ISPR Presence News

Monthly Archives: October 2021

Call: Panel on Workplace Communication for Central States Communication Association 2022

Call for Abstracts:

Panel on Workplace Communication
Central States Communication Association (CSCA)
CSCA 2022 Annual Convention
Madison, Wisconsin
March 30-April 3, 2022
Conference website: https://www.csca-net.org/aws/CSCA/pt/sp/convention_overview

Submission deadline: November 4, 2021

I am putting together a panel for Central States 2022 regarding workplace communication, specifically lessons learned during the pandemic. Workers and companies were forced to close their offices, set up shop at home and maintain the same level of productivity. As we gradually move back to the office, it is critical that as researchers, we examine the lessons learned over the past year and a half. I encourage all methodologies and perspectives. Through this panel, I hope to explore how research can inform practice and improve the effectiveness of communication in a variety of workplace settings.

If you would like to be part of this panel, please submit an abstract to me, Leigh Maxwell, at lmaxwell@edgewood.eduread more. “Call: Panel on Workplace Communication for Central States Communication Association 2022”

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For less than 10USD, anyone can now get up close and explore single cells in VR

[Frontiers reports on a new effort to expand opportunities for the public to use presence-evoking technologies to learn about and enable them to contribute to scientific discoveries. The free, open-access virtual reality visualization tool for single cell data requires only very inexpensive equipment and no advanced training. In addition to the Frontiers in Genetics article cited, see a story in Medium for more details and a video trailer (also available on YouTube along with a video tutorial). –Matthew]

For less than $10, anyone can now get up close and explore single cells in VR

A team of scientists has developed a free, open-access VR program that allows anyone to interact with single-cell datasets using a headset costing less than $10. Previous tools used to view single-cell data visualizations in VR have been limited to the most expensive hardware, costing upwards of $2,500.read more. “For less than 10USD, anyone can now get up close and explore single cells in VR”

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Call: Museums, Immersive Experiences and Beyond – LA ACM SIGGRAPH online event

Call for Participation

Museums, Immersive Experiences and Beyond
COMPUTER GRAPHICS & INTERACTIVE TECHNIQUES
Presented by the Los Angeles ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter
Tuesday, 9 November 2021
A free Zoom virtual event
https://lasiggraph.org/index.php/event/museums-immersive-experiences-and-beyond

Meet worldwide innovators from the academic, museum and startup realms, whose projects utilize digital technologies in the service of cultural heritage preservation and issues of historical societal import.

You must register with ZOOM REGISTRATION to attend this event.

PRESENTERS

Heather Maio Smith
CEO, StoryFile, Los Angeles

Sarah Kenderdine
Director Digital Museology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland

Jeffrey Shaw
New Media Visual Artist, Dean, School of Creative Media (SCM), City University, Hong Kong

Diane Piepol
Principal, Substance 34 Con

DESCRIPTION

The Los Angeles ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter presents Museums, Immersive Experiences and Beyond.

There is a quiet revolution evolving in the realm of experiential museum design globally. Often called “Immersives”, some of these digital-based experiences incorporate extended reality (XR) techniques such as augmented reality and virtual reality.… read more. “Call: Museums, Immersive Experiences and Beyond – LA ACM SIGGRAPH online event”

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VR documentary “In Protest” offers 360-degree view of 2020 unrest

[KARE11 TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul reports on a documentary series that uses 360-degree footage of the protests following the death of George Floyd to create a unique experience of the events. See the original story for a 1:55 minute video and follow links in the story to related resources including videos about the In Protest series and a variety of other virtual reality experiences. Here’s an excerpt from the Oculus blog description (the first link below):

IN PROTEST examines the current state of social activism and reform through 360° interviews, spatial audio, and other immersive technologies. Volume 1 in the series looks at the power of citizen activism and grassroots movements through eye-witness accounts and testimonials from the Minnesota Freedom Fighters and local firefighters and first responders.

IN PROTEST is the latest project from GRX Immersive and is being produced by a core team of Black immersive storytellers and creative professionals led by Alton Glass and Adam Davis-McGee.… read more. “VR documentary “In Protest” offers 360-degree view of 2020 unrest”

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Call: “The Road to Successful HRI: Trust, Acceptance, Ethics, Social Signals and AI” issue of IJSR

Call for Papers

Special Issue on “The Road to Successful HRI: Trust, Acceptance, Ethics, Social Signals and AI”
International Journal of Social Robotics
https://www.springer.com/journal/12369/updates/19112682

Submission deadline: January 31, 2022

Dear colleagues,

After the great success of the TRAITS (HRI 2021) and SCRITA (RO-MAN 2021) workshops, we are very pleased to announce the Special Issue “The Road to Successful HRI: Trust, Acceptance, Ethics, Social Signals and AI” of the International Journal of Social Robotics is open! The special issue aims at exploring successful HRIs from a multidisciplinary perspective, and how to shape the design of robots. The special issue will be open for submissions until January 31, 2022. We welcome submissions from all disciplines addressing topics that allow robots to 1) autonomously sense and react to the situation, people and the environment by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) techniques 2) such that people feel comfortable to interact with robots 3) and trust them to safely reach intended outcomes, and 4) by respecting ethical and legal principles.… read more. “Call: “The Road to Successful HRI: Trust, Acceptance, Ethics, Social Signals and AI” issue of IJSR”

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Improving children’s hospital experiences using a social robot

[In this interview from News Medical, a pediatric surgeon describes new research that demonstrates the effectiveness of a social companion telepresence robot for providing emotional support to young patients. See the original version for two more images and a 2:35 minute video; for more information see the links at the end of the story below. –Matthew]

[Image: Credit: UCLA Health]

Improving children’s hospital experiences using a social robot

Dr. Justin Wagner, Pediatric Surgeon, UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
Interview conducted by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.
October 20, 2021

In this interview, News-Medical speaks to Dr. Justin Wagner about Robin, the social companion robot, and how it is improving children’s hospital experiences.

Please can you introduce your work and tell us about what led you to carry out this study?

Robin is a social companion robot that was designed to support children in healthcare settings.… read more. “Improving children’s hospital experiences using a social robot”

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New Publication: Digital Performance in Everyday Life

Book Announcement: 

Digital Performance in Everyday Life by Lyndsay Michalik Gratch and Ariel Gratch, Routledge
https://www.routledge.com/Digital-Performance-in-Everyday-Life/Gratch-Gratch/p/book/9781138342149
[Preview at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Performance-Everyday-Lyndsay-Michalik/dp/1138342149/ ]

This title will be released on November 12, 2021.

Digital Performance in Everyday Life combines theories of performance, communication, and media to explore the many ways we perform in our everyday lives through digital media and in virtual spaces.

Digital communication technologies and the social norms and discourses that developed alongside these technologies have altered the ways we perform as and for ourselves and each other in virtual spaces. Through a diverse range of topics and examples—including discussions of self-identity, surveillance, mourning, internet memes, storytelling, ritual, political action, and activism—this book addresses how the physical and virtual have become inseparable in everyday life, and how the digital is always rooted in embodied action. Focusing on performance and human agency, the authors offer fresh perspectives on communication and digital culture.… read more. “New Publication: Digital Performance in Everyday Life”

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I gave a keynote in virtual reality. Here’s what I learned

[Here’s a short first-person report from Inc. in which an experienced public speaker describes their first experience (including elements of presence) giving a keynote talk in virtual reality. –Matthew]

I Gave a Keynote in Virtual Reality. Here’s What I Learned

Live, onstage is the best, but this is better than a regular videoconference. For sure.

By Suzanne Lucas, Freelance Writer
October 25, 2021

Public speaking is my favorite part of my job, and the pandemic basically destroyed that, so when JobCon 2021 asked me to keynote its virtual event, I jumped at the chance. I figured it would be via a normal videoconference, but the organizers had a surprise: virtual reality. You know, with that weird headset and hand controls.

I was skeptical, but said, what the heck, let’s do it.

Plus, my teens were super excited about the free Oculus headset JobCon sent me to do the presentation.… read more. “I gave a keynote in virtual reality. Here’s what I learned”

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Job: Assistant Professor in Human-Centered Design at Northwestern University

Call for Applications

Assistant Professor (Tenure Eligible) in Human-Centered Design
Department of Communication Studies
Northwestern University
Chicago, IL, USA
https://media.soc.northwestern.edu/socwp-aws-www/sites/5/2021/10/05095944/Human-Centered-Design-Assistant-Professor.pdf

Applications should be received by December 1, 2021

The Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University is searching for a tenure-eligible faculty member at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of human-centered design. We seek to recruit an individual engaged in impactful and visionary lines of research in human-centered design as it relates to technology and communication. We welcome applicants with expertise in areas including, but not limited to, the following: human-computer interaction, online communication platforms, human-AI communication and interaction, and virtual collaboration. Our intention is to recruit individuals with a track record of, or potential to develop, cutting-edge programmatic research to move the field forward. The successful candidate will be expected to teach in the undergraduate, MS, and/or PhD programs within the department.… read more. “Job: Assistant Professor in Human-Centered Design at Northwestern University”

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Presence during the pandemic: A true story about what remote teaching is really like

[The New York Times Magazine interviewed seven people involved in different aspects of remote teaching during the pandemic. Many of them note the drawbacks of not being with students in person, but indirectly suggesting the power (and risks) of presence, the second person featured in the story describes how she was able to teach her young students about literature via Zoom by sharing with them the “rawness and vulnerability” of a very difficult personal experience in a way that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible.  –Matthew]

[Image: Illustration by Sam Kerr]

7 True Stories From Virtual School

Teachers, administrators and service providers talk about what remote teaching is really like.

September 9, 2021

Gallaudet Howard, 54
Teacher, Humanities, Waring School, a private school for grades 6 – 12
Beverly, Mass.
Interview by Bonnie Tsui

When my father began to die, in October 2020, I carried my computer and my 11th- and 12th-grade students on Zoom into his hospice room, and we read “Gilgamesh.”… read more. “Presence during the pandemic: A true story about what remote teaching is really like”

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