[Here’s a very unusual example of presence. It’s from Grape, where the story includes many more pictures and the mentioned 9:37 minute video (also available via YouTube). –Matthew]

Japanese Service Creates Wearable Super Realistic Replicas Of Your Pet’s Head

February 27, 2019

Ultra-realistic animal masks seem to strike the surreal sweet spot between “terrifying” and “adorable”, as seen with Japan’s viral gigantic wearable felt cat heads, but the minds at creative planning office Shindo Rinka and modeling workshop 91 (pronounced kyuu-ii) is taking things a step further by making that creepy/cute blend a service. If you’re willing to pay, you can now order custom-made super realistic masks that’ll turn you into a human clone of your pet.

In a similar campaign to the “it’s me” series that let you look like Dr. Zeus with super realistic orangutan masks, the “My Family” mask allows you to order detailed replicas of your family pet’s face to wear as headgear.… read more. “Japanese service creates wearable super realistic replicas of your pet’s head”

[The inventors of Q want to let everyone experience the presence evoked by digital voice assistants, as reported in this Wired story; the original version includes a different image and a 1:01 minute video; for more information (and a longer video), see genderlessvoice.com. –Matthew]

The Genderless Digital Voice the World Needs Right Now

Matt Simon
March 11, 2019

Boot up the options for your digital voice assistant of choice and you’re likely to find two options for the gender you prefer interacting with: male or female. The problem is, that binary choice isn’t an accurate representation of the complexities of gender. Some folks don’t identify as either male or female, and they may want their voice assistant to mirror that identity. As of now, they’re out of luck.

But a group of linguists, technologists, and sound designers—led by Copenhagen Pride and Vice’s creative agency Virtue—are on a quest to change that with a new, genderless digital voice, made from real voices, called Q.… read more. “Inclusive presence: A gender-neutral digital voice”

[This is an important first-person report from Medium by an experienced presence-creator about the dangers of moving beyond the “uncanny valley” to the point where we lose the ability to suspend the belief that our experience is real (i.e., not created/mediated by technology). See the original version for a larger version of the figure below, 7 more images and 2 videos. –Matthew]

There is a second valley past the Uncanny Valley or How developing an AR horror game put me in the hospital.

Bryan Mitchell
February 12, 2019

Background: I have been developing mobile games for 10 years. I have had 5 games in the top 5. Over 20 million downloads. Over $1 million in revenue.

This hypothesis began in 2013, when I was watching the film Gravity in 3D at the cinema. There was a moment when shards from an exploding satellite flew at my face and I jumped in my seat.… read more. “Too much presence: There is a second valley past the Uncanny Valley”

[The negative reaction to a San Francisco hospital’s use of a telepresence robot to deliver sensitive medical news is receiving international coverage; this story from The New York Times recounts the situation and considers some of the ethical issues. Hopefully the case will prompt both users and designers of the technology to figure out ways to avoid situations like this. An important question we should consider is whether even a future technology that could perfectly transmit all, or at least all visual and aural, social cues would be acceptable.  –Matthew]

[Image: A doctor on a video conference explained to Ernest Quintana that he did not have long to live. Mr. Quintana’s family members criticized the use of telemedicine in that circumstance. Credit: Annalisia Wilharm]

Doctor on Video Screen Told a Man He Was Near Death, Leaving Relatives Aghast

By Julia Jacobs
March 9, 2019

Catherine Quintana’s father had been in and out of a hospital for weeks, and the family understood that his time was running out.… read more. “The ethics of presence: Doctor uses telepresence robot to tell patient he’s near death”

[As a railway enthusiast, I particularly like the example of presence in this story from The Telegraph & Argus. The original version includes a 0:46 minute video and 7 more images, and more information including pictures and resident reactions can be found in coverage by Carehome.co.uk and The Mirror. A 1:04 minute BBC video is available too – thanks to colleague Amela Sadagic for posting it in the ISPR Presence Community Facebook group! -Matthew]

Gateway Care Home, Sticker Lane, unveils railway room for residents

23 February 2019
By David Jagger

A dementia care home has unveiled a brand new room at the centre which has been transformed into a replica railway carriage.

The room at The Gateway Care Home in Sticker Lane, Dudley Hill, has been turned into a carriage, complete with a moving countryside scene in the window to give residents and patients the feel of a real-life train journey.… read more. “UK care home creates simulated railway experience for residents”