[Defense News reports on the US Army’s development of, and plans for, an ambitious presence-evoking training system; see the original story for a second image. See also a 2018 ISPR Presence News post. –Matthew] [Image: Soldiers use the Integrated Visual Augmentation System to train with the Squad Immersive Virtual Trainer. Credit: U.S. Army] US Army makes headway on Synthetic Training Environment By Adam Stone September 30 ARLINGTON, Va. — The first iteration of the Army’s virtual training environment is in the hands of some troops, giving an early glimpse of the tool’s promise to reshape the way soldiers prepare for…

[A new study conducted at and described in this story from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne reveals differences in how adults and children are able to interact with virtual reality, and nonmediated, experiences. See the original for a large photo gallery and a 2:46 minute video (also available on YouTube) and find more details in the Scientific Reports article. –Matthew] [Image: Credit: EPFL / Alain Herzog] Virtual reality affects children differently than adults Immersive virtual reality disrupts the child’s default coordination strategy, EPFL scientists show, something that should be taken into account when developing virtual reality rehabilitation protocols for children.…

[This New York Times story describes the long history of one man’s use of virtual reality, including some intriguing examples of presence experiences and their effects; see the original version for two more images and a short video. –Matthew] [Image: Wolf Heffelfinger. Credit: Jessica McGlothlin for The New York Times] One Man’s Endless Hunt for a Dopamine Rush in Virtual Reality From Burning Man to spaceships, the technology has carried him through a 10-year fascination that delights, disappoints and continues to improve. By Cade Metz September 29, 2021 On a recent Thursday evening at the City Life Community Center in…

[The DreamCube is a headset-free presence-evoking technology that updates the earlier Cave Automatic Immersive Environment concept and tech. This Fast Company story provides the details; see the original for six more animations and a 44 second video. For more information and images see the Local Project website. –Matthew] See the DreamCube, the immersive spectacle that’s like walking into a video game It’s not sci-fi. The brand has already signed deals with the NBA and Manchester United. October 1, 2021 By Mark Wilson The room is dark. On its floor sits a solitary soccer ball. Suddenly, a glowing halo envelopes the…

[There’s been a lot of press coverage of Amazon’s new Astro robot this week, with a mix of reactions. This story from CNET provides valuable context regarding Amazon’s approach to developing innovative (and often presence-evoking) technology. For more about Astro see Amazon News and the Amazon Science blog. For a mostly negative view about Astro’s potential see a widely cited story in Vice. Here are excerpts from two other technology writers: “Astro is a magnificent feat of science and engineering. But is it actually something you would want in your home? A successful product is one that either addresses an unsolved…

[As the technologies and techniques that evoke presence become more diverse and overlap in different combinations it’s useful to have a classification scheme. This story from Virtual Humans provides one for the virtual influencer industry; see the original story for seven more images. –Matthew] What’s the Difference Between Virtual Influencers, VTubers, Artificial Intelligence, Avatars, and More? Virtual being classifications are diverse; here are some definitions to help keep things clear. By Makena Rasmussen September 27, 2021 When people imagine a virtual influencer, they often picture something out of a science fiction movie: a fully automated, autonomous robot celebrity powered by…