[From Autonet; for more information see the press release “3M Debuts Interactive Virtual Presenter at South by Southwest Interactive; Digital Interactive Avatar Helps Conference Attendees Find Panels & More” at BusinessWire] Virtual reality: at a dealership near you Known as a “Virtual Presenter,” she was developed by a company called ELEAD in order to generate leads for dealerships. Part iRobot, part salesperson, expect to see this lady at your local dealership in the very near future. March 12th, 2013- Jack Kazmierski The next time you stop by your local dealership, don’t be surprised if this attractive woman greets you and…

[From PCGamesN] The strange case of the Valve economist and the Virtual Reality contact lenses 12 March 2013 • Story by: Tim Edwards Valve’s resident economist Yanis Varoufakis has told a very strange story. It involves an underground lab, virtual reality technology which is far beyond anything currently on the market, and aliens. And we can’t tell if he’s making it all up or not. Writing in Greek paper Lifo, a paper not known for publishing fiction, Varoufakis writes of visiting an underground lab, the location of which he is forbidden from revealing, where he was able to wear a…

[From Linus Edwards’ VintageZen blog, where the post includes images for each proposed set exhibit] The Movie Set Museum by Linus Edwards March 11, 2013 I’ve had this idea percolating in my brain for awhile now – a museum that consists entirely of sets from famous movies. Each room in the museum would be a different movie set, made to replicate the actual feeling of being in that movie. Patrons would walk from room to room, at one moment being in The Godfather, and the next in Star Wars. I think the genesis of the idea came from when I…

[From The University of Buffalo News Center; a 2:01 minute video is available on YouTube] First-of-its-kind forklift simulator could reduce injuries, deaths By Cory Nealon Release Date: March 8, 2013 BUFFALO, N.Y. — Tactus Technologies has developed a first-of-its-kind virtual reality training program for forklift operators, a product that company officials expect will reduce work-related injuries and deaths. The program, called the 3D Forklift Trainer, allows operators to practice with a video game-like system that features a steering wheel, joystick, pedals and simulated environments such as warehouses, elevators and railroad tracks. The simulator arose from a need to improve operator…

[From Fast Company’s Co.Design, where the story includes additional images and reader comments] Why The Human Body Will Be The Next Computer Interface Fjord charts the major innovations of the past, and predicts a future of totally intuitive “micro gestures and expressions” that will control our devices. By Andy Goodman and Marco Righetto (of Fjord) March 5, 2013 By now you’ve probably heard a lot about wearables, living services, the Internet of Things, and smart materials. As designers working in these realms, we’ve begun to think about even weirder and wilder things, envisioning a future where evolved technology is embedded…

[From Mashable] [Image: Taylan Kay] ‘Auti-Sim’ Game Simulates Life With Childhood Autism Camille Bautista  – March 7, 2013 In a playground filled with gleeful shouts, you approach a group of children. Suddenly, your vision turns blurry and pixelated. The echoing screams become raucous. It’s the experience of sensory overload, according to a new game called Auti-Sim. The simulation, created by a three-member team at the Vancouver Hacking Health hackathon, aims to raise awareness of the challenges of hypersensitivity disorder and help people understand how it can lead to isolation. The closer you get to loud and active children, the more…