[From Gizmag (“invention, innovation and emerging technologies in all fields of human endeavour”); the web version of this story contains video segments]

GOOD THINKING

Take a stroll through virtual reality on the CyberWalk omni-directional treadmill

By Darren Quick
November 4, 2009 PST

Jogging on the spot has gone high tech thanks to an omni-directional treadmill that allows you to walk in any direction while staying centered on the treadmill. When coupled with virtual reality (VR) technology it offers the potential for truly natural walking and immersion in virtual environments.… read more. “Stroll through VR with CyberWalk omni-directional treadmill”

[From the web site of Zest Audio; more information about Lightstep Technologies follows below]

Community Simulates Disaster for Life Safety

Zest Audio has recently completed the installation of a high power Community sound system for the demonstration facilities of Lightstep Technologies at their Belfast headquarters.

Lightstep produce innovative products to help people escape from life threatening situations. Following many well publicised disasters in recent years, involving major loss of life in high rise buildings, nightclubs, underground stations and at sea, Lightstep has developed systems that represent a significant step forward in Life Safety systems.

Much has been done to improve and integrate the response and ability of the fire, ambulance, police and other emergency services but, until now, little progress has been made in developing integrated visual systems to increase the chances of escape from burning buildings, gas leaks, underground black outs, explosions on land or at sea, capsizing vessels or collapsing tunnels.… read more. “Lightstep’s simulations of disaster evacuation system”

[A press release from Media-Newswire]

Video Game to Help Urban Teens Avoid HIV Infection Focus of Nearly $4 Million Grant To Yale

New Haven, Conn. – Creating a video game to help teens avoid sex, drugs and alcohol use-behaviors that could lead to HIV infection-is the aim of a five-year, $3.9 million research grant to Yale from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The grant, to be paid out over five years, will fund work by Lynn Fiellin, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine.

(Media-Newswire.com) – New Haven, Conn. – Creating a video game to help teens avoid sex, drugs and alcohol use-behaviors that could lead to HIV infection-is the aim of a five-year, $3.9 million research grant to Yale from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.… read more. “Video Game to Help Urban Teens Avoid HIV in $4 Million Grant to Yale”

[From The Vancouver Sun]

Butting out in virtual reality may have real-life results

By Linda Nguyen, Canwest News Service
October 28, 2009

Our actions in virtual reality may subconsciously lead to changes to real-life addictive behaviours, according to a group of Quebec researchers.

A recent study by the GRAP Occupational Psychology Clinic and University of Quebec in Gatineau found that smokers who destroyed cigarettes in a virtual-reality environment many times over a period of months reported having less of a tobacco addiction than those who were assigned another virtual-reality task.

The theory behind the study, published in the current issue of the U.S.-based CyberPsychology and Behavior journal, is that the participants developed a “stronger drive” to quit smoking, because they subconsciously visualized themselves destroying their addiction.

Ninety-one smokers who were enrolled in a 12-week anti-smoking program were randomly divided into two groups.… read more. “Butting out in virtual reality may have real-life results”

[From the Pixels and Policy blog (“Uncovering the ways virtual worlds change our politics, policy, and culture”)]

10/26/2009

The Curious Case of Racism in Second Life

The standard techno-optimist argument in favor of expanding the Metaverse goes something like this: Virtual worlds hold the promise of commuication without regard for distance, physical ability, gender, or race. Every aspect of the avatar is flexible, rendering prejudice obsolete.

It appears such wishful thinking might be snagged on the heated issue of race. Pixels and Policy reports on a little-noticed study that says our racial biases are carrying over into the Metaverse.

Bringing Race Issues into the Virtual World

A research team from Northwestern University conducted a very interesting study on the biases and prejudices we carry into the virtual world, and the findings are startling. Researchers used what is called a “Door in the face” technique.… read more. “The Curious Case of Racism in Second Life”

[From The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Wired Campus blog; more information is available here and at the EchoDamp web site]

October 27, 2009, 02:00 PM ET

Software Helps Music Students Collaborate Online With Crystal Clarity

By Jeff Young

Music schools have a tradition of bringing in famous musicians to hold master classes with a handful of students, but many of those visits have been cut this year because of tight budgets. Free software developed at the University of Southern California promises to make videoconferencing clear enough to hold such classes remotely over high-speed Internet connections.

The software is called EchoDamp, and it was developed by Brian K. Shepard, an assistant professor of composition at Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. “There’s a great deal of information that is there if you’re in the same room with somebody singing or performing an instrument, but that is often not transmitted in a videoconference,” he said.… read more. “Software Helps Music Students Collaborate Online With Crystal Clarity”