oct
3pm SLT (11pm GMT)
American Anthropologist Virtual, Anteater Island

The American Anthropological Association is providing some virtual land to encourage collaboration between online researchers and educators.

This offer is open to related disciplines such as sociology and psychology. also.

Even if you cannot build but have an idea of how you would like to bring your work to life, you should come along to the meeting. Chances are someone in the community will be able to assist.

If you cannot make the scheduled meeting, send an IM to Sarasvati Kohime in-world to arrange another time.