The official day 1 of Autodesk University 2012 general sessions started today. I started my day up in the rafters of the Mandalay Bay arena high above the audience like a cloud with arms, legs, and a camera taking photos during the main stage keynote. It kicked off with Autodesk CTO Jeff Kowalski talking about the Beyond Form: The Whole Design Process. Jeff talked about the history of design and challenges faced due to decisions made during design.

Dezso Molnar spoke about his Gyrocycle which was also with him at the stage. Attendees can see the Gyrocycle in the Exhibit Hall.

Christine Furstoss, Technical Director of Manufacturing & Materials Technologies at GE spoke about the Third Industrial Revolution.

Jeff introduced Schuyler St. Leger who at the tender age of 12 years old, is an extreme Maker an pint sized powerhouse of energy. Following Schuyler’s energetic and passionate presentation where you forgot at times this was a 12 year old kid, Autodesk CEO Carl Bass joined Schuyler for a neon lab jacket smack down. Carl and Schuyler each one upped the other until Schuyler revealed he had hooked up and programmed an accelerometer to his jacket and when he danced the lights changed.

Carl spoke about “What If” and that was captured in detail by Scott Sheppard on his blog.

#AU2012 General Session: Carl Bass Answers 16 Questions

Lynn Allen Autodesk Technical Evangelist spoke about this being the 20th year of Autodesk University as well as tips for AU and upcoming events.

Check out the AU Blog for more great coverage:
AU 2012 Keynote Address: Amazing Technology Right Here, Right Now 

After the keynote I ran into Abhijit Oak of Autodesk and he showed me his latest project announced just today Autodesk Formit. Formit is now available for the iPad in the App store. See the announcement of Formit below. It is really quite amazing to see it in action with the performance and the features it has in it’s first release.
http://autodeskformit.com

I got the coveted mini shovel from Dana Probert today when she was showing Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler in the Autodesk 360 Lounge.

I'm totally digging it!

I saw many attendees at THEbar, not a drinking bar but one where Autodesk employees were helping answer technical questions.

The Creative Studio was rocking with many projects you can make or technologies to try. You can follow your nose to the Creative Studio by the smell of laser burned cardboard. Schuyler’s AU Keynote smack down winning neon lab coat will be featured as an instructable on how to make one on Instructables.com. I could use some neon bling tomorrow night at the Cage Match event, sadly my cape has no lights.

Scott Sheppard and I had a session on Cool Technology in the Autodesk Labs.

The Exhibit Hall opened tonight with the annual sea of attendees lined up outside the door waiting for the doors to swing open. There was so much to see that most will need to make several trips to see all the partners, technology, exhibits, or just to get the freebies or win contests.

I got some real-time CFD performed on me riding a bike using Project Falcon technology.

I needed to get more air streamed like Dezso.

Some of the days Press Announcements:

• The Cloud Takes Center-stage at Autodesk University 2012
• Autodesk Ushers In New Era of Cloud Based Design
• Autodesk Previews Next Generation of Infrastructure Design & Construction at Autodesk University
• New Autodesk FormIt App Accelerates Conceptual Design and Form Creation for Building Design Professionals
  

Tomorrow, 
Wednesday at Autodesk University 2012 

• Another great day of classes and Innovation Forums
• The Exhibit Hall
• The annual AUGI Beer Bust
• Cage Matches! 9:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. No PowerPoint slides—just gutsy fighters in a ring. There will be several entertaining brain flexing cage match style debates on various topics with drinks, snacks and audience participation/rowdiness is encouraged. I get to go face to face (figuratively - as he is a kid and still growing) with 12 year old Maker Schuyler St. Leger. How do you battle a 12 year old, and not lose… He has already taken down Autodesk CEO Carl Bass in a neon lighted lab coat smack down in front of 8000 people in the Keynote address.
  Breaking Autodesk University 2012 News – I am Fighting a 12 Year Old…
  He may be:
        cute
        short 
        fuzzy
        harmless 
        smarter than most 40 year olds
  But be warned, he taunted and beat on me at lunch perhaps in an attempt to intimidate and psych me out. I need some serious advice on how best to debate the 12 year old and not look like the experienced old mechanical designer beating on a defenseless cute kid or just resorting to an atomic wedgy (ok no wedgies I promise.) I do need some people at the Cage Match on my side rooting me on.  

Follow me on Twitter for more up to the minute updates in bite size photos and pieces @ShaanHurley. I will be giving away a few goodies from my friends at Techsmith and Mindjet the next two days.

It’s time to call it a night or morning and get some sleep. Sleep is something that is a rare element at AU.

Hope to see both the gym and you tomorrow!
Shaan