[Researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology have demonstrated an impressive system for teleoperation via robot, as described in this story from New Atlas; see the original story for two more pictures and a 3:39 minute video (also available via YouTube). Coverage in IEEE Spectrum notes that the first version of the robot was released in 2008. For much more information see a March 2022 research paper available via arXiv. –Matthew] [Image: The iCub 3 robot and its operator, prior to the telepresence demo. Credit: IIT] New iCub 3 biped robot used as a long-distance avatar for its operator By…

[This MIT News story describes an impressive advance in telemedicine, a system that lets surgeons perform life-saving interventions for patients with strokes or aneurysms remotely during the critical period required to save their lives. See the original story for a 3:02 minute video (also available via YouTube). –Matthew] Joystick-operated robot could help surgeons treat stroke remotely The system could provide teleoperated endovascular treatment to patients during the critical time window after a stroke begins. Jennifer Chu, MIT News Office April 13, 2022 MIT engineers have developed a telerobotic system to help surgeons quickly and remotely treat patients experiencing a stroke…

[This TechTarget story reports on current and future uses of presence-evoking virtual reality in the recruitment and hiring of new employees, including the benefits for both employer and candidates. –Matthew] [Image: A visitor to the Army Marketing and Engagement Brigade gets acquainted with virtual reality tech in one of the unit’s display vehicles.] VR in recruiting, hiring: Current adoption, future potential Virtual reality has the potential to help employers with aspects of hiring and recruiting like skills evaluations. Learn how the technology could improve the candidate experience. By Mary K. Pratt 15 Apr 2022 While integrating virtual reality into the…

[A more recent Miami Herald story about the interactive AI-based robot bartender Cecilia led me to the BBC News story below from November 2021 about “her” and other robots filling this social role. Note especially the last paragraph below: “’We’re trying to develop something… that can hold a conversation, or crack a joke, ask if you liked your drink, or suggest another one,’ [Yanu’s Mr Adojaan] says. ‘The most interesting part of the project is the effort to make it [appear] alive, or have character.’” The original story includes four more pictures, and the Herald story includes two more pictures…

[The headline of the NASA press release below refers to just one application of holoportation technologies that use 3D capture and mixed reality displays to evoke social presence. The release describes an impressive demonstration of holoportation to the International Space Station while it traveled “17,500 miles per hour … in orbit 250 miles above Earth,” and says that plans include enabling two-way holoportation, with haptics, during deep space missions and to/from extreme remote environments on Earth. See the original release for a second picture and the AEXA Aerospace website for more on holoportation. –Matthew] [Image: NASA flight surgeon, Dr. Josef…

[A new effort to create (tele)presence after death, this time in an immersive 3D social environment accessible via VR, is described in this story from Vice. The article includes information on how the company involved is addressing some though not all of the many ethical issues presence after death raises. –Matthew] [Image: Source: Somnium Space VR on Steam] Metaverse Company to Offer Immortality Through ‘Live Forever’ Mode Somnium Space is developing a way for people to talk to their loved ones even after they die. All it requires is massive amounts of personal data. By Maxwell Strachan April 13, 2022…