In case you missed them the first time, we have rounded up some of our top news stories from the past year with some updates.

	GRAND researchers unveil revolutionary 'paper tablet' A paper-thin, flexible tablet developed at Queen's University's Human Media Lab in partnership with Intel Labs and Plastic Logic offers users a radically new touchscreen experience. Called PaperTab, the device was runner-up for the Stuff Gadget Awards 2013 Innovation of the Year and a finalist for the T3 Gadget Awards 2013.
	Exergame developed through GRAND-NeuroDevNet partnership offers effective therapy for children with cerebral palsy Working with researchers at NeuroDevNet NCE, Dr. Nicholas Graham (Queen's University) and team have developed a fun, fast-paced multiplayer exergame called Liberi that is making a difference in the lives of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Unveiled at the ACM CHI 2013 conference in Paris, the team's paper submission went on to win Best Paper in Child-Computer Interaction. In October, researchers marked World CP Day with a live cross-Canada demonstration of Liberi involving players in Vancouver and Toronto (CTVNews).
	Confronting Pain project basis for new Chronic Pain Research Institute at Simon Fraser University GRAND Director of Health Research Dr. Diane Gromala is working with researchers and physicians on leading research with the potential to help millions suffering from long-term chronic pain. Dr. Gromala's research was featured on Google's Solve for X forum for innovative thinking. Lab researcher were also recognized for a groundbreaking study on difference in pain sensitivity between men and women.
	Canada’s first social media research lab opens at Dalhousie University Dalhousie professor Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd is helping us make sense of our networked world with the April launch of a new state-of-the-art research lab focused on social media and online networks. In September, the lab hosted over 200 researchers and other professionals at Canada's second major interdisciplinary symposium looking at the effects of social media on society.
	GRAND 2013 brings together Canada’s top digital media researchers and innovators GRAND's fourth annual conference co-located with CDMN Canada 3.0 hosted networking, discussion, and exchange for industry and academic delegates from around the globe including Brazil, the Netherlands, the U.S., Germany, Australia, Afghanistan, the U.K., Belgium, Austria, and the UAE. An industry-academic connection made at the conference helped establish the award-winning game developer MOBRO Software Ltd. GRAND 2014 will be held May 14-16 in Ottawa, Canada.
	Experimental interactive game may improve self-regulation as therapy for traumatized kids SFU Human-Computer Interaction expert Dr. Alissa Antle is designing a biofeedback tablet game to help disadvantaged children in Nepal recover from trauma and succeed in school. In 2013, her research on embodied interaction was also recognized in the ACM Computing Reviews' Best of 2012, followed by a Best Practic Award from EU-funded project DEVICE for her Developmentally Situated Design (DSD) card set for designers working on interactive devices for children.
	SFU and UBC researchers combine sustainability and digital media to promote public engagement with green policies A public lecture in Vancouver on the Greenest City Conversations project held in September presented the results of the project's comprehensive look at how interactive media can engage public discussion around urban sustainability policies and practices. The study examined the use of social media, multiplayer touch games, visualization, mobile computing, and other media in engaging thousands of Vancouver residents in conversations on a variety of sustainability policies.
	Student entrepreneurs at Ryerson’s Interdisciplinary EDGE Lab developing adaptive technologies for children with disabilities The Experiential Design and Gaming Environments (EDGE) lab at Ryerson University is helping students turn good ideas into social enterprises. In 2013, GRAND HQP Rubina Quadri and Sherene Nq were awarded a Social Venture Commercialization Fellowship for $30,000 from FedDevOntario and Ryerson to develop an original EDGE Lab property.
	Researchers at Emily Carr and the U of A collaborate on new low-cost 3D-printed surgical models A GRAND-initiated partnership is using breakthrough 3D printing material developed at Emily Carr University of Art + Design to generate low-cost surgical models for researchers at the University of Alberta. With the development of inespensive, off-the-shelf printing material, Emily Carr researchers foresee many new applications on the horizon for commercial 3D printers.
	Incoming Scientific Director to lead GRAND’s next phase GRAND is introducing a renewed research program focused on tackling problems of importance to Canadians. The digital media research network has turned its attention to funding renewal with plans for the coming five-year second phase as an NCE under the direction of GRAND's new Scientific Director Dr. Eugene Fiume (University of Toronto). New projects expected to come on line April 2014 will have a greater involvement from partners and respective receptor communities.
	Edmonton hackathon joins medical professionals with tech innovators to work on Canada’s healthcare challenges GRAND was a major sponsor of Hacking Health Edmonton - Alberta's first 48-hour coding jam focused on health. Held at the University of Alberta's Edmonton Clinic Health Academy in November, the event involved over 100 doctors, nurses, and other health professionals along with students, designers, developers, and many others in building prototype health technology from scratch.
	SFU researchers explore the power of interactive media to engage citizens, transform urban spaces An experimental “Speaker’s Corner” called Mégaphone in the heart of Montréal’s Quartier des Spectacles offered researchers insight into interactive media’s impact on public space. Simon Fraser University doctoral student Claude Fortin undertook a 10-week case study of the interactive street installation, which merges technology and urban space in a bid to transform the traditional soapbox. The research was featured on UBM's Future Cities blog.

Media Contact:

Spencer Rose
Communications Officer
GRAND NCE