[Giving AI-driven game opponents physical form in ‘our’ world seems likely to evoke presence (with the medium, in this case NAO, seeming to be a social actor). This is from IEEE Spectrum, where it features a different image and a 2:39 minute video. Follow the HRI 2015 link at the bottom for information about many more presence-related projects. –Matthew]

Who Needs Real Friends When Robots Will Play Nintendo With You

By Evan Ackerman
Posted 5 Aug 2015

For those of us who have no friends, we at least have video games. And thanks to artificial intelligence, the computer-controlled adversaries we play against are always getting better. Most games aren’t at the point where the AI can give a skilled human serious competition without having the playing field tilted in its direction, but that’s okay, because we still derive pleasure and satisfaction from beating them anyway.… read more. “Who needs real friends when robots will play Nintendo with you”

[The innovative exhibition described in this story adds more channels of sensory stimuli to visual art; making the experience more immersive. The story is from The Independent and there’s much more background on the project in a piece from March in Quartz. More information about the exhibition, which is free and runs from August 26 to September 20, 2015, is available from the Tate Britain website. –Matthew]

[Image: Interior II (1964), Richard Hamilton: Smells created by Odette Toilette will pick up on images from the work including perfume from the 1940s]

Tate Sensorium: New exhibition at Tate Britain invites art lovers to taste, smell and hear art

A new exhibition is bringing in a master chocolatier, a scent expert and an audio specialist to change the way people interact with the paintings

Nick Clark, Arts Correspondent
05 August 2015

Tate Britain is to offer art lovers a feast for the senses, encouraging them to experience work by artists including Francis Bacon not just with their eyes, but their noses, mouths and ears as well.… read more. “Tate Sensorium: New exhibition invites art lovers to taste, smell and hear art”

[The argument in the interesting 7:39 minute “Why CG Sucks (Except It Doesn’t)” video in this story from Co.Create is exactly the argument of presence: When computer effects are successful, we don’t notice them – we misperceive the role of technology in our experience; it’s only when poorly executed CG effects stand out that they ‘break’ the (presence) illusion. –Matthew]

Counterpoint: CGI Is Not Bad, You Just Don’t Notice When It’s Good

A new video chockfull of really crappy CGI also shows how great CGI is so subtle you don’t even notice—and it happens all the time.

By Joe Berkowitz
August 5, 2015

If makeup is applied seamlessly on a human face, the observer won’t even notice the makeup at all. So it goes for CGI too, apparently.

Recently, Co.Create mentioned a very convincing video essay about why CGI is ruining movies.… read more. “CGI is not bad, you just don’t notice when it’s good”

[The British Museum is using VR and presence to engage audiences, and as this story from Alphr notes, this is apparently only the beginning. Find two more images in the article and the Museum‘s free Virtual Reality Weekend is August 8-9 at the Museum’s Samsung Digital Discovery Centre. –Matthew]

Samsung and the British Museum bring virtual reality to the Bronze Age

Visitors to the British Museum will be able to explore a virtual recreation of an ancient British home

Thomas McMullan
4 Aug 2015

Standing in a field you look up at the sun. Beside you is a cluster of ancient houses – earthen roofs bulging up from the grass. The sun is bright and you walk towards the entrance of the closest hut. There is a fire burning in the centre, there are items on the floor, there are no signs of life.… read more. “Samsung and the British Museum bring virtual reality to the Bronze Age”

[These “follow me” photos bring the viewer into the image, creating both spatial and social presence; the story in BuzzFeed includes 18 other images. –Matthew]

A Woman Is Leading Her Boyfriend Around The World In These Gorgeous Photos

posted on Jul. 20, 2015
Rossalyn Warren
BuzzFeed News Reporter

For the past seven months, Christian LeBlanc has been travelling around Asia with a backpack, a camera, and with his girlfriend, Laura Reid, leading the way.

The couple, both aged 22 and from Vancouver, Canada, travelled to 10 countries over the seven-month period.

LeBlanc’s trip started in January on a school exchange where he studied in Bangkok, Thailand.

Laura joined him in March, and since then they’ve both graduated.

LeBlanc told BuzzFeed: “We have had awesome experiences like swimming with whale sharks in the Philippines, going to the full moon party in Thailand, and we even drank ‘cat poo coffee’ in Bali.”… read more. “Couple’s “follow me” photos bring you on exotic travels”