Toshi Anders Hoo
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Dynamic professional career with over 25 years in creating cutting edge technology presentations, museum exhibits, and event design. Was Director of The Emerging Media Lab at Institute for the Future 10 years, with a background in media design, production, research, and education. Specialized in leveraging emerging technologies for future learning and creative media landscapes while securing significant funding for innovative projects.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Institute for the Future (IFTF), 2016–2026
Director, Emerging Media Lab
Founded and leads the Emerging Media Lab, focusing on VR, AR, and AI technologies.
Secured over $2M in funding for immersive media design research projects.
Serve on Faculty of IFTF’s Foresight Essentials education program
Serve as Lead Experience Designer for custom research events and exhibits
Hoo Media Design, 1999–2016
Lead Producer, Creative Director, Researcher
Directed diverse projects in immersive and interactive media, including major installations and media productions.
Key projects included:
Brocade Kinetic Theater, Levi’s Stadium (2014): Creative Director for motion-tracked interactive video wall.
Earth Portal, Seattle Space Needle (2012): Directed a 22-minute immersive dome film exploring new patterns of discovery in the universe.
The Singularity Is Near, documentary (2010): Produced/directed feature length film on technological evolution with Ray Kurzweil.
United Nation’s Natural World Museum Exhibition (2005): Media Technology Producer for interactive 50,000-sqft exhibition.
National Constitution Center Interactive Exhibits (2003): Designed educational interactive media exhibits for a $100M museum.
“Ramona”, TED (2000): Media technologist for the world’s first live motion-capture VR performance.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Leading groundbreaking research projects exploring applications and implications of emerging media technologies, emphasizing VR, AR, and AI.
Produced pivotal reports and prototypes contributing to the understanding of immersive media’s impact on various sectors.
Highlighted Research Projects:
“VR for Prison Reentry Pilot”: An extensive study and prototype developed for Alameda County Probation Department (2023).
“Future of Social Spatial XR Computing”: A comprehensive report and prototype for Intel exploring the future of XR in computing (2022).
“Immersive Collaborative Design”: Conducted research talks and VR workshops for San Francisco Opera Creative Instigators Program (2021).
“New Realities of Learning”: An in-depth study for the California Community Colleges’ Chancellor's Office on XR in education (2018).
“Simtainer” VR speculative future scenarios presented at the United Nations General Assembly, New York (2017).
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
IFTF
Lead Instructor and Course Developer: “Three Horizons of AI,” exploring the trajectory of generative AI.
Instructor, Foresight Essentials: Engaged in teaching strategic foresight methodologies.
Instructor, Design Futures Course: Focused on advanced media design techniques for speculative future scenarios.
Guest Teaching and Workshops
Lecturer, reviewer, and interactive workshop facilitator on VR, AR, and AI for Massachusetts College of Art and Design, UC Berkeley, and San Francisco State University.
Featured presenter on emerging media at Singularity University and Deloitte University executive leadership training programs.
ART EXHIBITIONS
"The Resolution of Water" : Interactive 1 pixel water and light sculpture at TIAT, San Francisco (2026).
“Murmur”: Projection-mapped sculpture at The Drawing Room, San Francisco (2023).
“Float and Flow”: A projection-mapped dance performance at Botanica - San Francisco (2019).
“ONVR”: Collaborative VR data visualization experience at Ars Electronica (2018) and SIGGRAPH (2018).
“Four Daniels”: Volumetric VR music performance installation featured in the Museum of Other Realities (2017).
“Prototopo”: Explored projected structured light at The Gray Area Festival (2017).
“Immersa” and “Exponentia” live VR music performances created with multi-instrumentalist and composer Daniel Berkman, presented at multiple IFTF and partner events (2016–2019)
“Grasp”: AR installation showcased at The Laundry Gallery (2016).
“Passages: Moving Through Worlds”: photography exhibition at 550 Bryant Gallery, (2013)
RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS
Featured panelist “AI for nonprofits” Upswell Sumit (2023)
SXSW panelist: “Seeding Activism Through Experience Design” (2023).
Dubai Future Forum featured panelist (2022).
Keynote at Primer Speculative Futures Summit: “From the Singularity to the Multiverse: Shifting Media Mythologies” (2022).
SIGGRAPH Presentation: “Immersive Human Networks” and “ONVR” VR data visualization demo (2019).
SKILLS AND PROFICIENCIES
Extensive experience in Media Technology Research, Production, and Education.
Proficient in Strategic Foresight Practice and Instruction.
Skilled in Event Design, Curation, and Production.
Expertise in VR, AR, and AI Project Development.
Comprehensive skills in Video Production, Editing, and Animation.
EDUCATION
Mass College of Art and Design, 1992: Coursework in Filmmaking.
Bryn Athyn College, 1991: Coursework in Religion and Biology.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Member, Gray Area for the Arts (2016-present)
Member, XR Guild (2018-present)
Represented by SFMOMA Artist Gallery (2014-2019).