Mersivity Pledge signed by notable ICCE attendees such as Thomas Coughlin, IEEE President (2024),
Dr. Steve Mann, and Dr. Bob Frankston, a renowned innovator and co-creator of VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program.
The above pledge reads:
As technology becomes more immersive, pervasive, and intelligent, there is a need to ensure that it serves humanity, and, more broadly, life, earth, and our environment. Accordingly we, the undersigned, pledge to advance technology for humanity and for sustainability (Earth). Whenever we design virtual or augmented environments, we shall embrace extended reality / extended intelligence (XR), so as not to unduly limit our well-being. In particular, whenever we design technologies that immerse us, we must ensure that the technology continues to connect us to each other and to our surroundings (environment), i.e. ensure "mersivity". Notably, as we build upon the three axes of physicality, cyber/virtuality, and humanity/sociality, we shall aim to connect these three axes in both directions, creating technologies that are:- Unmonopolizing of our attention so we can still sense our surroundings.
- Unrestrictive so we can still walk, hike, swim, socialize.
- Observable and accountable so we can sense, understand, and trust it (alethia).
- Controllable so it serves us, not enslaves us.
- Attentive to its environment so it can help us with situational awareness.
- Communicative to others around us, i.e. expressive.