media - New technologies at USC

This afternoon students at IMSC at the USC here in Los Angeles showed us some amazing new technological developments. Remote media immersion means, say, experiencing the most advanced 'Lord of the Rings' effects over the internet. Compelling sound effects where only the smell is not yet transmitted, but that might be a matter of time. They were doing tests with musicians playing at different places in the world, and a director in another place. Might still take a few years before you have this in your office.
Interesting was also the way geospatial data were integrated. By combining digital maps and other information this technology could provide more information into one map. Interesting was that for different reasons the different maps never worked out precisely and we had a discussion on whether this kind of information would be more reliable or less reliable when original data were adjusted. Do we reflect the reality better or do we create a new reality. Of course I had to bring up the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade a few years ago. No certainty yet.