[From Phys.org, where the story includes more images and two videos] Canon’s Mixed Reality System may speed design cycles June 23, 2012 by Nancy Owano (Phys.org) — Canon this week announced a new augmented reality system—headset and software. The new system is to allow virtual prototypes to replace physical ones. Three-dimensional computer generated images can instantly change based on the user’s movements. The Mixed Reality (MR) System is being initially promoted as an industrial design tool where, for example, the head-set-wearing user gets to see a computer-generated image of a car on a set of real tires, all in realtime.…

[From The Japan Times; a 3:26 minute video is available here and the full research report is here] Riken develops system blurring line between virtual and reality Jiji June 28, 2012 The Riken research institute says it has developed a “substitutional reality” system to study how the brain works when people become confused about the reality of what they perceive. In an experiment using the system, subjects could not tell the difference between real-life scenes and recorded ones displayed on special head-mounted gear, according to an article by Riken published in the British journal Scientific Reports.…

[From TekGoblin] Different Types of Immersion and How They Work Posted by Daniel Moeller June 25, 2012 In virtual-reality speak, ‘immersion’ can mean a number of different things. Ever taken a look at the Matrix, and thought about what it might mean for us? Rene Descartes was one of the first to ask this question – if we’re totally ‘immersed’ in an environment where all sense stimuli are artificially produced and fed to us, how could we distinguish that environment from external reality? Immersion is a critical concept in game design, and it comes in four main flavors. In this…

[From The Hollywood Reporter, where the story includes more images and links to videos and related stories] [Illustration: Kagan McLeod] Marilyn Monroe Hologram Concert in the Works Amid Growing Controversy The trend ignited by a Tupac Shakur resurrection in the desert portends rights battles of epic proportions. 5/31/2012 by Eriq Gardner This story originally appeared in the June 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. When Tupac Shakur took the stage in hologram form at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April, hundreds of thousands of onlookers reveled in seeing one of hip-hop’s greatest performers seemingly brought back…

[From The Wall Street Journal, where the story includes a slideshow, an interactive graphic and a 5 minute video] Next Cameras Come Into View Experimental Device Has a Billion Pixels, Can Zoom In After a Photo Is Taken By Gautam NaikK Updated June 21, 2012 Scientists at Duke University have built an experimental camera that allows the user—after a photo is taken—to zoom in on portions of the image in extraordinary detail, a development that could fundamentally alter the way images are captured and viewed. The new camera collects more than 30 times as much picture data as today’s best…

[From The New York Times Magazine, where eight portraits are featured; more information and portraits are available on John Clang’s web site] Futuristic Family Reunions Be Here Now Julie Bosman June 1, 2012 In Singapore, it is a common practice for entire families to gather on special occasions for a formal picture, often at a studio, with the resulting image framed and prominently displayed at home. The growing tendency of younger family members to take jobs abroad, however, has left many modern portraits missing a relation or two. So the Singaporean photographer John Clang devised a solution, piggybacking on the…