ISPR Presence News

Monthly Archives: November 2016

Jobs: 3 faculty positions in Digital Living and Social Computing at Northumbria University

Full Professor and 2 Lectureships
Department of Computer and Information Sciences / Faculty of Engineering and Environment
Northumbria University, Newcastle

Deadlines: November 26 and 23, 2016

Northumbria University has recently invested strongly in multi-disciplinary areas allied to digital living, interaction design and social computing with a number of senior, cross faculty, appointments in this area in the last 12 months.

Currently, we are currently seeking to appoint to THREE new posts in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences: a Full / Associate Professor and two new Senior Lecturers / Lecturers. Details of the posts can be found here:

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AVB914/professor-associate-professor-in-computer-and-information-sciences/ (for the Professor)

and here:

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AVB164/senior-lecturer-lecturer-in-computer-and-information-sciences-2-x-posts/ (for the lectureships).

The three posts are open to applications from candidates with expertise in any area relevant to the Department’s activities including Digital Living and Social Computing. Digital Living is a cross-disciplinary research theme at the University led by Professor David Kirk, whilst the newly formed Northumbria Social Computing lab is led by Professor Shaun Lawson.… read more. “Jobs: 3 faculty positions in Digital Living and Social Computing at Northumbria University”

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New MIT device enables wireless virtual reality

[Wireless VR would enhance presence by removing a constant reminder of the technology from the user experience; this story is from MIT News, where it includes a second image and a link to the recent paper. –Matthew]

MIT wireless VR device MoVR

[Image: A new cordless virtual reality device consists of two directional “phased-array” antennas, each less than half the size of a credit card. Future versions could be small enough for users to have several in a single room, enabling multi-player gameplay. Photo: MIT CSAIL]

Enabling wireless virtual reality

Developed at Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, “MoVR” system allows VR headsets to communicate without a cord

Adam Conner-Simons | CSAIL
November 14, 2016

One of the limits of today’s virtual reality (VR) headsets is that they have to be tethered to computers in order to process data well enough to deliver high-resolution visuals.… read more. “New MIT device enables wireless virtual reality”

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Call: Journal of Virtual Worlds Research – Quick Turnaround Issue ‘Assembled 2016’

The Journal of Virtual Worlds Research
Call for Papers for a Quick Turnaround Issue ‘Assembled 2016’

http://jvwresearch.org/index.php/2011-06-12-18-46-09/10-cfps/43-cfp-assembled-general-call-for-papers

Deadline: November 25, 2016

The Journal of Virtual Worlds Research (http://www.jvwresearch.org/) is an online, open access academic journal that engages a wide spectrum of scholarship and welcomes contributions from the various disciplines and approaches that intersect with virtual worlds research. Virtual worlds ignite a continuously evolving area of study that spans multiple disciplines and the JVWR editorial team looks forward to engaging a wide range of creative and scholarly research.

Note: this is a good opportunity for authors for a quick turnaround of papers with November 2016 decision on publication and January 2017 actual publication.

MOTIVATION AND SCOPE

The Assembled issue is a place for various papers, on the topic of the journal – that are being collected during the year and published usually once a year.… read more. “Call: Journal of Virtual Worlds Research – Quick Turnaround Issue ‘Assembled 2016’”

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Virtual reality takes fans inside the world of watches

[The application areas for VR and presence are limitless; this story from The New York Times (where it features more photos) describes how luxury watchmakers are taking high-end clients into their products and to related environments. –Matthew]

Roger Dubuis VR event in Shanghai

[Image: Guests at a Roger Dubuis virtual reality event in October in Shanghai. Credit: Eric Leleu for The New York Times]

Virtual Reality Takes Fans Inside the World of Watches

By Victoria Gomelsky
November 13, 2016

Swiss watchmakers are nostalgic by nature. How else to explain their constant reference to a golden era of timekeeping, more than 200 years ago, when masters such as Abraham-Louis Breguet devised the world’s first complicated timepieces?

At the same time, however, a growing cohort of forward-thinking watchmakers is embracing the possibilities of virtual reality, or simply V.R. The immersive technology, designed to simulate a user’s presence in a real or imaginary environment using a special headset, is being hyped as the biggest thing to happen to the luxury industry since e-commerce.… read more. “Virtual reality takes fans inside the world of watches”

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Job: Research Software Engineer / Experimental Scientist in Interactive Computer Graphics (AR/VR) at CSIRO

Research Software Engineer / Experimental Scientist
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Data61 Innovation Group
Canberra, Australia

  • Join CSIRO’s Data61 team – the largest innovation group in Australia!
  • Software engineering and programming for rapid prototyping of Interactive Computer Graphics Applications
  • Work in world class Advanced Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) facilities

Applications Close: 19th December 2016

Data61 is the largest data innovation group in Australia. Bringing together CSIRO’s Productivity team and National ICT Australia (NICTA), we are unrivalled in our intellectual capital and our network with the global technology marketplace. The combined group will bring together approximately 600 research staff working in digital technologies to create benefit for Australia. Data61 will continue to develop Australia’s future leaders with its strong 300+ PhD student program in collaboration with our best universities across Australia.

Data61 is looking for a Research Software Engineer / Experimental Scientist with a passion for developing novel Interactive Computer Graphics Applications.… read more. “Job: Research Software Engineer / Experimental Scientist in Interactive Computer Graphics (AR/VR) at CSIRO”

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Donald Trump is proof that we are living in a computer simulation

[In the aftermath of the US presidential election, I’ve had the thought that the result, and much of what preceded it, provides unsettling support for the Simulation Argument that we’re living in someone else’s sophisticated simulation – essentially, I’ve experienced inverse presence, the sense that nonmediated experience is mediated. It turns out this idea was advanced and explained in detail back in July, after the Republican National Convention, in this story in Cyborgology; the original includes the additional images mentioned. –Matthew]

Deep Drumpf

Image: Source: “A MIT computer scientist created a Donald Trump Twitter bot — and it’s oddly realistic” in Business Insider]

Donald Trump Is Proof That We Are Living In A Computer Simulation

britneysummitgil on July 20, 2016

One of the most interesting and unimagineable ideas about the nature of reality in the 21st century is that we are living in a computer simulation.… read more. “Donald Trump is proof that we are living in a computer simulation”

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Call: 1st Workshop on Theory-Informed User Modeling for Tailoring And Personalizing Interfaces (HUMANIZE)

Call For Papers:

1st Workshop on Theory-Informed User Modeling for Tailoring And Personalizing Interfaces (HUMANIZE)
https://humanize2017.wordpress.com
March 13, 2017, Limassol (Cyprus)

In conjunction with IUI 2017
http://iui.acm.org/2017/

MOTIVATION AND GOALS

When designing (user) interfaces, practitioners rely on knowledge and experience about the interfaces’ intended users and their needs (in the form of a theory-informed model, such as the user’s cognitive style or personality) in order to provide the optimal interface for its users. In contrast to this, in content recommendations, a more data-driven approach is taken without the need to have to rely on user knowledge.

Combining these two approaches, model-driven and data-driven, provides an interesting research direction. By relying on knowledge about what types of users require what type of interface, and by using data mining techniques to infer the types of users from interaction behavior, interfaces can be personalized in an informed, grounded way.… read more. “Call: 1st Workshop on Theory-Informed User Modeling for Tailoring And Personalizing Interfaces (HUMANIZE)”

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Soothing presence: A VR meditation expert on how to stay calm

[Presence can be a valuable calming influence. This story is from The Creators Project, where it includes more images and a 1:36 minute video; see the link at the end below for more information, and for related coverage see “Virtual Reality experiences to escape the Trump Presidency” from VR-Zone. –Matthew]

Guided Meditation VR graphic

We Asked a VR Meditation Expert How To Stay Calm

Beckett Mufson
November 9 2016

The Creators Project team thought we’d give you some much needed R&R from the headlines, so we’ve roped together a regimen of healing and happy stories to help get you through the day.

If you’re still struggling with your lizard brain instinct to crawl into a deep dark hole, virtual reality might be the cave you’re looking for. Cubicle Ninjas is one of several companies offering VR mediation programs promising a break from the harshness of reality.… read more. “Soothing presence: A VR meditation expert on how to stay calm”

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Call: Robotics track at 2017 International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS)

[Among other topics here, note the presence-related “planning for perception” –Matthew]

Call for Papers

ICAPS 2017 ROBOTICS TRACK
The 27th International Conference on
Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS 2017)

June 18-23, 2017, Pittsburgh (PA), USA

http://icaps17.icaps-conference.org/robotics-track
(icapsrobtrack2017@gmail.com for inquiries)

Abstracts due: November 18, 2016
Papers due:  November 22, 2016
Notification: January 26, 2017

ICAPS will run a Robotics track as part of the main conference, following the successes of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 edition.  The Robotics track will emphasize the opportunities that emerge from integrating the fields of AI planning and autonomous robotics. The ICAPS-2017 Robotics track provides an opportunity for the AI planning and scheduling community to respond to the challenges that robotics applications pose, and to contribute to the advancement of intelligent robotics. This is also an opportunity for the robotics community to propose integrated solutions, discuss challenges related to planning for autonomous robots (deliberative, reactive, continuous planning and execution, etc.),… read more. “Call: Robotics track at 2017 International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS)”

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SI debuts first-person virtual reality experience of 2016 New York City Marathon

[Now you can have a first-person presence experience of last weekend’s 2016 New York City Marathon; this story from Sports Illustrated includes the 0:43 minute preview video. For detailed information about an upcoming Sports Illustrated VR documentary that takes users on a climb of Mount Everest see coverage in Variety. –Matthew]

NYC Marathon runner Alex Christison

SI debuts first-person virtual reality experience of 2016 New York City Marathon

Monday November 7th, 2016

Sports Illustrated, Life VR and CyberLink have joined forces to create a first-person virtual reality experience that allows users to see the 2016 New York City Marathon through the eyes of 10-time participant Alex Christison.

The New York City Marathon is the largest and most iconic marathon in the world with nearly 50,000 finishing the race each year, and millions more cheering from the sidelines and tuning in to watch the runners as they traverse the city on their 26.2 mile journey across the five boroughs.… read more. “SI debuts first-person virtual reality experience of 2016 New York City Marathon”

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