[Here’s a short story about a new effort to add senses to presence experiences; it’s from New Scientist, where it includes a 0:41 second video; another video (“[CHI 2017] Ambiotherm: Enhancing Presence in VR by Simulating Real-World Environmental Conditions”) is available on YouTube. –Matthew] Virtual reality weather add-ons let you feel the sun and wind 13 February 2017 By Timothy Revell Virtual reality devices can already fool your eyes and ears. Soon your other senses will be fooled too, with the creation of a device that can bring the weather in your virtual world to life. Nimesha Ranasinghe at the…

[IMAX has begun to implement its plans to speed the mainstreaming of VR; the two articles below detail the company’s plans and report on the new IMAX VR Experience Center in Los Angeles. –Matthew] [From the Los Angeles Times] [Image: A guest plays a virtual reality game based on Lionsgate’s “John Wick” at the Imax VR Experience Centre in Los Angeles (Imax Corp.)] Virtual reality industry ‘in need of a jump-start,’ Imax CEO says at new VR center Ryan Faughnder February 15, 2017 Richard Gelfond, chief executive of big-screen company Imax Corp., unveiled his new virtual reality center Tuesday with…

[The use of telepresence robots in businesses may have the potential to affect more people, but nobody is likely to benefit from their use more than the group discussed in this story from The Conversation (where it includes another image and a 9:35 minute video). The last two sections are particularly interesting and important – we need to help change the policies and perceptions that prevent school districts from more widely adapting telepresence robots, and as scholars provide objective evaluations of their impacts. –Matthew] [Image: Too sick to attend school in person, but perfectly able to participate with a robot’s…

[As this story from Ozy notes, weddings in virtual reality aren’t new but they’re getting easier and more affordable; for more information, including a 0:51 minute video of Martin and Elisa using their robot avatars and exploring wedding settings in VR, see coverage in Wales Online. –Matthew] [Image: Source: Wales Online] How to Get Married In Virtual Reality By Leslie Nguyen-Okwu February 14, 2017 Martin Shervington and his fiancée, Elisa Evans, are one of those couples that make you want to gag. The kind that finish each other’s sentences, that secrete adorable when they hold hands, that decide between a…

[This story from Simon Fraser University News highlights several interesting telepresence projects; the original story includes a 1:23 minute video. –Matthew] [Image: SIAT graduate student Azadeh Foirghani demonstrates the Flex N Feel glove. Credit: Simon Fraser University via Phys.org] SFU technology puts ‘touch’ into long-distance relationships February 10, 2017 By Marianne Meadahl Long-distance couples can share a walk, watch movies together, and even give each other a massage, using new technologies being developed in Carman Neustaedter’s Simon Fraser University lab. It’s all about feeling connected, says Neustaedter, an associate professor in SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT). Student…

[This project is an example of the most positive uses of VR and presence; the story is from Alphr, where it includes other images and a 1:46 minute video. For more information follow the link at the end of the story, see coverage from the CBC (including another video) and read the press release via EurekaAlert! –Matthew] [Image: Creating A Virtual Reality Tumour graphic. Source: University of Cambridge.] Virtual-reality tumour gives researchers a whole new way to study cancer VR project among first four winners of £100 million Cancer Research UK challenge Thomas McMullan 10 Feb 2017 “I’d call a…