Author: Matthew Lombard
-
Why brain implants are more than a sci-fi fantasy
Read more: Why brain implants are more than a sci-fi fantasy[The potential applications and benefits of brain-computer interfaces go far beyond presence, but most of them do involve overlooking the role of technology in perception (at least over time). This abridged version of a clear and balanced story about BCIs is from Bloomberg via the Japan Times, where the original includes two more images. Note especially the last two sections, about uses beyond medicine (including allowing consumers “to question AI chatbots with their thoughts and receive the answers through their headphones,” and soldiers to pilot drones with their thoughts), and the barriers to successful widespread adoption of the technology. –Matthew]…
-
Call: 13th Workshop on Interfaces and Human Decision Making for Recommender Systems
Read more: Call: 13th Workshop on Interfaces and Human Decision Making for Recommender SystemsCall for Papers: 13th Joint Workshop on Interfaces and Human Decision Making for Recommender Systems – IntRS’26Held in conjunction with the 20th ACM Conference on Recommender SystemsSeptember 28–October 2 2026Minneapolis, Minnesota, USAIntRS’26 Workshop: https://sites.google.com/view/intrs26/ACM Conference on Recommender Systems: https://recsys.acm.org/recsys26 Important Dates:Submission deadline: July 20, 2026Author notification: August 14, 2026Camera-ready version: August 28, 2026 Research on Human-AI collaboration involves several critical areas of investigation, such as Human-in-the-loop, Symbiotic AI, Explainable AI, User-centered design, and Intelligent Interfaces. Overall, this area of research is aimed at developing systems that can work effectively with human users, considering their preferences, cognitive abilities, and ethical values.…
-
VR, AI are transforming the classroom experience in South Florida
Read more: VR, AI are transforming the classroom experience in South Florida[A virtual school founded in 2021 in South Florida offers all of its courses in virtual reality, as reported in this story from WPLG Local 10 in Miami. See the original version for a 2:56 minute video report. For more information and press coverage see the Optima Academy Online website; there’s also some relevant discussion on the homeschool subreddit. –Matthew] Virtual reality and AI are transforming the classroom experience in South Florida By Saira Anwer, ReporterMay 15, 2026 School is getting a high-tech makeover in South Florida, where students are stepping into virtual classrooms powered by artificial intelligence and virtual…
-
Call: Patching Up for the journal Intermediality
Read more: Call: Patching Up for the journal IntermedialityCall for Papers: Patching Up / RapiécerIssue n° 50 (Fall 2027)Intermediality. History and Theory of the Arts, Literature, and Technologieshttp://intermedialites.com/en/call-for-papers-no-50-patching-up-rapiecer/ Editors:Karine Bellerive, Université du Québec à Montréal and Université de SherbrookeSandrine Lambert, Concordia University No payment from the authors will be required Deadline to submit proposals: June 15, 2026Announcement of selected proposals: July 10, 2026Submission of completed texts for peer review: November 15, 2026Publication of the texts approved by the Editorial Committee: Fall 2027 Patching up means adding pieces—patches—to maintain, repair, and extend the life of something; at times, it goes beyond simply filling a gap to become a creative…
-
You’re an ‘avatar in a VR game,’ scientist claims
Read more: You’re an ‘avatar in a VR game,’ scientist claims[Although it can be hard to detect (optical illusions provide a glimpse), it’s clear that we don’t perceive the reality around us directly, but a subjective version of it constructed by our senses and brain. Consistent with philosophy’s simulation argument that what we perceive as reality is likely a sophisticated computer simulation, the fascinating story below from Popular Mechanics via Yahoo! News uses a relatable presence metaphor, the logic of evolutionary game theory, and recent developments in the field of physics to argue for an “interface theory” of perception in which we can only experience the interface, not the complex…
-
Call: Philosophy of Photography
Read more: Call: Philosophy of PhotographyCall for Papers: General call for the journal Philosophy of Photographyhttps://www.intellectbooks.com/philosophy-of-photography#call-for-papers Philosophy of Photography is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the understanding of photography, published twice yearly since 2010. The journal provides a forum for debate on theoretical issues arising from the historical, political, cultural, scientific and critical matrix of ideas, practices and techniques that constitute photography as a multifaceted and changeable form. In a contemporary context remarkable for its diversity, rate of transformation and political challenges, the conjunction of the terms ‘philosophy’ and ‘photography’ in the journal’s title is intended to act as a provocation to serious reflection on…
-
Reimagining interior space through the illusion of nature
Read more: Reimagining interior space through the illusion of nature[The evolution of screen-related technologies has expanded the potential of virtual windows and skylights to evoke presence, as described in this story from Global Design News. See the original version of the story for five more images. For more about the Prospect-Refuge theory mentioned near the end, see a March 2025 article in the environmental psychology journal ArchPsych. –Matthew] OpenView Luminous Virtual Windows by Sky Factory: Reimagining Interior Space Through the Illusion of Nature May 8, 2026 Fairfield, Iowa, USA – OpenView Luminous Virtual Windows transform enclosed interiors into immersive environments filled with light, depth, and the sensation of open…
-
Call: ICIDS 2026 – 19th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling
Read more: Call: ICIDS 2026 – 19th International Conference on Interactive Digital StorytellingCall for Papers: ICIDS 202619th International Conference on Interactive Digital StorytellingTHEME: Adapt | abilitiesNovember 30 – December 4, 2026Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, Thailand and onlinehttps://icids2026.ardin.online/ Deadlines for submissions:Long and Short Papers: June 22, 2026Late-breaking Works: September 14, 2026 This year’s ICIDS (International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling) will return to Southeast Asia, having last been hosted in the region in Singapore in 2014. The hosting city is Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, a country with a rich history as a cultural crossroads, where diverse traditions from across its varied landscapes have intertwined to create a complex and non-homogeneous society.…
-
Why deepfake political ads are fooling older Americans
Read more: Why deepfake political ads are fooling older Americans[This story from the conservative newspaper The Washington Times describes multiple factors that are said to magnify the negative impacts of presence-evoking political ads on television and social media for older voters. See the original version of the story for a 7:19 minute video report. Note that Thomas Massie and John Cornyn both lost their re-election campaigns. –Matthew] ‘More real than real’: Why deep-fake political ads are fooling older Americans By Seth McLaughlinMay 18, 2026 When Rep. Thomas Massie raised the alarm about an artificial intelligence-generated attack ad that falsely shows him in a romantic scenario with two liberal Democratic…
-
Call: Parasocial Grief (book chapters)
Read more: Call: Parasocial Grief (book chapters)Call for Book Chapters: Parasocial Griefhttps://telegra.ph/CALL-FOR-SUBMISSIONS-Call-for-Book-Chapters-Parasocial-Grief-05-01 Editors: Katie Thomas (Virginia Tech) and Alex Boesch (Ohio University) Deadline for proposals: July 30, 2026 We are seeking chapter proposals for an edited academic volume exploring the multifaceted phenomenon of parasocial grief. This book examines how individuals experience grief in relation to parasocial relationships/breakups with media figures, fictional characters, influencers, and other public personalities. This volume has interest from a publisher and seeks to advance scholarly understanding of parasocial relationships by centering grief as a meaningful and underexplored dimension of media engagement. Parasocial grief may emerge in response to a range of experiences,…
-
I chatted with Google’s lifesize, hyperreal AI companion
Read more: I chatted with Google’s lifesize, hyperreal AI companion[An ISPR Presence News post a few months ago provided a first-person report on the impressive ability of the Google Beam system to evoke social presence with another person; the story below from CNET provides a similar report on the system’s ability to evoke presence with an AI-generated simulation of another person. The author also considers a variety of applications and implications of the technology. –Matthew] [Image: Google Beam just got an experimental video AI agent. I don’t know what its name is. Oh and that’s an AI generated image of my cameraman and myself in the room. Credit: Scott…
-
Call: At the Crossroads of Mind and Machine: Neuroethics Reshaped by LLMs
Read more: Call: At the Crossroads of Mind and Machine: Neuroethics Reshaped by LLMsCall for Papers: At the Crossroads of Mind and Machine: Neuroethics Reshaped by LLMs (LLM-Neuroethics)A special issue of the journal Neuroethicshttps://link.springer.com/collections/jfcjdddgdd Editors: Shengbai Chen, Xiaojun Ding, Jianhua Mei, Hao Zhan and Mirko Farina Deadline for submissions: October 31, 2026 We are witnessing an unprecedented explosion in Large Language Models (LLMs), shifting the integration of generative AI and mind sciences from theoretical speculation to immediate practical application. As LLMs are increasingly deployed to decode neural data, model human cognition, and act as therapeutic agents, establishing robust philosophical and ethical frameworks is no longer a future goal but an urgent necessity.…
ISPR Presence News
Search ISPR Presence News:
Categories
Archives
- September 2026 (6)
- August 2026 (42)
- July 2026 (33)
- June 2026 (44)
- May 2026 (40)
- April 2026 (44)
- March 2026 (44)
- February 2026 (40)
- January 2026 (41)
- December 2025 (36)
- November 2025 (38)
- October 2025 (45)
- September 2025 (42)
- August 2025 (42)
- July 2025 (46)
- June 2025 (30)
- May 2025 (42)
- April 2025 (44)
- March 2025 (42)
- February 2025 (40)
- January 2025 (44)
- December 2024 (42)
- November 2024 (40)
- October 2024 (46)
- September 2024 (42)
- August 2024 (44)
- July 2024 (44)
- June 2024 (40)
- May 2024 (24)
- April 2024 (27)
- March 2024 (42)
- February 2024 (42)
- January 2024 (44)
- December 2023 (40)
- November 2023 (42)
- October 2023 (44)
- September 2023 (39)
- August 2023 (46)
- July 2023 (42)
- June 2023 (44)
- May 2023 (40)
- April 2023 (40)
- March 2023 (46)
- February 2023 (40)
- January 2023 (44)
- December 2022 (24)
- November 2022 (42)
- October 2022 (42)
- September 2022 (42)
- August 2022 (46)
- July 2022 (40)
- June 2022 (44)
- May 2022 (42)
- April 2022 (42)
- March 2022 (46)
- February 2022 (40)
- January 2022 (38)
- December 2021 (46)
- November 2021 (42)
- October 2021 (42)
- September 2021 (42)
- August 2021 (44)
- July 2021 (44)
- June 2021 (42)
- May 2021 (40)
- April 2021 (44)
- March 2021 (46)
- February 2021 (40)
- January 2021 (39)
- December 2020 (44)
- November 2020 (39)
- October 2020 (43)
- September 2020 (44)
- August 2020 (42)
- July 2020 (46)
- June 2020 (43)
- May 2020 (42)
- April 2020 (44)
- March 2020 (44)
- February 2020 (39)
- January 2020 (34)
- December 2019 (42)
- November 2019 (40)
- October 2019 (44)
- September 2019 (40)
- August 2019 (44)
- July 2019 (44)
- June 2019 (38)
- May 2019 (46)
- April 2019 (44)
- March 2019 (42)
- February 2019 (40)
- January 2019 (36)
- December 2018 (40)
- November 2018 (42)
- October 2018 (46)
- September 2018 (38)
- August 2018 (46)
- July 2018 (44)
- June 2018 (42)
- May 2018 (32)
- April 2018 (42)
- March 2018 (44)
- February 2018 (40)
- January 2018 (44)
- December 2017 (40)
- November 2017 (42)
- October 2017 (44)
- September 2017 (26)
- August 2017 (46)
- July 2017 (42)
- June 2017 (44)
- May 2017 (44)
- April 2017 (40)
- March 2017 (46)
- February 2017 (40)
- January 2017 (44)
- December 2016 (44)
- November 2016 (42)
- October 2016 (30)
- September 2016 (42)
- August 2016 (46)
- July 2016 (40)
- June 2016 (24)
- May 2016 (42)
- April 2016 (42)
- March 2016 (46)
- February 2016 (44)
- January 2016 (40)
- December 2015 (44)
- November 2015 (40)
- October 2015 (42)
- September 2015 (42)
- August 2015 (42)
- July 2015 (46)
- June 2015 (44)
- May 2015 (40)
- April 2015 (44)
- March 2015 (44)
- February 2015 (40)
- January 2015 (42)
- December 2014 (44)
- November 2014 (38)
- October 2014 (46)
- September 2014 (42)
- August 2014 (42)
- July 2014 (43)
- June 2014 (42)
- May 2014 (42)
- April 2014 (43)
- March 2014 (42)
- February 2014 (40)
- January 2014 (44)
- December 2013 (42)
- November 2013 (40)
- October 2013 (44)
- September 2013 (40)
- August 2013 (44)
- July 2013 (46)
- June 2013 (40)
- May 2013 (44)
- April 2013 (44)
- March 2013 (42)
- February 2013 (40)
- January 2013 (44)
- December 2012 (40)
- November 2012 (42)
- October 2012 (46)
- September 2012 (37)
- August 2012 (46)
- July 2012 (40)
- June 2012 (42)
- May 2012 (46)
- April 2012 (42)
- March 2012 (44)
- February 2012 (42)
- January 2012 (44)
- December 2011 (44)
- November 2011 (40)
- October 2011 (33)
- September 2011 (42)
- August 2011 (46)
- July 2011 (39)
- June 2011 (45)
- May 2011 (42)
- April 2011 (42)
- March 2011 (44)
- February 2011 (40)
- January 2011 (42)
- December 2010 (42)
- November 2010 (42)
- October 2010 (42)
- September 2010 (42)
- August 2010 (43)
- July 2010 (42)
- June 2010 (43)
- May 2010 (40)
- April 2010 (43)
- March 2010 (46)
- February 2010 (40)
- January 2010 (54)
- December 2009 (18)
- November 2009 (29)
- October 2009 (26)
Recent Posts
- Call: International Communication Association (ICA)
- US Air Force Airlift Group uses VR to train maintainers
- Call: Intl. Seminar on the Public Sphere in the Age of Algorithms
- Tess McKinney helps healthcare and education embrace immersive technology
- Call: Focus on Pedagogy 2026: Across Teaching, Theory, Technologies & Times