[From AP via The Huffington Post, where the story includes more images] Robot Replaces Student At Winchester Elementary School, Allows Devon Carrow To Attend Remotely (PHOTOS) By Carolyn Thompson 02/15/13 WEST SENECA, N.Y. — In an elementary school hallway, a teacher takes her second-graders to the library, leading a single-file line of giggling boys and girls that’s perfectly ordinary until you get to a sleek white robot with a video screen showing the face of a smiling, chubby-cheeked boy. Devon Carrow’s life-threatening allergies don’t allow him to go to school. But the 4-foot-tall robot with a wireless video hookup gives…

[From The Telegraph; more information including videos and the article in Nature are available on the web site for Dr. Nicolelis’s lab] [Image: One of Duke University’s infrared detector-equipped test subjects] Scientists create ‘sixth sense’ brain implant to detect infrared light A brain implant which could allow humans to detect invisible infrared light has been developed by scientists in America. By Nick Collins 17 Feb 2013 Scientists have created a “sixth sense” by creating a brain implant through which infrared light can be detected. Although the light could not be seen lab rats were able to detect it via electrodes…

[From Gizmag, where the story includes many additional images] [Image: With the lightweight components, wearing the Oculus VR headset is no less cumbersome than any ordinary pair of goggles] Eyes-on with the Oculus Rift’s jaw-dropping virtual reality system By Jonathan Fincher February 14, 2013 The Oculus Rift VR system has been steadily gaining more attention in the past several months, thanks to glowing endorsements from some major figures in the the video game industry and a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign that brought in almost US$2.5 million. We’ve been following the development of the Oculus Rift for some time now, so…

[From Gizmodo UK (formerly via Humans Invent), “in partnership with Sharp”] [Image: It’s possible with the software to predict the audience at adapt content to suit.] Tailored advertising that stops you in your tracks By Leo Kent 11th February 2013 As we become ever numb to traditional forms of advertising it is growing increasingly important for companies to incorporate new technology into their campaigns to excite and captivate their intended audience. At the ISE trade show in Amsterdam this month, Sharp unveiled a rather clever new device that makes advertising a more personalized experience and it is something that businesses…

[From Retail Digital] Retail Technology Tesco goes the virtual reality way in UK Partners with Red Dot Square 3 Feb 2013 Shukti Sarma Supermarket Tesco is to use virtual reality technology to plan how their category ranges appear on shelves. With the new approach Tesco will no longer require physical product specimens from each of their supplier manufacturers. This will cut the planning process enabling significant time savings for their colleagues and suppliers. Tesco is the first UK retailer to integrate the technology of virtual reality company Red Dot Square into their existing systems and ways of working. They will…

[From The Bangor Daily News, where the story includes additional captioned images and a short video] [Image: Senior mechanical engineering student, Tim McGrath puts on a virtual reality headset in the Virtual Environment and Multimodal Interaction Laboratory at the University of Maine on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. Brian Feulner | BDN] UMaine researchers working to shape the future of virtual sight By Nick McCrea, BDN Staff Posted Feb. 08, 2013 ORONO, Maine — Boardman Hall at the University of Maine is engulfed in flames. Fire alarms blare in the background and thick, disorienting smoke impairs your vision. But with the…