Walt Scacchi, Ph.D.
Walt Scacchi, Ph.D.
Sr. Research Scientist, Research Faculty, Institute for Software Research, and Research Director, Institute for Virtual Environments and Computer Games
University of California, Irvine
Speech Title: 
Game-Based Virtual Worlds for an Internet of Things in 2025
Abstract: 
In this presentation, I describe how computer games and game-based virtual worlds (GBVW) will provide playful, innovative ways and means for designing, developing, and deploying Internet of Things (IoT) applications in the decade ahead. GBVW will also be utilized to provide advanced training systems for using and sustaining these IoT apps by others not involved in their development. These training systems will be scalable to further provide advanced workforce development capabilities to diverse socio-technical communities of interest. This presentation will identify a sample of IoT application domains that are closely aligned with this vision, as well as present examples embodying such capabilities that utilize multi-sensory Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) technologies for personal and group experiences. Such technologies include body-worn personal input sensing and output display devices that are internetworked to others in a local/wide-area user group, as well as to remote/cloud-based enterprise data repositories and analytic services.
Bio: 

Walt Scacchi is senior research scientist and research faculty member in the Institute for Software Research, and also Director of Research at the Center for Computer Games and Virtual Worlds, both at University of California, Irvine. He received a Ph.D. in Information and Computer Science at UC Irvine in 1981. From 1981-1998, he was a professor at the University of Southern California. Dr. Scacchi returned to UC Irvine in 1999. His research interests include open source software development, computer game culture and technology, virtual worlds for modeling and simulating complex engineering and business processes, and software acquisition. Dr. Scacchi is an active researcher with more than 150 research publications, and has directed more than 60 externally funded research projects. He also has had numerous consulting and visiting scientist positions with more than 25 firms or institutes, including five start-up ventures. He served as General Co-Chair for the 8th. Intern. Conference on Open Source Systems in 2012, Co-Chair of the 3rd. Games and Software Engineering Workshop at the 2013 Intern. Conf. On Software Engineering, and ICS Distinguished Alumnus of 2012.