[TV broadcasts with resolution 16 times full 1080p HD now have their own channel in Japan; this story from Tech Insider notes the limited but important contexts (including VR) in which this ‘Super Hi-Vision’ resolution will improve the viewing experience. For details on where to see the new channel’s offerings see NHK’s press release, and for an overview of the tech available for the Rio Olympics and likely to be available for the Tokyo 2020 games, see coverage in TechRadar. –Matthew] The world’s first 8K TV broadcasts are now live — here’s what that means for you Jeff Dunn August…

[To what extent and in what ways will the future of mediated experiences, and the presence they evoke, expand from aural and visual to the other senses? This interview with Imagineering Institute director Adrian Cheok in Asian Scientist (which includes a second image) considers some of the possibilities. –Matthew] Wake Up and Smell The Roses—Virtually You can now send tastes, smells and even kisses virtually. A new age of virtual reality involving all five senses is here, with Adrian Cheok of the Imagineering Institute at its forefront Daniel Soo August 1, 2016 Once the stuff of science fiction, virtual reality…

[This story from The Washington Post is about the use of technology to create both spatial and social presence for runners, including the idea near the end of a future in which “a million people [are] literally running, walking or crawling the virtual Boston Marathon on a global scale.” The original includes more images, related links and a 2:26 minute video. –Matthew] [Image: With Outside Interactive, runners log in to an app and pay for videos of routes, which they watch on their iPad or Android tablet or on an HD television. They can manually select the pace or sync…

[Whether Veeso’s product or that of a competitor, face-tracking in VR has significant potential to enhance social presence. This story is from Gizmag, where it includes more images and a 3:01 minute video; for an interview with the head of the company see coverage in UploadVR. –Matthew] VR headset that relays facial expressions to the virtual world Michael Irving July 24, 2016 VR hardware is already capable of tracking your head, your hands, your eyes and in some cases, your feet, but Veeso is claimed to be the first VR headset to capture your face and transmit your expressions –…

[This story from Forbes suggests that with patent issues resolved, products and online services that offer sexual experiences via virtual reality (‘teledildonics’) may finally succeed in the marketplace; of course that success will in large part depend on the extent and nature of the presence illusions they provide. The original version of the story includes more pictures and a 0:56 minute video. –Matthew] This VR Platform Invites Users To Have Virtual Sex With Real Performers Janet Burns, Contributor Jul 21, 2016 A popular cam site is hoping that our brave new world of high-tech lovin’ has plenty of people in…

[Wearing 3D glasses, even the modern smaller, lighter ones, interferes with presence (especially for those of us who have to wear them over vision-correcting glasses); this MIT News story reports on a promising development toward getting rid of 3D glasses in movie theaters. See the original for more information and a 0:49 minute video. –Matthew] New movie screen allows for glasses-free 3-D at a larger scale Adam Conner-Simons | CSAIL July 25, 2016 3-D movies immerse us in new worlds and allow us to see places and things in ways that we otherwise couldn’t. But behind every 3-D experience is…