ISPR Presence News

Monthly Archives: June 2018

Call: Zip-Scene Conference – Analogue and Digital Immersive Environments

Call for Papers

Zip-Scene Conference – Analogue and Digital Immersive Environments
Perspectives on Digital Interactivity and Narrative in Performing Arts and VR
Venue: Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest, Hungary
Dates: 8-10 November, 2018
http://mome.hu/hu/h%C3%ADrek/1704-zip-scene-conference-analogue-and-digital-immersive-environments-call-for-papers

Extended deadline for abstracts/bios: June 25, 2018

TOPIC: Game mechanics and other engaging interactive design strategies to raise the level of interactivity in immersive performance art and VR productions

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

Digital Interactivity provides novel opportunities for narratives in performance art and VR productions. This means emerging artistic practices, opportunities for critical reflection, and a reconsideration of the roles of the author and the audiences as participants.

One aim of the conference is to investigate whether the format of VR will acquire a status comparable to film, performing arts and video games in the near future. We are planning to explore what kind of storytelling strategies and simulative spaces can be used in such immersive productions, and how much the audience will be able to and would want to engage with control over the narrative path.… read more. “Call: Zip-Scene Conference – Analogue and Digital Immersive Environments”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

How eye tracking in VR can be a valuable tool for researchers and designers

[Because it can evoke presence, virtual reality represents a powerful venue for researchers if we have the tools to measure user responses during the experience; this story from Forbes describes one such tool and its potential. See the original story for a second image and follow the link to Tobii Pro for more information. –Matthew]

Looking Through Your User’s Eyes With Virtual Reality Gaze Tracking

Alice Bonasio, CONTRIBUTOR – I cover the intersection between business and immersive technologies
June 21, 2018

Eye-tracking technology is nothing new in itself, but it is gaining rapidly both in scope and popularity as immersive virtual experiences become more widely used both in business and leisure contexts.

This type of technology is a natural fit for VR, as most headsets have inbuilt eye-tracking technology to allow them to deliver immersive experiences in the first place, as gaze is one of the primary ways in which you interact with those types of environment.… read more. “How eye tracking in VR can be a valuable tool for researchers and designers”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment

Call: “Motion-Based Games and Play” issue of Multimodal Technologies and Interaction

Call for Papers

Multimodal Technologies and Interaction – Special Issue “Motion-Based Games and Play”

Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/mti/special_issues/motion-based_gamesplay

Submission Deadline: 15 January 2019

Dear Colleagues,

We are currently guest editing a special issue of the open access journal Multimodal Technologies and Interaction that will focus on Motion-based Games and Play and we invite you to consider a submission.

Moving our bodies is one of the most natural things to do as human beings. We engage in movement from early childhood, and it can be an extremely powerful, joyful experience. Looking at sports, artistry, and dance, the level of control, mastery and virtuosity can be truly baffling, deeply engaging both the performer and the audience.

With this special issue, we want to address the question of how to design complex, engaging, and inherently pleasant motion-based games that capture the positive elements of movement. Further, we aim to explore their application in settings that aim to improve player wellbeing, along with tackling other relevant challenges in their development:

  • What is the relationship between movement-tracking technology and playful experiences?
read more. “Call: “Motion-Based Games and Play” issue of Multimodal Technologies and Interaction”
Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

VR and presence are helping chemists discover new life-enhancing drugs

[This story from Wired describes how biochemists are using virtual reality and the sense of presence it creates to better understand and manipulate the structure of molecules and improve the process of discovering effective drugs. See the original story for a 1:29 minute video. –Matthew]

[Image: Credit: C4X Discovery]

Virtual reality is helping chemists discover new life-enhancing drugs

What one thing do scientists really need to help them discover new life-saving drugs? Virtual reality

By Phoebe Braithwaite
13 June 2018

Blue skies, streaked with clouds – an unending expanse of grid to stand on – and one massive molecule: in the drug-discovering virtual world, for the first time, scientists can get up close and personal with the drugs they’re designing. Grabbing hold of a virtual molecule, floating in space before them, using two lightsaber-wielding claw-like hands, the chemist can get as close to touching the desired structure as is (meta)physically possible.… read more. “VR and presence are helping chemists discover new life-enhancing drugs”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment

Call: 10th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR 2018)

CALL FOR PAPERS

The 10th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR 2018)
November 28-30, 2018
Qingdao, China
http://uconf.org/ICSR2018/

IMPORTANT DATES
Workshop proposal: July 1, 2018
Paper submission: July 31, 2018
Paper notification: Sept 22, 2018
Final camera-ready paper submission: Oct 7, 2018
Conference: November 28-30, 2018

The 10th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR 2018) brings together researchers and practitioners working on the interaction between humans and intelligent robots and on the integration of robots into the fabric of our society.

The intersection of Social Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are bound to disrupt the status quo in our homes, factories, healthcare services, and transportation, among others. In the foreseeable future, Social Robotics and AI will help drive economic growth and will be the new normal. ICSR 2018 aims to foster discussions in the development of AI models and frameworks, robotic embodiments, and behaviors that further encourages invention and innovation.… read more. “Call: 10th International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR 2018)”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

Predicting and promoting shared presence at CES Asia

[This story from TechRadar demonstrates the increasingly common recognition of the central role of presence in the evolution of technology, includes observations about the use of fictional portrayals to promote presence technologies and experiences, and argues that shared presence experiences are and should remain superior to private ones. The original story includes an additional image; see the CES Asia 2018 website for more details about that recent event. –Matthew]

Forget Ready Player One – the future of VR is a physical experience

Time for a reality check

By Cat Ellis
June 14, 2018

CES Asia is a full-on experience. The show floor is spread between five fiercely air-conditioned halls the size of aircraft hangars, while expert keynote speeches and roundtables take up the entire upper level of the adjacent Kerry Hotel.

The atmosphere is electric in both senses, but some guests don’t seem to care.… read more. “Predicting and promoting shared presence at CES Asia”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment

Call: Ubiquitous Chatbots – Workshop on Wearable and Embodied Conversational Agents @Ubicomp’18

Call for Papers
Ubiquitous Chatbots – Workshop on Wearable and Embodied Conversational Agents @Ubicomp’18

Workshop date: October 12, 2018
Workshop Location: Ubicomp’18; Singapore. See: http://ubicomp.org/ubicomp2018/
Workshop web site:  https://sites.google.com/view/ubiquitous-chatbots/

Deadline for submissions: July 9, 2018
Response to authors: July 30, 2018
Camera ready submission deadline: August 10, 2018

HOW TO JOIN THE WORKSHOP

We invite researchers in the UbiComp and CHI communities interested in the theoretical basis, design, implementation, and evaluation of novel conversational agents to submit position papers or preliminary results in the field. Authors are asked to submit 4-6 page papers related to their work on chatbots and conversational agents using the SIGCHI Extended Abstract format.

Please send your submission via e-mail to the workshop chairs at ubiquitouschatbots@gmail.com. The position papers will be reviewed by a program committee composed of international experts. A notification will be sent by July 30.… read more. “Call: Ubiquitous Chatbots – Workshop on Wearable and Embodied Conversational Agents @Ubicomp’18”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

VR and presence capture cultures and landscapes before they’re lost to rising sea

[This story is about the use of virtual reality to preserve the experiences of people and places, “cultures and landscapes,” being lost to the rising sea. As with our use of photos and recordings, and perhaps soon more immersive technological artifacts, to preserve our personal and family memories, this is an extremely meaningful, valuable and important application of presence technologies. The story is from Hakai Magazine, where it includes a second image; follow the My visit with Billiot link to watch a video of the VR experience described in the story. –Matthew]

[Image: Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, home of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw band, is disappearing as it loses land to the Gulf of Mexico. Photo by Coco Robicheaux/Alamy Stock Photo.]

Virtual Reality Preserves Disappearing Land

Coastal communities are capturing their cultures and landscapes in virtual reality before sea level rise steals them for good.read more. “VR and presence capture cultures and landscapes before they’re lost to rising sea”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment

Call: EAI Transactions on E-Learning

European Alliance for Innovation (EAI)
EAI Transactions on E-Learning
CALL-FOR-PAPERS for the Upcoming Issue

Journal Website (EU Digital Library): http://eudl.eu/issue/el/4/16
Submission Instructions: http://eudl.eu/static/Submission-Instructions.pdf

Manuscript submission deadline: June 15, 2018 but extensions to June 30, 2018 can be negotiated with the Chief Editors

Established in 2011, the EAI Transactions on e-Learning has been showcasing exemplary research and practice covering the design, development, and implementation of e-Learning in all settings, with a focus on higher education and K-12. With the emergence of new technologies and the fast globalization of learning, it is time to redefine e-Learning and to envision the future of learning. This important mission relies on researchers and practitioners who have been running in the forefront of creating adaptive and engaging learning for the diverse audiences around the globe.

For the upcoming issue, we are looking for original submissions on innovative research, technologies, and/or tools related to online, mobile, hybrid, and augmented learning in both education and training.… read more. “Call: EAI Transactions on E-Learning”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

Telepresence robots attempt to move back into the spotlight

[This story from Robotics Business Review provides a status report on the challenges and potential of the telepresence robot market. See the original for several more pictures, links to 10 leading telepresence robot companies, and to sign up for the RBR Newsletter. –Matthew]

[Image: Credit: Ava Robotics]

Telepresence Robots Attempt to Move Back Into the Spotlight

High costs, end user difficulties, and poor audio/video have hampered the growth of telepresence robotics. Can new models and applications help grow the market beyond niche uses?

June 13, 2018
Keith Shaw

The public’s first exposure to telepresence robots likely came during a 2010 episode of The Big Bang Theory, when character Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) drives a robot to avoid catching germs from his friends and colleagues. The punchline was that Cooper was inside his bedroom one room away, not across the country like most users would be.… read more. “Telepresence robots attempt to move back into the spotlight”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment
  • Find Researchers

    Use the links below to find researchers listed alphabetically by the first letter of their last name.

    A | B | C | D | E | F| G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z