[BMW has unveiled a car that can change colors, with some reports (e.g., see DesignTAXI) reassuring us that the video demonstration is real and not the result of CGI or other special effects. The details are in the VentureBeat story below, which also describes new presence-evoking technology developed for the interior of BMW vehicles. Watch the color-changing technology in videos in the original story and from DPC Cars and the BMW Blog via YouTube. For even more details, images and videos see the company’s press releases about the exterior and interior technologies. –Matthew]

BMW unveils car that can change its color using E Ink

By Dean Takahashi
January 5, 2022

BMW unveiled a car that can change its color because its exterior has a coating of E Ink.

E Ink is the same kind of tech used in Amazon Kindle ebook readers, and can now cover the surface of an entire automobile.… read more. “Not CGI: BMW unveils car that can change its color using E Ink”

[Beyond the scientific findings from a new study that used virtual reality to explore how blind people orient themselves in space, this short story from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) suggests important benefits of using the experimental stimulus (and variations of it) to provide new presence experiences to this segment of the population for both rehabilitation and entertainment. See the original version of the story for a one-minute video (also available on YouTube). –Matthew]

IIT: Virtual reality archery is “Braille” for orientation of blind people

The new platform was developed by researchers at IIT in order to understand how blind people move and orient themselves in space. In the future it may become a serious game able to rehabilitate blind people’s orientation skills

January 4, 2022

Researchers at the IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) developed an acoustic virtual reality-based archery game, enabling blind people to experience for the first time this type of technology, which is typically focused on vision.… read more. “Virtual reality archery is “Braille” for orientation of blind people”

[The TechRadar story below describes a new wireless haptic vest designed to be more immersive and more comfortable than similar existing products; the author of the ExtremeTech story that follows it is more skeptical. But it seems extremely likely that if it’s not the OWO Game vest it’ll be another product that enhance the user’s presence experience and the TechRadar story makes the interesting observation about how the new level of realism will “make us approach our VR experiences differently.” –Matthew]

This award-winning VR shirt promises a level of immersion we aren’t ready for

Owo’s haptic vest will make games feel uncomfortably real

By Hamish Hector
December 21, 2021

Have you ever wanted your video games to hurt? Us neither, but that hasn’t stopped Owo from creating the Owo Game haptic vest, which will make your body feel every punch, cut and gunshot as you play.… read more. “Owo’s haptic vest will make games feel uncomfortably real”

[This 9Honey story from Australia describes the heartwarming use of telepresence robots to allow loved ones to “be together” at family weddings when COVID and other factors would otherwise make it impossible; see the original story for several more pictures. –Matthew]

[Image: Will Trott parks up for the wedding speeches. Credit: James Field Photography]

How robots are helping guests attend weddings from kilometres away: ‘I had front-row seats’

By Shelley Thomas
December ~3, 2021

For Sydneysider Will Trott, attending his little sister’s wedding at a working sheep and cattle station south of Adelaide transformed into a “highly emotive” out-of-body experience.

A telepresence robot, rented and couriered from Melbourne, attended in his place, providing a portal to wholeheartedly interact with family and friends — including cutting moves on the dance floor.

It was a welcome last resort after his application for a travel exemption, lodged several months earlier, was stalled.… read more. “How robots are helping guests attend weddings from kilometres away: ‘I had front-row seats’”