[From Stuff; follow the link within the story for much more information, including images and videos] [Image: Melanie Langlotz, left, from Auckland company Augview, and Jo Russell, of Otorohanga Zoological Society, in Rotary Park where the virtual moa is being brought to life. Mark Taylor / Fairfax NZ] Virtual park bringing moa to life Rachel Thomas Waikato Times July 29, 2014 It’s proving difficult to get a photo of the moa. The towering bird crosses Rotary Park, carelessly bowling through a triceratops, stands still under a tree dotted with pigeons, stares down at us for a while, then lopes off…

[An interesting example of ‘telepresence after death’ (Lombard & Selverian) from Polygon] Son races deceased father’s ghost in Xbox racer, makes internet cry By Danielle Riendeau on Jul 23, 2014 This is the most heart-warming video game ghost story I’ve ever heard. According to a post on Motoramic, a YouTube commenter that goes by 00WARTHERAPY00 shared a supernaturally touching story about racing their father’s ghost in Xbox racer RalliSport Challenge, 10 years after he had passed. On a spooky note — The Besties actually conceived of this very scenario years before this happened — check out their total pre-cog moment starting…

[From Recombu; the Engadget report mentioned features an animated gif and 1:02 minute video; a 7:33 minute video report and a trailer for the film are available from PC Magazine; the press release is available from Philips] [Image: Slashgear] Sharknado and SyFy Sync take a bite out of Philips Hue’s smart lights By Editorial Team Tuesday, 29th July 2014 Syfy Sync and Philips Hue are working together to give you a more immersive movie experience while watching the sure-to-be-masterpiece Sharknado 2: The Second One. When viewing the B-movie sequel the Syfy Sync iPad app will communicate with your Philips Hue…

[From The Vancouver Sun] [Image: Nicole Lynch visits Tuscany in virtual reality at the launch of Vancouver’s new virtual reality studio, The Sawmill.] Vancouver tech specialists bring virtual reality to the masses At the Sawmill studio in Vancouver, anyone can rent state-of-the-art motion capture equipment By Gillian Shaw, Vancouver Sun July 23, 2014 VANCOUVER — If you can trace your way through blind alleys and dead ends to an old sawmill tucked away at the foot of Vancouver’s Shaughnessy Street, you’ll find yourself in a different world. A virtual world, and one that is realizing the dream of some Vancouver…

[From The Daily Edge, where the story includes a screenshot and the 1:34 video from the project’s FundIt page; a 12 minute interview program with Eoghan Kidney titled “The Oculus Rift and Ethics of Virtual Reality” is available on SoundCloud] You will soon be able to walk around inside James Joyce’s Ulysses* *If this Dubliner’s virtual reality videogame reaches its fundraising target. June 27, 2014 Most of us haven’t read Ulysses, with a lot of us too intimidated to even give it a go. Now a Dublin filmmaker and animator is creating an immersive virtual reality videogame designed to accompany…

[From The Press of Atlantic City, where the story includes a photo gallery and a 1:49 minute video] [Image: Human Factors Manager Kenneth Allendoerfer, of Collingswood, discusses research they do on air traffic controllers, Wednesday May 14, 2014, at the Human Factors Lab at the FAA Hughes Tech Center in EggHarbor Twp. Credit: Michael Ein] FAA lab using virtual reality to improve aviation safety By Donald Wittkowski, Staff Writer Sunday, June 8, 2014 EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — Kenneth Allendoerfer donned a silly looking skullcap that had a bunch of electrodes and wires sticking out of it. While the cap might…