ISPR Presence News

Monthly Archives: July 2019

Call: Paternalism, Nudging, and the Digital Sphere issue of Moral Philosophy and Politics (MOPP)

Call for Papers

Paternalism, Nudging, and the Digital Sphere
Moral Philosophy and Politics (MOPP) special issue
https://www.mopp-journal.org/go-to-main-page/call-for-papers/

Submission deadline: January 15, 2020

Information technologies (broadly construed) provide corporations and governmental institutions with tools that enable them to push the behavior of their citizens/users into directions they consider “right”. For example, E-health-applications or smart homes might promote healthier or more sustainable lifestyles while the Chinese government currently experiments with implementing the so called digitally administered ‘Social Credit System’ with the aim of improving behavioral regulation of both, their citizens and businesses. In a similar vein, the information-architecture of e.g. Google`s search algorithms or of social media sites, such as Facebook, are suspected of influencing the formation of political opinions (i.e. ‘group-polarization’ as a negative example).

New information technologies might also change the way in which paternalistically motivated interferences are induced. In this context, the concept of ‘nudging’ has come to increased prominence in public policy circles ever since the Nobel Prize in economics was awarded to Richard Thaler in 2017.… read more. “Call: Paternalism, Nudging, and the Digital Sphere issue of Moral Philosophy and Politics (MOPP)”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

Federally funded study investigating use of VR to teach people with autism to interact with police

[This story from The Philadelphia Inquirer describes another potentially valuable application of presence; see the original story for a 4:24 minute video. –Matthew]

[Image: Credit: Teven M. Falk / Staff Photographer]

People with autism face special risks dealing with police. This virtual reality program could help.

by Rita Giordano
July 30, 2019

Skylar Armstrong, a 17-year-old high schooler from North Philadelphia, has been fielding a lot of attention from police lately.

Officers on the beat have been peppering him with all sorts of questions: “What are you doing here?” “Can you tell me your street address?” “Can you show me your ID?”

But Skylar hasn’t been perturbed by any of this. Quite the contrary.

“It’s fun,” said the student at Jules E. Mastbaum Area Vocational/Technical School.

He is part of an ongoing, $1.7 million federally funded study that one day may affect how young people like him learn.… read more. “Federally funded study investigating use of VR to teach people with autism to interact with police”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment

Call: Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) 2020: Media Interactions and Environments

Call for Papers

MeCCSA 2020 – Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association 2020 Conference
Theme: Media Interactions and Environments
University of Brighton, UK
8-10 January 2020
http://www.meccsabrighton2020.co.uk/call-for-papers.html

Submission deadline: 31 August 2019

Keynote Speakers:

The Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association are pleased to invite the submission of abstracts, panel proposals and practice-based contributions for the MeCCSA 2020 Conference, to be held from 8-10 January 2020 at the University of Brighton. The theme of the conference is Media Interactions and Environments.

Interactions with media are increasingly woven into the textures and cultural politics of our everyday lives. When the spaces of our homes, shops, schools, offices and cities are so intensively mediatised, media become our environment, brought to life through our mundane, personal, professional, creative, commercial and political interactions.… read more. “Call: Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) 2020: Media Interactions and Environments”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

The Dali Museum introduces augmented reality

[I want to go to The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida – this story from Creative Loafing Tampa Bay describes how the museum has incorporated VR, AI and now AR to enhance the presence experiences of visitors. More information about the current AR exhibit is available from the museum’s website and for more examples of the use of VR and AR in museums see Blooloop. –Matthew]

[Image: Salvador Dalí. Nature Morte Vivante (Still Life-Fast Moving), 1969-70, oil on canvas. Collection of the Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg, FL (USA). Credit: Worldwide: ©Salvador Dalí, Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dalí (artists rights society), 2019. In the USA: ©Salvador Dalí Museum, Inc., St. Petersburg, FL, 2019]

The Dali Museum introduces augmented reality to its St. Pete experience

Think you really know Dali?

Jennifer Ring
June 14, 2019

Can you spot Lincoln in “Gala Contemplating”?… read more. “The Dali Museum introduces augmented reality”

Posted in Presence in the News | 1 Comment

Call: Ethical, Legal and Societal Aspects of Wearable Robots issue of PALADYN, Journal of Behavioral Robotics

Call for Papers

Ethical, Legal and Societal Aspects of Wearable Robots
Topical Issue in
PALADYN, Journal of Behavioral Robotics
https://www.degruyter.com/dg/page/1932

Submission deadline: 31st October 2019

GUEST EDITORS

Dr. Eduard Fosch Villaronga (lead GE: e.fosch.villaronga@law.leidenuniv.nl), Leiden University, NL
Dr. Heike Felzmann, NUI Galway, Ireland
Dr. Ann-Marie Hughes, University of Southampton, U.K.
Ms. Alexandra Kapeller, Linköping University, Sweden

ADVISORY EDITORS

Prof. Deborah G. Johnson
Department of Engineering and Society, University of Virginia, dgj7p@virginia.edu
Olsson Professor of Applied Ethics, Emeritus
Adjunct Professor, Department of Information Science and Media Studies, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Prof. Mohamed Bouri
Group leader of Rehabilitation and Assistive Robotics at Robotics Systems Lab (LSRO) at EPFL, Switzerland, mohamed.bouri@epfl.ch

Prof. Charles Melvin Ess
Department of Media and Communication, University of Oslo, Norway, c.m.ess@media.uio.no

DESCRIPTION

Wearable robots (WRs) are an emerging technology designed to augment, train or supplement motor functions.… read more. “Call: Ethical, Legal and Societal Aspects of Wearable Robots issue of PALADYN, Journal of Behavioral Robotics”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

‘Time travel’ villages vs. virtual reality for dementia care

[In this story from The Conversation Newcastle University scholars compare two types of presence experiences for the care of dementia; see the original version for a second image and a video. –Matthew]

[Image: Source: Mark Combs]

‘Time travel’ as dementia care is spreading, but the future may be more powerful than the past

July 29, 2019

Kellie Morrissey, Research Fellow, School of Computing, Newcastle University
James Hodge, PhD Candidate, Newcastle University

The village of Hogeweyk in The Netherlands has been compared with the Truman Show. It is home to 152 people with dementia and is run by carers who maintain a round-the-clock false reality for the residents. Hogeweyk resembles a 1950s village, with carers acting as butchers, shopkeepers and greengrocers, allowing the residents to “relate to things from their younger days”. Residents are free to shop, visit the local cafe and roam around, all within the confines of this “dementia village”.… read more. “‘Time travel’ villages vs. virtual reality for dementia care”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment

Call: Budapest Workshop on Philosophy of Technology 2019

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

BudPT: Budapest Workshop on Philosophy of Technology 2019
12-13 December 2019
Budapest University of Technology and Economics Building “Q” 2 Magyar Tudósok körútja 1117
Budapest, Hungary (for more information about the venue click here)
https://www.budpt.eu/

Deadline for abstract submission: 14 August 2019

THEME OF THE WORKSHOP

The second Budapest Workshop on Philosophy of Technology will seek to explore a wide variety of topics connected to the Ethics of AI, Epistemology of Engineering and the Metaphysics of Artifacts. Any other high-quality submissions in the field of philosophy of technology are welcome.

Keynote Speaker: Mark Coeckelbergh, University of Vienna

You can present at the workshop by submitting an abstract, which will be peer-reviewed. Abstracts are welcome in the following topics:

  • ethics of AI
    • ethics of autonomous cars and other robots
    • responsibility of AI creators
    • artificial minds and consciousness
  • fake news, social media and the digital life
  • general philosophy of technology
    • epistemology of engineering
    • tacit knowledge in engineering
    • ontology and metaphysics of technology

… and in any other related issues.… read more. “Call: Budapest Workshop on Philosophy of Technology 2019”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

Toyota Research developing new telepresence robot for 2020 Olympics

[This short IEEE Spectrum story describes a new telepresence robot with a “near lifesize” display; see the original story for another image and a 0:56 minute video. For more information, images and videos about several more robots being introduced by Toyota for the Olympics see the company’s press release, and for a 6:16 audio report see coverage by Voice of America. –Matthew]

Toyota Research Developing New Telepresence Robot for 2020 Olympics

Toyota’s T-TR1 offers a way for people to attend the Olympics without leaving home

By Evan Ackerman
23 Jul 2019

With the Olympics taking place next year in Japan, Toyota is (among other things) stepping up its robotics game to help provide “mobility for all.” We know that Toyota’s HSR will be doing work there, along with a few other mobile systems, but the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) has just announced a new telepresence robot called the T-TR1, featuring an absolutely massive screen designed to give you a near-lifesize virtual presence.… read more. “Toyota Research developing new telepresence robot for 2020 Olympics”

Posted in Presence in the News | Leave a comment

Call: Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications in Science and Engineering issue of Computing in Science & Engineering

Call for Papers

Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications in Science and Engineering
Special issue of Computing in Science & Engineering
https://www.computer.org/digital-library/magazines/cs/call-for-papers-virtual-and-augmented-reality-applications-in-science-and-engineering-cfp

Submission deadline: 1 September 2019 (to Scholar One Manuscripts)
Publication: May/June 2020

This is a call for papers for an upcoming special issue of Computing in Science & Engineering to be published in May/June 2020. Affordable consumer-quality virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) hardware and software tools are just becoming available, but significant research is needed to adapt VR and AR for important and difficult scientific and engineering applications such as telepresence, medicine, education and training, manufacturing, service, and maintenance. VR and AR applications enable scientists and engineers to experience being in environments that are otherwise hard, impossible, or too costly to visit in person. Examples of such applications include those that NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has developed for immersive exploration of places deep in the ocean, to distant stars and galaxies.… read more. “Call: Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications in Science and Engineering issue of Computing in Science & Engineering”

Posted in Calls | Leave a comment

Here’s how Hong Kong start-up Sandbox VR built hyperrealistic virtual reality games

[This South China Morning Post story reports on another social VR gaming attraction, including some of the design choices used to increase presence. See the original story for two different images, a 2:10 minute video, and a podcast episode. For more information see the Sandbox VR website and for detailed first-person reports on the player experience, see stories in Business Insider and The Next Web. –Matthew]

[Image: Source: The Next Web]

Here’s how Hong Kong start-up Sandbox VR built hyperrealistic virtual reality games

A social media post of the VR game went viral and was shared over 10,000 times and seen by over 1.7 million people

Zen Soo
July 22, 2019

A swarm of monster bugs are running toward towards me and I’m frantically shooting at them, all while trying to ignore the fact that I’m standing right at the edge of a skyscraper.… read more. “Here’s how Hong Kong start-up Sandbox VR built hyperrealistic virtual reality games”

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