Minnov8

Showcasing Minnesota Technology Innovation

Darwin & DNA

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darwin-dnaIn the days before the internet hit and technology like interactive programming, courses, kiosks and encyclopedias were delivered on CD-ROM or LaserDiscs, I was involved in the (now defunct) International Interactive Communications Society (IICS) and got to know a local artist by the name of Lynn Fellman.

With an artist’s eye and a geek-like fascination with science and technology, Lynn leapt into the IICS and applied her animation expertise and creative mind, along with her illustrating skills, in order to apply them to interactive media projects. In those early interactive days, most startups and developers didn’t think much about user interfaces, visual appeal, or that great design could (and usually did) take their work up to a “gasp creating and eyes widening” level.

A few weeks back, Lynn pulled together an “IICS Alumni” lunch, I toured her studio, and she gave me an overview and update on one, key aspect of her art and passion: taking DNA sequencing and illustrating it for people who’ve had theirs sequenced, and I’m certain she could tell that I was deeply impressed and delighted with her art.

With projects like 23andMe, a DNA sequencing lab co-founded by none other than Google co-founder Sergey Brin’s wife, Anne Wojcicki, having your life patterns analyzed can give you all sorts of data about your ancestry and is a field accelerating due to the benefits being discovered when we have more knowledge about our own DNA. With her curious mind and scientific interest, Lynn saw a need that she could fill and is bringing this raw DNA data to life in her art and creating portraits for people around the world.

What’s that got to do with Darwin and why should you care?  …  [Read More…]

Upcoming Events: MinneWebCon

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minnewebconMinneWebCon is a full-day, three-track, continuing education conference for web professionals happening Monday, April 6, 2009. This conference delivers a practical blend of technical and creative information from industry practitioners and educators directly to University staff, students, and colleagues from other higher education institutions (as well as from other noncommercial and commercial areas of web practice).

The agenda focuses on latest developments and best practices concerning:

  • Web accessibility and usability
  • Design/development tools and applications
  • Web standards
  • Content management
  • Social networking
  • Internet law

Here are the day’s rates:

  • $200 – Standard registration
  • $150 – University staff registration
  • $100 – Student registration (full-time; must provide student ID#)

The 2009 registration fee includes a lunch buffet, and snacks and beverages throughout the day; it does not include parking.

Please refer to their Registration page to sign up.

The Spirit of MinneDemo

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Capturing the spirit and energy of MinneDemo is a challenge, so the Minnov8 team was really pleased when 2008 Emmy Award nominee, McKnight Filmmaking Fellowship holder, CurrentTV producer and videographer for MinnPost (who delivers videos like this one of local geek, Ed Kohler of TechnologyEvangelist and TheDeets, and his personal graffiti elimination program), Gabe Chefitz of 612Authentic, agreed to come to MinneDemo and shoot some video of this tech event. Take a peek….

This was a bit of an experiment to go along with the innovator demo videos shot by TJ Kudalis (and that I edited/posted this weekend) in order to provide those who couldn’t make MinneDemo with a bit of the flavor of it, the ability of those sucking the beer kegs dry with the ability to watch the demos after-the-fact, and to ensure that the next MinneDemo is even bigger by showing people what they missed. Thanks and great job Gabe!

CloudCamp Minneapolis Set for April 18

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CloudCamp Minneapolis bannerA CloudCamp unconference will be held at the University of Minnesota on April 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a Happy Hour after the event. CloudCamp is focused on cloud computing technologies and is an opportunity for companies, entrepreneurs and technology enthusiasts to share ideas and to network. A tentative agenda for the unconference has been posted.

The event is free but space is limited so sign up at Eventbrite.

We will be covering the event here on Minnov8, as well.

MinneDemo 2009 Innovator Demos

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minnedemo-logo2On Friday February 6th, nine internet and web innovations were showcased at the MinneDemo event held at Intermedia Arts. These entrepreneurs came to demonstrate their ideas, and what they’d built, to an appreciative audience of nearly 300 attendees. People from all over came for the demos, as well as to schmooze and connect with other geeks, developers and those interested in internet and web technology (and to ensure that the several kegs of beer on hand were properly drained).

A few points before you view the videos:

  • Each innovator was given seven minutes to present with the ground rules being, “No Powerpoint. Real working software only.”
  • The videos below were graciously shot (and streamed live via uStream.tv) by TJ Kudalis of Internet Broadcasting
  • Editing of that video by TJ, opening graphics, uploading and posting by Minnov8’s Steve Borsch
  • Listen to the Minnov8 Gang podcast with Graeme Thickins interviewing several attendees (editing by Tim Elliott)
  • Look for interviews done by Steve Borsch (shot by Gabe Cheifitz of 612 Authentic) to be available here at Minnov8 by end of day Monday
  • Another excellent event by Ben Edwards and Luke Francl and the terrific sponsors willing to support this event and make it happen. Thanks guys!

Now on to the videos (in alphabetical order vs. order of demo’ing) each 7-8 minutes in length:

…  [Read More…]

Emerging Minnesota Software and Internet Technologies to Take the Stage on February 6

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Entrepreneurs, software developers, and computer professionals of all stripes will be rubbing shoulders again this Friday evening with other hopeful company founders, VCs, angel investors, bloggers, and media people from throughout the Twin Cities and other parts of the Upper Midwest.  minnedemo-logoThey’ll be gathering for what’s become a not-to-be-missed quarterly geek-fest called Minnedemo. Billed as “the Twin Cities’ premier technology demo and networking event,” it features free beer, pop, munchies, and lots of conversation, with product demonstrations mixed in between. The latter are delivered from the stage of an auditorium with theater-like seating. More than 200 people are expected to attend.

Minnedemo is being held for a second time at Intermedia Arts in Uptown’s Lyn-Lake neighborhood, and will kick off about 6:00 p.m. this Friday, February 6, with demos starting about 7:00. (Intermedia Arts is located at 2822 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408.) According to Minnedemo organizer Luke Francl, “All are welcome, just please remember to RSVP online.” The web site for registering (again, it’s free) is http://minnedemo.eventbrite.com/.  This quarter’s event will feature ten demos — five, then a break, then five more. Most demonstrators will be launching their products or showing off their creations for the very first time. Here they are alphabetically: …  [Read More…]

Honeywell Backup System Is Said to Have Saved USAir Flight 1549

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honeywell-logoAn auxiliary power system designed and produced by a company with a long history in Minnesota appears to have played a role in the miraculous landing of USAir Flight 1529 on the Hudson River on January 15.

I was alerted to this news by a colleague at one of the local Honeywell facilities (in Golden Valley): Rich Hoeg, who’s manager of web collaboration and knowledge sharing. (Honeywell was founded in Minnesota and based here for most of its life, but corporate offices were moved to New Jersey when it merged with Allied Signal in 1999. The company still employs thousands here in Minnesota.)

usair-planeonriverThe first known photo of the downed plane, taken with an iPhone — with a dirty lens! — as
the first ferry came alongside.  It was shot minutes after the A320 touched down on the river.
(Photo by Janis Krums)

…  [Read More…]

‘Phizzpop Tour’ Pops Into Town, Gets Coldest Day of the Year

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A design competition for interactive agencies, sponsored by Microsoft, breezed into town on January 15 and got a rude shock: the most brutal sub-zero temps and windchills in five years.  Nonetheless, about 300 brave souls huddled inside at downtown hotspot(!) Solera and saw five agencies compete for bragging rights and a free trip to the “South By Southwest” (SXSW) festival/conference in March for the final round of the competition. phizzpop-logo2

Microsoft had plastered us with messages like this one for months: “Join us on the PhizzPop Tour to watch the top agency talent as they show us their Expression Studio and Silverlight skills.”  Get the picture?  Uh-huh, yessiree, they’re trying to sell you software.  But at least they’re out to make it entertaining. And no industry in the world likes a competition more than the ad industry. These folks live for this stuff.  …  [Read More…]

UnSummit Set To Return March 7

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unsummit logoUnSummit, the spontaneous tech marketing unconference spawned as an alternative to the sold-out MIMA Summit last October has set the date for their next event as Saturday, March 7, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Minneapolis Central Library.

The agenda is still coming together based upon attendee input but the theme of “Hacking the Recession” sounds timely and a good way to frame social media marketing in these challenging economic times.

If you are unfamiliar with UnSummit, you can check out our coverage here and on our podcast or visit the UnSummit blog. A sign-up list for attendees is on the UnSummit wiki. Without the overlap with the MIMA Summit, it looks to be a much larger event this time. Hope to see you there…

Next MinneDemo Scheduled

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ben-lukeThis just in as an email from Luke Francl, one of the co-organizers (along with Ben Edwards) of MinneDemo:

Happy New Year! We at Minne* hope 2009 finds you well.

Save the date! The next MinneDemo has been scheduled for Friday, February 6 (Registration is not yet open). (This is our first Friday MinneDemo!).

It will be at Intermedia Arts again. You may have heard that Intermedia Arts is having financial difficulties due to the economic meltdown. Renting their space again will help them become sustainable.

We are still looking for presenters. Working on something cool? We want to hear from you.

We also want a volunteer with A/V experience to help us simulcast the demos in the main room and record them for distribution on the Internet. Please contact me if you are interested.

Thanks,

Luke Francl & Ben Edwards