Author: Matthew Lombard
-
Call: Seamless Learning Conference 2025: Molding minds – Melding modes
Published:
Read more: Call: Seamless Learning Conference 2025: Molding minds – Melding modesCall for Contributions: Seamless Learning Conference 2025Molding minds – Melding modesOctober 16-17, 2025WU Vienna University of Economics and BusinessVienna, Austriahttps://www.wu.ac.at/en/flex/community/seamless-learning-conference-2025 Deadline for submissions: August 23, 2025 Join us for the fourth annual Seamless Learning Conference at WU Vienna University of Economics and Business! WU Vienna is happily inviting all interested practitioners, policy makers and scholars to its 2025 Seamless Learning Conference. These annual events bridge discourses, disciplines and perspectives on current issues in higher education teaching and learning, aiming for a learning experience that is as seamless as possible. The 2025 edition focuses on student experience and learning effectiveness –…
-
How an Auburn U. pharmacy professor is teaching empathy to students and understanding to patients
Published:
Read more: How an Auburn U. pharmacy professor is teaching empathy to students and understanding to patients[The application area – pharmacy and the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic diseases – may be different, but in many ways this story from Auburn University about how a professor and a professional colleague outside academia are developing an innovative use of presence-evoking technology (here virtual reality with haptic gloves) to educate and build empathy, is typical. See the original story for six more images and a 1:50 minute video (also available on YouTube). –Matthew] Virtual reality, real impact How a Pharmacy professor is teaching empathy to students and understanding to patients By Amy Weaver, Office of Communications…
-
Call: “The Age of AI Agents” issue of International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction
Published:
Read more: Call: “The Age of AI Agents” issue of International Journal of Human-Computer InteractionCall for Papers: ‘The Age of AI Agents: Data Power, Social, Political and Ethical Challenges’A special issue of the journal International Journal of Human–Computer Interactionhttps://think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issues/the-age-of-ai-agents-data-power-social-political-and-ethical-challenges/ Special Issue Editor(s): Mirko Farina, Huaqiao University, China and Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial Systems [Xiamen University and Moscow State University], farinamirko@gmail.com Andrea Lavazza, Pegaso University, Italy, lavazza67@gmail.com Deadline for submissions: March 15, 2026 (likely to be extended) BACKGROUND, RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES 2024 witnessed the rapid rise of AI agents and widespread investment by the tech industry. Big tech companies and numerous well-regarded LLM startups have collectively invested hundreds of billions of dollars in…
-
You’ve probably been duped by AI on a dating app – but not the way you think
Published:
Read more: You’ve probably been duped by AI on a dating app – but not the way you think[Until relatively recently it was entirely reasonable to assume the media technologies were merely a channel through which humans communicated, that one or more people created the messages and sent them via letter, email, photo, or audio or audio-video recording. Today it’s increasingly likely that the text, images, sounds and video we encounter were either created entirely or altered substantially by generative AI and other advancing, easy-to-use and widely available technologies. The author of the essay below from USA Today argues that while in some contexts the ability to easily generate and enhance effective messages is valuable, in more personal…
-
Call: MetaMORES, free roleplay game that explores how people express moral emotions and engage with politics in virtual environments
Published:
Read more: Call: MetaMORES, free roleplay game that explores how people express moral emotions and engage with politics in virtual environmentsCall for Participation: MORES Launches MetaMORES, a Political Roleplay GameA new Fortnite island and Discord community foster emotional resilience and democratic imagination in the metaversePublished on August 12, 2025https://mores-horizon.eu/news/join-meta-mores-a-political-roleplay-game The MORES project is entering the metaverse. In collaboration with MORES teams across Europe, the consortium today debuts MetaMORES—a Fortnite-based digital island game and Discord community designed to explore how people express moral emotions and engage with politics in virtual environments. MetaMORES offers a free four-week open adventure where participants aged 18 and older explore political roleplay, collective storytelling, and democratic decision-making. The gaming experience is part of a scientific effort to understand how…
-
University of South Florida launches groundbreaking undergraduate concentration in health care simulation
Published:
Read more: University of South Florida launches groundbreaking undergraduate concentration in health care simulation[Hopefully the new and apparently unique undergraduate concentration in health care simulation launching this fall at the University of South Florida will provide both coursework and internship experiences that help students learn about the theories, research and diverse applications of presence. The news release below can be found both from USF Health News and via EurekAlert!; see both versions for more images. For more details about the new concentration, see the USF Undergraduate Catalog. –Matthew] [Image: Melissa Milner, DNP, director of clinical simulation at USF CAMLS, participates in a health care simulation training with students. Credit: USF Health] University of…
-
Call: “Probes” for the journal Explorations in Media Ecology (EME)
Published:
Read more: Call: “Probes” for the journal Explorations in Media Ecology (EME)Call for Submissions: Explorations in Media Ecology: Probeshttps://www.intellectbooks.com/explorations-in-media-ecology[From the National Communication Association (NCA) COMMNotes Conferences, Calls & Announcements e-list (https://www.natcom.org/commnotes/)] Deadline for submissions: Rolling Explorations in Media Ecology is now welcoming submissions to the PROBES section of the journal. Probes are short, under 2,000 words, and should be provocative and exploratory pieces that explore emerging ideas or that promote existing scholarship in a form different from the typical academic article. Condensed academic-style articles are accepted, but we also encourage innovative approaches to writing, including but not limited to poetry, axioms, narratives, confessionals, and/or reflections. Generally, EME publishes articles on topics…
-
Mercer U. professor and undergrad create control system that seamlessly integrates human motion with virtual and real environments
Published:
Read more: Mercer U. professor and undergrad create control system that seamlessly integrates human motion with virtual and real environments[A professor and an undergraduate student in the School of Engineering at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia in the US are using motion tracking sensors, virtual reality, drones, a robot, and artificial intelligence to create what sounds like an impressive system to create spatial presence and enable more effective teleoperation in a remote, real-world location. The story below from Mercer’s The Den website provides details; see the original version for two more images. –Matthew] [Image: Dr. Hunmin Kim and student Shrey Patel in the lab where they are developing a state-of-the-art VR control system that seamlessly integrates human motion with…
-
Call: Applied Communication Division at Southern States Communication Association 2026 conference
Published:
Read more: Call: Applied Communication Division at Southern States Communication Association 2026 conferenceCall for Papers: SSCA Applied Communication DivisionSouthern States Communication Association 96th annual conventionApril 8-12, 2026Birmingham, Alabama, UShttps://ssca.memberclicks.net/2026-conventionhttps://ssca.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/2026/CFPs/Applied_CFP_2026-Birmingham.pdf Deadline for submissions: September 15, 2025 The Applied Communication Division invites submissions for competitive selection for the Southern States Communication Association (SSCA) Conference to be held in Birmingham, Alabama, in April 2026. The Division welcomes proposals with an emphasis on identifying solutions and recommendations for both scholars and practitioners to improve or apply to communication practices. Submissions may address applied communication including, but not limited to, social issues (e.g., mental health, civic engagement, homelessness); organizational or business contexts (e.g.,…
-
Scientists used virtual reality to alter people’s lucid dreams in mindboggling feat
Published:
Read more: Scientists used virtual reality to alter people’s lucid dreams in mindboggling feat[Although it only involved four participants, an intriguing new research report in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness suggests that presence-evoking virtual reality (in which a user is aware that they’re only using technology but can still influence the course of and be profoundly influenced by the experience) can enhance lucid dreaming (in which a sleeping person is aware that they’re only dreaming but can influence the course of and be profoundly influenced by the dreaming experience). As the authors put it in their abstract, VR may “allow for even more expansive explorations of immersive multisensory experience” in lucid dreaming. The…
-
Call: “Drone Performances: Aesthetics, Mediation, Politics” Conference
Published:
Read more: Call: “Drone Performances: Aesthetics, Mediation, Politics” ConferenceCall for Abstracts: Drone Performances. Aesthetics, Mediation, PoliticsJanuary 29-30, 2026University of KlagenfurtVienna, Austriahttps://conference3.aau.at/event/216/ Deadline for submissions: September 29, 2025 Drones are reshaping visual culture, human-machine interaction, and aesthetic expression. From cinematic landscapes to military surveillance, from art installations to everyday leisure, drones are increasingly mediating how we sense, see, and relate to the world. This international and interdisciplinary conference aims to bring together scholars and artists to explore how drones perform, intervene, and matter in cultural and social contexts. Hosted by the Department of Media & Communications and the Digital Age Research Center (D!ARC) at the University of Klagenfurt, the conference is…
-
OpenAI brings back ChatGPT 4o after users miss parasocial relationship with it
Published:
Read more: OpenAI brings back ChatGPT 4o after users miss parasocial relationship with it[OpenAI recently launched a new model of its popular ChatGPT AI service but then had to restore access to its earlier model after user complaints indicated that the new model (ChatGPT 5) didn’t evoke the same level of parasocial (presence) responses. The story below from The Verge provides some vivid examples of user reactions to the change; Ars Technica has more, including one user who wrote that it was “like a buddy of mine has been replaced by a customer service representative.” Some other coverage emphasizes more extreme examples and even seems critical of the users (Futurism’s headline is “OpenAI…
ISPR Presence News
Search ISPR Presence News:
Categories
Archives
- September 2025 (18)
- 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: VR-HEd:SETS – Virtual Reality in Higher Education: Sharing Educational Tips and Stories, a free webinar series
- Teaching Sept. 11 using virtual reality
- Call: Pitch Your Lab session at ISMAR 2025
- Field of view and presence: Meta Boba 3 prototype hands-on: Ultra-wide FoV without compromise
- Call: Beyond the Audience: Rethinking Participation and Power in the Age of Data Capitalism