[Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) tested the stress-reducing and trust-building potential of three different scenarios involving a virtual (technology-mediated) agent that guides patients through a procedure conducted by an autonomous robotic ultrasound system (they also tested a non-mediated, agent-free scenario). The results have interesting implications for the roles of presence in the design of user experiences in healthcare, and likely other, contexts. See the original version of the story and a second version that appears on the healthcare-in-europe.com website for more images, and read the open-access article in IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics for more…

[The BBC reports on a new effort by UK researchers to use presence-evoking virtual and augmented reality to help reduce the anxiety autistic people experience while learning to drive (it could be useful for other people as well). The BBC story is followed by one with links and additional details from the University of Exeter. As often seems to be the case, a quick online search reveals several similar and apparently independent projects with the same worthy goals. –Matthew] [Image: Sophy Tyler passed her driving test but said she doesn’t have the confidence to drive on her own.] Virtual reality…

[The Religious News Service (RNS) story below describes how artificial intelligence is being used to generate images, memes and videos of assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk, “a new form of public mourning and remembrance, one in which the dead are grieved with hyperreal but entirely fictional reconstructions crafted in seconds by AI services.” While many of the AI creations are unrealistic and/or come with notice that they’re generated by AI, it’s clear from the story that some evoke strong presence experiences in audiences. And the dangers are highlighted in a related story from Baptist News Global, which includes this: “Isn’t…

[This report from Psychology Today focuses directly and explicitly on the role of presence in the important and serious phenomenon of harassment in virtual environments. Referencing a qualitative research study, it highlights some of the practical and ethical implications of using both media form and content to provide cues that in the real (nonmediated) world represent and reinforce power dynamics and that in mediated settings can be deeply upsetting. –Matthew] Why Harassment in Virtual Reality Feels Real (Even When It’s Not) Subtle cues in VR can feel invasive and trigger real discomfort. By Matilde Tassinari Ph.D., a post-doctoral researcher at…

[The addition of virtual reality to a class doesn’t guarantee positive outcomes; instructors have to consider the characteristics of the medium’s form, the specific content it can provide and how that matches the instructor’s learning objectives, the characteristics of the students involved, numerous logistical challenges, and more. The story below from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas uses short interview excerpts to describe how three assistant professors in different fields there are incorporating virtual reality (and presence) into their courses to enhance their students’ learning. See the original version of the story for four more images. For more about the…

[A study by two researchers in the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State University finds that playing sports via augmented and virtual reality “can promote psychological well-being by helping players feel connected to others and engage in real-time communication.” Some of the details, and the authors’ impressions about the role of presence, are in the story from the Michigan State University College of Education below; follow the links to the research report for more information. –Matthew] [Image: Source: MSU Today] MSU explores mental health benefits of virtual sports Feeling lonely? Research from the MSU Department of Kinesiology suggests virtual sports…