[Without using the term itself, this New York Times opinion column explains how a “face computer” evokes presence, with both positive and negative consequences, and predicts that the technology will replace our smartphones. While presence scholars will be familiar with many of the points made, one I hadn’t thought of concerns how wearing masks has increased our personal and social comfort with wearing something on our faces. –Matthew] [Image: Credit: Claire Merchlinsky/The New York Times; photograph by RollingCamera, via Getty Images] Apple and Facebook Are Coming for Your Face Next By Farhad Manjoo, Opinion Columnist September 16, 2021 It is…

[An ambitious project titled “Socially Pertinent Robots in Gerontological Healthcare” (SPRING) utilizes medium-as-social-actor presence to assist hospital and care patients, as described in this story from The Scotsman based on information from the National Robotarium research centre. For more about SPRING, including a 2:55 minute video, see the Heriot-Watt University website and also the PAL Robotics site, and for more about the National Robotarium and other research projects there see the Centre‘s page of the Heriot-Watt University site and coverage in E&T. –Matthew] Three National Robotarium-linked projects which have the potential to changes lives Robots are rising to a range of…

[Google has developed a new way to create high resolution images from low resolution ones, meaning that it’ll be easier to create visuals that evoke presence for use in a variety of media. The original version of this PetaPixel story includes lots of examples; coverage in CineD mentions some possible applications: “This approach could be a perfect fit for security cameras. Also, it could be used in post-production pipelines for not only single images, but for video, and computer graphics […], reducing the strain on the GPU. Future cameras could record 1080p images with better color reproduction and dynamic range…

[Video of augmented reality featuring the mascot of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers in the team’s stadium has gone viral; the technology behind the illusion is explained in this story from The Verge. Coverage from Yahoo! adds these details: “’We started getting calls from around the world asking, What is this? And how can we do it?’ [the Famous Group owner Jon] Slusser said in an interview. ‘I definitely think this was a milestone in augmented reality.’ Soon after launching the raven, TFG was forced to pivot its business in response to COVID-19, working with organizations like ESPN, the Golden State…

[The author of this PC Gamer story interviews philosopher James Tartaglia in addressing some provocative questions raised by the continuing evolution of virtual reality and its ability to evoke presence. See the original story for four more images. –Matthew] [Image: Credit: Yagi Studio, Getty Images] Gamer beware, ultra-realistic VR is a philosophical minefield for humanity Should VR become ultra-realistic? We asked a philosopher. By Jacob Fox September 10, 2021 Virtual reality has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years. Whether we’re talking about the capabilities of the VR tech itself, its price, or the VR games now…

[The telepresencestage.org website describes and provides free resources from “Collaborative Solutions for the Performing Arts: A Telepresence Stage,” a project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). Excerpts from the website’s pages are below; see the site for more details and images. –Matthew] Collaborative Solutions for the Performing Arts: A Telepresence Stage OVERVIEW: In our safe distancing times, this research is developing effective and affordable techniques to connect theatre and dance performers from their separate homes and place them within virtual sets online to create, rehearse and perform together as if on a real stage. The website provides…