From Aardman to BDH, a host of award-winning media companies in the South West are investing in pervasive media, thanks to Media Sandbox*, a scheme to promote Research & Development in emerging areas of digital media.

Media Sandbox have now unveiled six projects which have been chosen to receive grants totalling more than £50,000 to develop groundbreaking ideas in pervasive media – an emerging field exploiting powerful new mobile devices, wireless networks and sensors which offers significant opportunities for new types of digital media content and services.

Media Sandbox was launched at the Watershed in November last year to encourage SMEs, entrepreneurs and big business to come together to drive projects combining emerging technology and real life.

Clare Reddington, Producer at iShed, who is running and jointly funding the project said, “The quality of the submitted project ideas was amazing, it was really quite difficult to select just six. It proves how vast the possibilities are for new technology and gives us a glimpse into how humans will use technology as part of their lives in the future.”

As technology and new media are no longer relegated to the confines of cinema, TV screens and computers, the Sandbox scheme was created to invest in projects that would push forward greater understanding and potential usage of next generation digital media.

After an initial launch event, applications were submitted for consideration and six projects were chosen to receive £9,000 each to develop their projects further. A final project will be selected in March to receive a further £10,000 to bring the project to fruition.

To see details of the commissions and find out more about the project and it’s aims go to www.mediasandbox.co.uk