Recent News
What is ArcGIS Online?
ArcGIS Online is a web-based software that is designed for creating interactive story maps that connect diverse locations, populations, and data. Widely utilized in the field of Communication, it remains a valuable tool whose applications are continually expanding. Several of our lab members are presently engaged in individual projects using ArcGIS and are eager to share their work with the public in the near future.
For those who are interested in exploring this program first-hand, check out the link.
Exciting Updates to the NML Newsletter
The Networked Mobilities Lab is excited to announce that we are transitioning from our monthly newsletter to a bi-monthly issue. This adjustment enbales us to organize lab content more efficiently while ensuring a strong presence in the world of mobile technology.
We anticipate that these changes will contribute to the overall success of the Networked Mobilities Lab, and we are eager to witness future developments!
Interested in subscribing to our newsletter? Visit the link!
Recent News
The National Communication Association's 109th Annual Conference
The National Communication Association annually organizes conferences, with the 2023 event marking the 109th installment of this tradition. The gathering serves as a nexus for hundreds of theorists and brilliant minds, fostering a collective enthusiasm for advancements in the field of communication.
It is with great pleasure that we extend our congratulations to PhD candidate and Networked Mobilities Lab member Emma Stanley for her remarkable research, titled "Mapping and Mobilities: Interdisciplinary Usage of ArcGIS for Narrative Experiences."
To learn more about Stanley's contributions to the NCA, check out the link.
Mobile Gaming and You
What was your very first dive into the realm of mobile gaming?
Are you a vintage enthusiast, reminiscing about childhood hours spent with a trusty Game Boy or roaming about your local park with a Pokéwalker in tow? Alternatively, you might be a recent user, immersing yourself in the world of mobile gaming through a cutting-edge Steamdeck or navigating Pokémon Go battles with friends.
No matter your journey, mobile games have been a longstanding presence in our lives. Share the significance that they hold for you in the comments of our Instagram, X, or Facebook!
Recent News
"Mobility Data Justice" by Dr. Mimi Sheller
Data is ubiquitous: it resides in fitness tracking apps, digital mapping software, artificial intelligence, and countless other realms of modern technology. Our very existence and movements produce data. However, what occurs when this data is regulated or fully unleashed? What control do we possess over our own data, and how does that relate to social justice? These are the inquiries that Dr. Mimi Sheller delves into in her latest article, "Mobility Data Justice."
Interested in learning more? Check out the link!
.png)
AoIR Conference Highlight
The AoIR Conference was an incredible triumph!
Join us in a well-deserved round of applause for our distinguished scholars: Drs. Adriana de Souza e Silva, Ragan Glover, Scott Campbell, Jeffrey Boase, and Colin Agur, who, in the Networked Mobilities Lab, presented their groundbreaking research on the intersection of mobile technology and the complexities of our social landscape.
Recent News
Introducing the Retro Mobile Gaming Database
Introducing one of our long-standing projects, the Retro Mobile Gaming Database (RMGD)!
Prepare to dive into the universe of gaming genres where you can unearth your childhood favorites or discover hidden gems. With our powerful searching algorithm, you're not only able to locate games by title, development year, or game type, but also discover exciting new connections between historical mobile gaming genres.
Have we captured your attention? Check out the link!
ICA Mobile Communication Division
"Mobile communication went from being new and revolutionary to a taken-for-granted and deeply embedded part of everyday life." These insightful words resonate with esteemed scholars within the ICA Mobile Communication Division, whose research serves as cornucopia of wealth for advancements in the field.
The upcoming ICA Conference, slated for June 2024, will delve into the multifaceted roles of mobile technology. It will explore its expression as a fundamental human right and its misuse as a tool for supressing those very rights. This conference boasts a diverse array of workshops covering topics such as photography, artificial intelligence, algorithmic media, locative technology, and so much more.
Interested? Check out this fascinating opportunity by clicking the link.
Recent News
"Mobile Games: What to Expect in the Near Future."
The mobile gaming industry is in a constant state of evolution, marked by continuous change and growth. As such, technology researchers step up to the challenge by predicting emerging trends within the gaming community, whether casual gamers continue to dominate or make way for dedicated hardcore enthusiasts. Esteemed professor Marco Furini from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia delves into the nuances of casual vs. hardcore games and their interconnected social aspects in his recent article, entitled "Mobile Games: What to Expect in the Near Future." His aim is to provide a deeper understanding of the trajectory of mobile technology within the gaming landscape.
To learn all about this fascinating research, check out the link!
Exploring Applications for Locative Media
Is there an app for that? Yes, of course! The Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, renowned for its extensive contemporary art collections, has introduced a cutting-edge locative app designed to enhance the patron experience. This innovative app utilizes GPS data to seamlessly guide visitors through each gallery, providing choreographed descriptions of every artwork. What sets it apart is its ability to recognize the visitor's location in relation to nearby pieces.
To discover more about this remarkable technological advancement, watch the full video here!
Recent News
Upcoming September 2023 Newsletter!
Get ready to explore the world of mobile communication with Networked Mobilities Lab as we gear up to unveil our September 2023 newsletter! In this edition, you’ll have the chance to:
- Discover the latest breakthroughs in our current projects.
- Gain valuable insights from our dedicated lab members.
- Explore recent publications from NML contributors.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to stay at the forefront of mobility research. Subscribe now to ensure that you’ll receive our newsletter as soon as it drops! Stay tuned for future updates!
Upcoming Media Lab Workshops!
The Department of Communication at NC State is excited to announce its Media Lab series! Next week on September 20th and 26th, experienced faculty collaborate with students to explore various topics in digital media, such as an Adobe Express workshop and investigations into the developments of AI in media making.
Interested in learning more about these fascinating activities? Check out the following link!
Recent News
"On the Role of Digitization and Globalization..."
The world of mobile communication is constantly evolving, as is our understanding of these emerging technologies. In her recent article, Dr. Nataliia Bakhmat explores the convergence between video games and academics, citing digital technology as a valuable tool for organization and remote learning within education.
Discover the intriguing findings of Dr. Bakhmat's research by clicking here!
2-Year Anniversary of the NML Instagram Account!
On August 27th, 2021, the Networked Mobilities Lab launched its first official Instagram account, which can be found at @nml.ncsu.
Since then, we have been able to connect with a broader audience, both at NC State and other universities across the nation. This exchange of news and research furthers our understanding of mobile communication and allows for future exploration in the field.
Interested in keeping up with the Networked Mobilities Lab? Check out our X and Facebook accounts!
Ministory
Networked Mobilities Lab Podcast Out Now!
The Networked Mobilities Lab Podcast is now LIVE on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. In each episode, we discuss topics related to networked mobilities studies along with featured guest scholars and professors who discuss their own academic work its connection to networked mobilities.
The first episode serves as an introduction to the topic of mobilities as well as how our lab directors came to find themselves in their academic field.
To check out the first episode of the podcast, use these links to listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Ministory
Announcement: NML Podcast Coming Soon
The Networked Mobilities Lab is preparing the first episode of its new podcast, featuring our own lab directors Dr. Adriana de Souza e Silva and Dr. Ragan Glover-Rijkse.
Each episode will discuss various topics related to mobilities and communication. Featured guests will consist of existing affiliate members as well as other scholars in the field.
Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
Announcement: Spring '23 Lecture Series
The Networked Mobilities Lab presents Dr. Eric Gordon, Professor and Director of the Engagement Lab at Emerson College, who will headline our 2023 Spring Lecture Series as part of the 2023 CRDM Research Symposium on Civic Engagement, Games, & the Smart City.
Dr. Gordon's lecture will examine trends in technology-augmented proxies, including AI, web3 technologies such as blockchain, as well as novel data practices, and artificial intelligence.
If you are interested in attending, visit the lecture's description page and RSVP.
Newsletter Archive is now Available
The Networked Mobilities Lab will now publish all future newsletter issues in an archive availalable under the 'News' tab.
NML has just released the first issue of their monthly newsletter (February 2023) and is now available to view here.
For this month of February, we announced our 2023 Spring Lecture Series with Dr. Eric Gordon, from Emerson College in Boston. We also highlighted the Mobile Networked Creativities project, a crowdsourcing website where we collect examples of creative appropriations of technologies by marginalized communities and people without "proper" access to networked technologies. Finally, we spotlighted Khawar Khan, a CRDM student who, due to his background in HI and UX Design has been instrumental in the development of many of our projects, including the MNC project and a pandemic location-based game.
If you are interested in receiving our newsletter every month, subscribe here.
Introducing the Networked Mobilities Lab
Our lab formerly known as the Mobile Gaming Research Lab (MGRL) has expanded its academic scope to include all mobilities afforded to us by networked technologies. We will officially be rebranding to the Networked Mobilities Lab (NML).
To stay updated on our projects going forward, bookmark our page or follow us on Instagram or Twitter @nml_ncsu.
NML Physical Collection
We are proud to present our physical collection of the NML. Our physical collection consists of popular gaming consoles used throughout 1975 to 2008. Examples of some of the consoles you might see in our collection include the GameBoy and Nintendo DS to name a few. We would love to grow our collection as we accept donations from anyone willing to part with their old consoles.
For more details email us at networkedmobilitieslab@ncsu.edu and check out our Retro Mobile Gaming Database here.
BuzzFeed Quiz
What kind of mobile game player are you? You've likely devoted plenty of time to games like Pokémon GO and Angry Birds, but have you ever wondered about mobile games from the not-so-distant past? Answer the questions in this quiz and it'll pair you with a retro mobile game from the Retro Mobile Gaming Database, a collection of mobile games from 1975 to 2008 created by the Mobile Games Research Lab at North Carolina State University. Click the link below to go directly to our BuzzFeed Quiz!
Check out our quiz here BuzzFeed Quiz
Game on!
We've recently launched our Retro Mobile Gaming Database, which allows users to search games by multiple search criteria including title, year developed, type of game, and more. This robust search system will help researchers not only to find games but also to create new correlations among historical types of mobile games.
Adrianna de Souza E Silva, MGRL Director and Professor of Communication, has designed a quiz featured on the Chass Accolades Magazine. Test your mobile gaming knowledge in this short quiz, and feel free to use the Retro Mobile Gaming Database as a resource!
The MGRL Spring '21 Lecture Series
Wednesday, April 7, 2021, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. EST
Join us for the Mobile Gaming Research Lab '21 Lecture Series webinar. To celebrate the release of the Retro Mobile Gaming Database, this webinar will feature scholars whose research is at the intersection of mobile games, archives and history. The talks will explore the history of touch-based mobile game interfaces and how Pokémon Go contributes to the creation of digital memory.
For more information, visit our webpage.
The MGRL Retro Mobile Gaming Database
Want to know more about the origins of our Retro Mobile Gaming Database? We were recently featured in a post on the NCSU Newsletter, in which we discuss the database's purpose and how it's important to study the history of mobile games. The post provides insight into our design choices, the need for such a database, and our focus on a collaborative approach.
Please give it a read and contact us with any questions or concerns.
We look forward to your feedback and participation in creating this robust source for research in mobile gaming!
The MGRL's Retro Mobile Gaming Database Release
On February 1st, 2021, we released our Retro Mobile Gaming Database (RMDB), an online, publicly searchable database of early mobile games from 1975-2008. This database allows users to search games by multiple search criteria including title, year developed, type of game, and more. This robust search system will help researchers not only to find games but also to create new correlations among historical types of mobile games.
If you know of a game not currently in the database, you can help to populate our database by suggesting a new game. We hope for this to be a robust resource for game scholars, students interested in games, and game enthusiasts to learn about the history of mobile games!
The MGRL Fall 2020 Brown bag lecture featuring Frans Mäyrä
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, from 12-1: Watch the Talk
The University of Tampere Game Research Lab has focused on studying some of the key emerging game and play forms over the last two decades, such as location-based mobile multiplayer gaming, pervasive play, games with digital distribution and micropayments, social network games, and hybrid playful designs. Much of this work has been based on a combination of humanities, social sciences, and design research work to build bridges between theoretical and foundational research and applied for future-oriented work. In this short talk, professor Mäyrä will discuss his experiences with combinations of academic and creative work, focusing on the differences of studying games vs. play, and will then move to outline the history, potential, and need of theory for what he calls pervasive culture of play.
Appearance on WUNC's "The State of Things" -- Director of the Mobile Gaming Research Lab, Dr. Adriana de Souza e Silva
February 13, 2020: Listen to the episode on WUNC's website
Dr. Adriana de Souza e Silva (director of the MGRL) appeared as a recent guest on WUNC's "The State of Things" radio show and podcast, titled "Embodied: How Online Gaming Creates Real-Life Love". During this episode, Dr. de Souza e Silva discussed how early location-based mobile games created hybrid spaces--that is, a space that merges the boundaries between the digital and physical world. Additionally, she discussed more recent mobile games and their potential to encourage sociability, promote bonding, and deepen our relationship with the world around us.
Lecture: Playdate, a new handheld video game console
September 17, 2019, in Caldwell Lounge, NC State. Watch the Talk
Greg Maletic (Director of Special Projects at Panic Inc.) gave a lecture about Playdate. Playdate is a tiny, yellow, handheld game console, which made a bigger splash than its creators envisioned when it was announced in May 2019. Relying on a combination of old tech (a 1-bit black-and-white display), new design (from Sweden), and some just-plain-weird ideas (a side-mounted crank as a game controller), software maker Panic Inc. hopes that Playdate can carve itself a niche in a video game marketplace where giants dominate.
The Mobile Gaming Expo
March 26-27, 2018 at NC State.
The was the very first public exhibition of the current collection of the Mobile Gaming Research Lab (MGRL). The MGRL worked to create an archeological collection of mobile games. Our goal was to develop a mobile gaming database where researchers can search for and retrieve information about mobile and location-based games. This first expo showcased a range of mobile gaming devices beginning in the late 80s to contemporary examples. In addition, we showed documentation of canonical mobile games, which emphasize the increasingly hybrid nature of mobile gameplay. With the initial showcase of our collection, we asked participants to consider the materiality of mobile media; specifically, the ways that mobile devices have changed to allow for different kinds of user-device interactions and experiences of urban spaces.