International Society
for Presence Research

Month: April 2026

  • Call: The Hybrid Subject: Navigating Human-AI Communication

    Published:

    Call for Papers: International Academic Conference: The Hybrid Subject: Navigating Human-AI CommunicationJune 28-30, 2026Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS)Shenzhen, Chinahttp://listserv.aoir.org/pipermail/air-l-aoir.org/2026-April/195805.html Deadline for submission of full papers OR extended abstracts: April 30, 2026 CONFERENCE OVERVIEW Against the rapid integration of artificial intelligence into social, organizational, and interpersonal communication, human-AI interaction has evolved from instrumental operation to hybrid subjectivity: AI systems participate as conversational partners, decision collaborators, and co-creators, reshaping identities, norms, power dynamics, and communicative practices. This conference convenes international scholars in communication, media studies, organizational behavior, digital sociology, human-computer interaction, and AI ethics to interrogate the hybrid subject in theory,…

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  • LIFE V-aiR project uses VR to make invisible pollution visible

    Published:

    [A multi-year project in the EU is using presence-evoking virtual reality to help both the public and policy-makers better understand and address the challenges of controlling air pollution. Some of the details are in this news release from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (the original version includes a second image); more details are available from Atmo Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (Atmo BFC). The Escape and Serious games are available from Meta. –Matthew] Clearing the air: LIFE project uses virtual reality to make invisible pollution visible As air pollution remains a critical health and environmental challenge in Europe, the LIFE V-aiR…

    Read more: LIFE V-aiR project uses VR to make invisible pollution visible

  • Call: “The Role of Journalism in Endangered Democracy” Conference

    Published:

    [NOTE: See especially the section toward the end regarding the Fictional Identities In Digital Space panel. –Matthew] Call for Papers: Conference – ‘The Role of Journalism in Endangered Democracy’June 5-6, 2026Communication and Media Department, University of SplitSplit, Croatiahttp://commlist.org/archive/all/2026-all/msg00527.html Deadline for submission of abstracts: April 25, 2026 RATIONALE: During the 2016 US presidential campaign the publication of inaccurate and, in particular of intentionally inaccurate information, through social media and fake websites became a salient reality of the digitized information world (Palczewski, 2017; Parkinson, 2016; Silverman & Singer-Vine, 2016). It further polarized American society and confused voting citizens. The proliferation of the…

    Read more: Call: “The Role of Journalism in Endangered Democracy” Conference

  • Survey reveals growing appeal of AI for romantic and sexual interactions

    Published:

    [A new survey finds increasing use of AI chatbots, and willingness to use of AI-based robots, for romance and sex. Some of the implications of this use of technologies that evoke medium-as-social-actor presence are discussed in this story from Vice; follow the  ZipHealth link for more details about the survey results. –Matthew] Gen Z Won’t Stop Having Sex With AI Chatbots Maybe the robots really are taking over. By Ashley FikeApril 6, 2026 People are willing to try just about anything to feel close to someone again. And in today’s ever-freakier world, that “someone” doesn’t even have to be human.…

    Read more: Survey reveals growing appeal of AI for romantic and sexual interactions

  • Call: Media and Emotion Conference

    Published:

    Calls for Papers: Media and Emotion ConferenceThe Centre for the Study of Conflict, Emotion and Social Justice at Bournemouth UniversitySeptember 7-8, 2026Bournemouth, Englandhttps://necs.org/news/calls-for-papers/media-and-emotion-conferencehttp://commlist.org/archive/all/2026-all/msg00412.html Deadline for submissions: May 4, 2026 The Centre for the Study of Conflict, Emotion and Social Justice, in the Faculty of Media, Science and Technology at Bournemouth University invites scholarly and practice-based proposals for an in-person conference on media and emotion. [The conference will include:] 2 days with up to 100+ papers in 30+ panels, 4 keynote events, lunches and refreshment breaks for both days, optional self-funded conference meal, student rates (and lottery free spaces) and campus…

    Read more: Call: Media and Emotion Conference

  • VR used to help teach young people in UK about dangers of trespassing on the railway

    Published:

    [This news release from the UK’s Network Rail describes a positive application of presence designed to help people understand and avoid the dangers posed by trains. See the original version for three more images and a 1:27 minute video. –Matthew] VIDEO: Virtual reality helping teach young people in Wales and Borders about the dangers of trespassing on the railway By Kathy Peart, Media relations manager, Network RailApril 2, 2026 The technology has been rolled out on the Wales and Borders route for the first time – already reaching more than 2,000 school children. Immersive VR technology is being used for…

    Read more: VR used to help teach young people in UK about dangers of trespassing on the railway

  • An ISPR-related phishing scam to avoid

    Published:

    Information about an ISPR-related phishing scam to avoid I’ve received multiple messages from people who have been sent an email that appears to come from me but is in fact a phishing scam. At least one version of the message looks like the one below; among other things, note that although I have a gmail account, the sender’s email address is not mine. This message doesn’t request funds, but some of the scam messages do. If you receive an email that looks like the one below or requests that you send money, please do not respond! Feel free to contact…

    Read more: An ISPR-related phishing scam to avoid

  • Professor creates VR dance game about modern dance pioneer Loïe Fuller

    Published:

    [A professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has created a virtual reality game that teaches players about Loïe Fuller, an extremely popular and influential dancer who was one of the first to integrate technology (including presence-evoking technology) into her performances; game players also learn and practice basic dance principles. See the original version of the story for a second image (of Loïe Fuller), and follow the Master Dancer link for videos and more information. –Matthew] [Image: Professor John Tenjes is surrounded by a projection of a scene from “Master Dancer” in a National Center for Supercomputing Applications lab. Credit:…

    Read more: Professor creates VR dance game about modern dance pioneer Loïe Fuller

  • Call: 3rd Eudaimonia in Digital Games Workshop at FDG 2026

    Published:

    Call for Papers: 3rd Eudaimonia in Digital Games WorkshopAt the 2026 Foundations of Digital Games (FDG) ConferenceCopenhagen, Denmark Workshop: August 10, 2026https://sites.google.com/view/eudaimonia-in-games/home FDG 2026: August 10-13, 2026https://fdg2026.org/ Deadline for submissions: April 12, 2026 (extended) SUMMARY It’s clear that digital games like Gears of War, Assassin’s Creed or Call of Duty provide a different kind of emotional experience to games, such as Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture, Papers, Please and Journey. However, we stumble when we attempt to articulate exactly what that difference is. What is the difference between the first group (Gears of War, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty) and…

    Read more: Call: 3rd Eudaimonia in Digital Games Workshop at FDG 2026

  • VR on wheels: A mobile cart showcases emerging tech at TCU

    Published:

    [Many of the most interesting and positive applications of presence start with an individual person being inspired after learning about presence-evoking technologies and what they can do. A collaborative project at Texas Christian University is designed to create those learning and inspiring experiences for more students, faculty, and staff on the TCU campus. Note that even the VR cart they created for the effort is likely to evoke medium-as-social actor presence (!). –Matthew] Virtual Reality on Wheels: A Mobile Cart Showcases Emerging Tech at TCU By Justine ArensMarch 30, 2026 Classroom technology is no longer confined to a room or…

    Read more: VR on wheels: A mobile cart showcases emerging tech at TCU

  • Call: Animex Research and Innovation Conference 2026

    Published:

    Call for Papers: Animex Research and Innovation ConferenceNovember 18, 2026, Teesside University, UK (in person)November 25, 2026, presentations onlinehttps://www.tees.ac.uk/minisites/animexconference/index.cfm Deadline for submissions: June 26, 2026 The fourth Animex Research and Innovation Conference invites submissions of short 3,000- word papers for presentation and publication. The conference brings together both emerging and established scholars and practitioners working across animation, VFX, and games to share, debate, and celebrate their current research disciplines. This year, it is again a part of the Animex programme, allowing delegates to enjoy the wider festival. The event features experts in animation, VFX and games from across the world.…

    Read more: Call: Animex Research and Innovation Conference 2026

  • A Mars simulation in the Arctic tests telepresence for future NASA missions

    Published:

    [Both the analog and digital simulations described in this story from The Aerospace Corporation are designed to help participants overlook the roles of technology, defined broadly, but the use of 3D scanning and holograms as they would operate in expeditions to distant moons and planets is of particular note. The headline of a similar story from Aerospace Testing International is “Engineer completes Mars-analog telepresence mission”; see the original version of either story for a 3:49 minute video (also available via YouTube). –Matthew] Aerospace Engineer Braves the Arctic to Support the Next Chapter of Space Exploration Analog missions conducted in extreme…

    Read more: A Mars simulation in the Arctic tests telepresence for future NASA missions

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