[The technologies used to create Halloween attractions are increasingly capable of producing rich and intense presence experiences, as detailed in this story from Fast Company; see the original version for other pictures and videos. –Matthew]

Virtual reality reimagines the haunted mansion–with eerily realistic effects

The Void’s hyper-reality experiences allow you to do more than just enter a new world–you get to touch, feel, interact, and even smell truly terrifying environments.

By Rina Raphael
October 1, 2018

I am screaming so loudly–repeatedly–that it’s more of a piercing shrill echo.

I fear it’s so disturbingly distracting that I can’t stop apologizing. “I am so very sorry,” I tell my fellow time-travelers, noting that once again, the demon got the best of me. He came out of nowhere and as much as I tell myself this isn’t real, it feels real. This, despite the fact that whenever I bring my hands to muffle my mouth’s sounds, they do not appear as my hands; they are the thin, leather-gloved fingers of a Victorian lady.… read more. “Virtual reality reimagines the haunted mansion – with eerily realistic effects”

[In addition to their features, most of the press coverage of Facebook’s new Portal devices emphasizes questions about the actual and perceived privacy the products will provide. This story is from Business Insider, where it includes other images. A 5:43 minute interview with Portal VP Rafa Camargo at Bloomberg includes the quote here about presence and several others including a specific reference to social and “video” presence. Wired has more details about the Portals including this:

“Get up and walk around, and the camera follows you, staying zoomed in. If there’s more than one human in the room, Portal will zoom out and recrop to fit everyone in the frame. If you want to zoom in on just one person, tap the screen and select ‘Spotlight mode,’ which locks Portal’s camera onto one face and body, keeping that person centered in the frame no matter who else comes and goes.… read more. “Facebook wants to fix video calls with Portal smart devices”

[Researchers affiliated with Penn State University are designing not just individual VR simulations to teach industrial engineering but an integrated, thematic curriculum that incorporates VR and presence to serve both in person and remotely located students with “the potential to transform our concept of higher education and how we learn.” This story is from Penn State News, where it includes more pictures (see also related earlier coverage from Penn State News). –Matthew]

[Image: Researchers at the Data-Driven Decisions lab at Penn State Behrend and the Design Analysis Technology Advancement lab at University Park are developing a virtual-reality simulation that will place industrial engineering students in an interactive and immersive manufacturing environment. Credit: CANSTOCK]

NSF funds three-year study of virtual-reality engineering simulations

Robb Frederick
October 05, 2018

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Industrial engineering students often use simulation kits – boxes full of Lego blocks – to learn Toyota’s production system.… read more. “NSF funds three-year Penn State study of VR simulations for teaching industrial engineering”

[This story from Wired highlights the power of (in this case, medium-as-social-actor) presence, and the tension between profits and ethics: “The danger is that robot makers, consciously or not, may exploit gender stereotypes to try to make their machines more effective [with consumers] … It doesn’t have to be this way.” –Matthew]

[Image: Donat Sorokin/TASS/Getty Images]

It’s Time To Talk About Robot Gender Stereotypes

Matt Simon
October 3, 2018

Robots are the most powerful blank slate humans have ever created. Want a helpful robot? No problem. Want a mean one? Sure, if that’s what you’re into. A robot is a mirror held up not just to its creator, but to our whole species: What we make of the machine reflects what we are.

That also means we have the very real opportunity to screw up robots by infusing them with exaggerated, overly simplified gender stereotypes.… read more. “It’s time to talk about robot gender stereotypes”

[This story from Inverse describes a new study that demonstrates the power of VR and presence to alter perceptions and, in this case, enable more effective physical exercise (although as with many presence phenomena, I can envision negative consequences if it’s not used in moderation). See the original for two more images, and coverage from The University of Kent for more details. –Matthew]

VR Boosts Workouts by Unexpectedly Reducing Pain During Exercise

Meet your next performance-enhancing drug.

By Emma Betuel
October 4, 2018

If you walk in on someone exercising with a VR headset on, they might look pretty ridiculous. Perhaps you’d silently judge them for what might seem like random, awkward movements. If this describes you, a study published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise may make you regret that snap judgment: Researchers’ findings suggest that VR can actually play a powerful role in exercise performance, helping people push through physical discomfort.… read more. “VR and presence boost workouts by reducing pain during exercise”