[From CONTROL; more information is available in the press release from Invensys] [Image: Field operators in the EYESIM environment can interact with simulated incidents like the gas leak shown here. And because both the simulated plant environment and control room are linked to the same underlying DYNSIM model, operators on both ends can be trained in effective communication.] Immersive Simulator Boosts Operator Preparedness SimSci-Esscor Solutions Help Train Clean-coal Plant Operators 10/22/2012 Operator training took on a new sense of realism this summer, when the U.S. Department of Energy started up its new immersive simulator at the National Energy Technology Laboratory’s (NETL)…

[From Religious Dispatches magazine] [Image: Apartment building on 8th Avenue between 14th and 15th Street. Credit: Gilad Lotan, @gilgul] Escape From Manhattan: Tech, Tragedy and Storytelling in Sandy’s Wake By Rachel Wagner November 2, 2012 Two weeks ago, I attended the New York Comic Con, braving the crowds of thousands to get a taste of what drives so many to invest so much in costume construction, role-play, and fan devotion to popular media franchises. And, because the convention ended not long before Halloween, I decided to compose a retrospective on America’s two favorite modes of imagination-driven investment in other worlds.…

[From Phys.org, where the story includes additional images and a 1:36 minute video] Build your own home theater for full-blast entertainment with ‘Virtual Sound Ball’ November 5, 2012 Watching a 3 dimensional (3D) film at home can be just as real and fun as going to a movie theater. Professor Yang-Hann Kim and Research Professor Jung-Woo Choi from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST, have succeeded in building an audio rendering system that will considerably improve the current 3D audio effects technology. 3D audio effects can be produced by stereo speakers, surround-sound speakers, speaker-arrays, or headphones, which essentially give an…

[From The Daily Mail] [Image: Inspiration? Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz said having a fit avatar on a game such as Second Life could help someone to visualise their weight-loss goal] Imagine yourself thin! How having a slim alter-ego online could help you lose weight By Daily Mail Reporter 7 November 2012 Fans of virtual reality games are often stereotyped as geeky introverts. But scientists say having an electronic doppelganger could actually improve a person’s health and appearance. Harnessing the power of the virtual world could even lead to new forms of obesity treatment, according to the team from the University of Missouri.…

[From TechNewsDaily] [Image: Users can control the display of these data glasses with their eye movements. Credit: Fraunhofer COMEDD] Your Eyes Can Control Augmented Reality Glasses TechNewsDaily Staff November 06 2012 The simple act of turning a page has begun to look outdated with iPads replacing books and manuals for many working professionals. But an augmented reality display similar to Google Glasses frees up wearers’ hands by allowing them to turn virtual pages using their eyes alone. Such a display comes in the form of futuristic glasses that allow wearers to see virtual maps, drawings or other images — up…

[From AnnArbor.com, where the story includes additional photos] [Image: Ted Hall, an advanced visualization specialist at the University of Michigan 3D Lab, demonstrates how MIDEN (Michigan Immersive Digital Experience Nexus) works. Courtney Sacco I AnnArbor.com] Tech Beat/With Gallery and Video: University of Michigan 3D Lab blurs line between virtual and reality By Ben Freed Business Reporter Posted on Fri, Nov 2, 2012 There’s a powerful room at the University of Michigan tucked away in the unassuming Duderstadt Center on North Campus. The “room” — three white walls and a floor — opens doors that could allow to you to fly…