[Whether they’re actors or not, a great example of presence; this is from TVPredictions.com with links to some of the other coverage added]

LG: Ultra 4K TV Can Be Scary Good

By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (September 8, 2013) – LG is ready to do anything to sell the new 4K TVs even if it means almost scaring people to death.

The Los Angeles Times reports that LG recently replaced the window of a high-rise office building in Chile with an 84-inch 4K set and then invited people to come in to interview for mythical jobs. During the interviews, which [were] filmed for later presentation on YouTube (see video [here]), the 4K screen displays a meteor crashing into the Earth and destroying the city.

As you can imagine, the interviewees reacted with real alarm to the fake event, cowering under furniture and generally moving about the room as if the world is coming to an end.… read more. “Ad for LG 4K TVs scares with screen as window illusion”

[From CoolestGadgets.com; for more information see the Perfect Polly web site. And don’t miss the hilarious 4:54 minute segment about the product from the Colbert Report]

Perfect Polly want a Cracker? Didn’t Think So…

by Julie – on August 28th, 2013

I love having a pet, as far as I’m concerned the positives far outweigh the negatives. Sure, having a pet requires some work and expense, then there’s boarding your pet when your on vacation, vet bills, walks in the rain… but all the love and loyalty is almost always worth it. But what about those of us with lifestyles (or apartments) that simply don’t allow a pet?

Welcome, Perfect Polly… the ultimate in pet perfection. Perfect Polly is a genuine simulated parakeet, made of high quality plastic, with breathtaking parakeet-like markings, Perfect Polly will react to your presence by moving her head, flicking her tail feathers and singing you a beautiful tune that only a genuine plastic parrot could.… read more. “Pefect Polly – “the ultimate in pet perfection”?”

[From the South China Morning Post]

That’s glow business: How pop stars to politicians are using holograms

Public figures from pop stars to politicians are increasingly using holograms to reach more people. Jenni Marsh finds out where the technology is taking us

Sunday, 01 September, 2013
Jenni Marsh jenni.marsh@scmp.com

At a small hall in Gyeonggi province, South Korea, K-pop megastar Psy has been giving 16 performances a day, every day, since mid-July.

In his first week at Everland Park, 30,000 fans came to see him. The concerts are for intimate audiences of 100 people, 30 minutes long, and feature all the big hits, including that bouncy Gangnam jig.

But there is one little catch – Psy isn’t technically there. His record label, Yang Goon Entertainment (YG), in collaboration with the Korea Creative Content Agency, has built a K-Pop Hologram hall.… read more. “That’s glow business: How pop stars to politicians are using holograms”

[From psfk]

Virtual Reality Sandbox Shows the Movement of Natural Terrain [Video]

Real-time topography gives children and adults an interactive way to learn about landscape

Ross Brooks on September 3, 2013.

Researchers at UC Davis have come up with an idea that fuses the physical and virtual in a way that will allow children to experience the world from a unique perspective – as opposed to immersing themselves in a screen of some sort.

While it may look like an ordinary sandbox, this particular play area comes to life once children have had their turn molding it’s contents into an intricate and varied landscape.

A camera mounted above the sandbox tracks the physical activity of those playing below. As the terrain is altered, a projector throws a dynamic topographic map on top of it all, updating contour lines and elevation colors in real time.… read more. “AR sandbox shows the movement of natural terrain”

[From the Ohio State University; for details about the first international Google Glass surgery, in June 2013, see Clinica Cemtro; for a report about early reactions from those testing Glass see NPR]

[Image: Dr. Christopher Kaeding, an orthopedic surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is shown wearing Google Glass.]

Ohio State Doctor Shows Promise of Google Glass in Live Surgery

Posted: 8/27/2013

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is the first in the United States to consult with a distant colleague using live, point-of-view video from the operating room via Google Glass, a head-mounted computer and camera device.

“It’s a privilege to be a part of this project as we explore how this exciting new technology might be incorporated into the everyday care of our patients,” said Dr.… read more. “Ohio State doctor shows promise of Google Glass in live surgery”