Written by David Charney
Posted: May 19, 2010 (1 year, 8 months ago) | 0 comments
I was very happy to hear that the Technology Innovation Center has been selected by Forbes to be on their list of Top 10 Technology Incubators That Are Changing The World.
Illumen has worked with the Technology Innovation Center for many years on brand, marketing, and the full development of their website. I designed this website several years ago.
Written by David Charney
Posted: May 5, 2010 (1 year, 9 months ago) | 0 comments
Illumen recently completed three augmented reality (AR) projects for a leading orthopaedic company. These augmented reality projects were a marketing and education tool focused on giving a virtual hands-on showcase of their medical implants at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2010 conference. Augmented reality creates a live real-time view of a virtual object overlaid upon a real environment. By simply holding a card with a specific pattern, a product can be placed on top of it. Product animations and video can add to the experience by providing additional detailed information. This gives anyone a feeling of having a product placed in their hands, without it actually being there. They can move it around and explore it.To use augmented reality, all you need is a web cam and a card that can be printed on any paper from any printer. Hold the printed card up to the cam and wherever the small pattern on the card is seen, a 3D product can be placed. Rotate the pattern or move closer the cam and you will see your product rotate and zoom in real-time 3D.
Based on the angle of the card, for example, the product could animate into an exploded view or video can be played. Move the card towards your cam and see product details.
I will have samples available soon.
Written by David Charney
Posted: March 28, 2010 (1 year, 10 months ago) | 0 comments
I had the opportunity to speak at Google Day in Evanston. Here is the post from Illumen’s Illumenate blog:
Illumen’s CEO, David Charney, was asked to speak on what Google’s upcoming high speed Internet connection could do for business innovation at Evanston’s Google Day press conference. Google recently asked cities around the United States to compete for their initial roll-out of their gigabit fiber connection, which would bring high speed Internet to homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses. Evanston, where Illumen is headquartered, jumped on the opportunity to respond to the challenge. Evanston has grown to be a city focused on creativity and innovation and would be a perfect location for Google high speed Internet. The Google Day in Evanston press conference, lead by Mayor Tisdahl, had representatives from NorthShore Hospital, Northwestern University, Evanston Township High School, the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, and Illumen Group. Each discussed the benefits of having a connection 100 times faster than the current standard in the United States.
Charney discussed how having high speed Internet can allow Illumen, and other businesses to start pushing their technologies and services even further. With Google’s fiber connection, even more high quality video, 3D, animation, interactivity, and other content based services could be accessed without the current Internet limitations often seen today. The high speed connection also acts as a great motivator for many other individuals and businesses with ideas, innovations, and technologies to come to Evanston to develop their products and services and drive collaboration in Evanston and the Chicago area. These innovations and technologies are used in products and services worldwide.
Written by David Charney
Posted: December 16, 2009 (2 years, 1 month ago) | 0 comments
Creative evenings indoors are great in the winter (You people without snow can participate as well). Get out your crayons, pencils, pens, paints, Prismas, charcoal, or clay and get creative. We can’t let kids have all the fun!
Update: Miss Keil reminded me that oils, pastels, water colors, water color pencils, colored pencils, chalk pastels, and acrylics are all great too. Another friend of mine’s brother in law is an ice sculptor and many of my friends are 3d and animation experts… I can’t leave them out either. What other mediums am I missing?
Written by David Charney
Posted: November 27, 2009 (2 years, 2 months ago) | 0 comments
I met with Don Norman - Famous usability and cognitive psychology expert… All about the user experience. We discussed the business a bit and did a little brainstorming about a friend’s product and how to make it more receptive to a specific audience.
He has many books on the subjects. Don was a VP at Apple and started the Nielsen Norman Group with Jakob Nielsen (all you designers know who that is). Brilliant guy. 74 years old… I would have guessed 55. It was great of him to visit with us. Thanks Don.
