[The results of a new neuroimaging study support the idea that the more vividly we imagine a stimulus or perceive one that is “virtual” (mediated by technology), the more likely our brain will struggle to determine whether it is real. The news release from University College London below summarizes the study and is followed by two key paragraphs from the published journal article. –Matthew]

[Image: A graphical representation of the supported hypothesis. Part of Figure 1b in the article “Subjective signal strength distinguishes reality from imagination”]

Humans struggle to differentiate imagination from reality

April 21, 2023

The more vividly a person imagines something, the more likely it is that they believe it’s real, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

The research, published in Nature Communications, involved over 600 participants who took part in an online experiment, where they were asked to imagine images of alternating black and white lines while looking at a computer screen.… read more. “Study: People judge whether something is real or imagined based on how vividly they experience it”

[We are moving closer to a day when not only models, as in this story from Vogue Business, but many people can have (increasingly realistic) ‘digital twins’ made of themselves and send them off to interact with the world, even after they themselves have passed away. The story explores just some of the many questions and issues this raises. See the original story from two more images. –Matthew]

[Image: Credit: Dimension Studios and Unsigned Group]

Brands can now hire supermodel Eva Herzigová’s digital twin

The model has participated in an elaborate process to digitise her likeness and movements, allowing her to extend her career and appear in never-before-possible projects. But, creating a digital twin opens up a world of questions.

By Maghan Mcdowell
April 25, 2023

Supermodel Eva Herzigová has one of the most recognisable faces in the world. She has appeared on runways, ad campaigns and magazine covers around the world during the more than 30 years she has been working as a model.… read more. “Brands can now hire supermodel Eva Herzigov’s digital twin”

[The Daily Beast reports on an interesting demonstration by researchers from Google and Stanford University of how generative AI can be used to create fictional characters that interact independently in ways that realistically simulate human interactions. The story below points to both positive implications such as the possibility of more realistic, presence-evoking non player game characters, as well as some serious ethical concerns. See the original version for five more images and for more coverage see coverage from Ars Technica. The researchers have posted a recorded interactive demonstration here. Note also the link below to an earlier Daily Beast story about a study about how “we grossly underestimate the ability of chatbots to influence even our moral decisions”; here’s a key excerpt:

“The researchers gave the users [participants] a statement to read from ChatGPT that argued either for or against sacrificing one life to save five [in the famous Trolley Problem in philosophy].… read more. “Researchers use ChatGPT to create town of interacting generative agents, raising ethical issues”

[This press release from Vodafone describes a recent demonstration of spatial and social presence in which professional tennis player Emma Raducanu appeared as a hologram to give real-time tennis lessons to two young amateur players who were over 4300 miles away. It also includes some interesting predictions about how presence-evoking and other technologies will be used to enhance both playing and watching tennis in the future. See the original press release for two different images and a 1:26 minute video (also available on YouTube). –Matthew]

[T’nae Diamond Paisley, 12, learning from and practicing tennis with a hologram of Emma Raducanu (video screenshot)]

Vodafone 5G powers first-ever hologram coaching session with Emma Raducanu

April 24, 2023

Thanks to new hologram technology powered by Vodafone’s 5G network, 20-year-old tennis superstar Emma Raducanu has surprised two talented young grassroots tennis players with the first-ever 5G holographic coaching session – despite them being 4,370 miles (7,032km) apart.… read more. “Vodafone 5G powers first-ever hologram coaching session with Emma Raducanu”

[In what Futurism describes as “an absolutely delightful new experiment,” researchers have demonstrated that domesticated parrots can be taught how to make video calls that allow them to experience presence. Since these birds have “high social, cognitive, and emotional needs” often lacking in captivity, the findings suggest a way to improve the parrots’ quality of life. The story below is from Northeastern University’s Global News website, where the original features many more images and two short videos. The study is reported in the Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, where it includes two longer videos. –Matthew]

[Image: Jennifer Cunha, Northeastern affiliated researcher, work with Ellie, Cunha’s 11-year-old Goffin’s cockatoo, at her home in Jupiter, Florida on April 10, 2023. Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University]

Parrots learn to make video calls to chat with other parrots, then develop friendships, Northeastern University researchers say

By Schuyler Velasco
April 21, 2023

Video chats like Zoom and FaceTime are great ways to stay in touch with loved ones—so great, in fact, that parrots are catching on.… read more. “Study: Parrots learn to make video calls to chat with other parrots, then develop friendships”