[This Global News story explains why designer and engineer Ross Atkin created a new, inexpensive, build-it-yourself telepresence robot; the original story includes a second image and a 2:17 minute news report. Tom’s Hardware adds these details about the robot: “Smartipresence is a cardboard chassis robot that uses rubber bands and screws for a simple yet robust construction. Place your smartphone into the articulated holder and then connect it to the Smartibot NRF 52 series ARM Cortex-M4F control board via Bluetooth. Remote control is achieved by sending a ‘pilot link’ to another device and then we can stream video from the…

[Most of the coverage of Amelia, IPsoft’s AI-based digital employee, is about the benefits for businesses who hire ‘her’ services, but this interview with the CEO provides an introduction to the impressive capabilities of the technology and the likelihood of social presence experienced by those who interact with it. The story is from PC Magazine, where it includes a second image and two videos (one a 40 minute interview with the same person); see also a short video featuring IPsoft’s “chief cognitive officer” from CRN, and the IPsoft website. –Matthew] Meet Your Post-Pandemic Coworker: An AI Bot Ready to swap…

[The potential for hand-tracking to enhance social presence in virtual reality is clear in the video examples in this story from Virtual Reality Times. For an interview with Daniel Beauchamp and 13 short video examples of his creative work, and one longer one, see The Ghost Howls blog. For more examples from Jorge Gonzalez see his Twitter feed. –Matthew] [Image: Source: YesEyeSee] New Quest Demos Show Networked Hand Tracking Sam Ochanji June 14, 2020 There are two new Quest hand tracking demos that demonstrate just how hand and finger detection could have massive implications for social VR. When two people…

[The pandemic has increased interest in and speculation about the potential for virtual and augmented reality, and the social and spatial presence they evoke, to transform the work experience. While this story from Inverse takes a balanced view of the potential and challenges, the concluding comment of Spatial’s VP of Business Development and Strategy is noteworthy: “’There will be reasons to still go into an office. People will view it as a perk.’ But he predicts big changes driven by AR and VR coming in the next decade. ‘It will look very different in 2030 than 2020 in a profound…

[The day when our interactions with other people will be mediated by smart digital assistants (“my A.I. will call your A.I.”) is another step closer with the new artificially intelligent natural voice RobocallGuard, as described in this story from Digital Trends. Stopping robocalls is certainly a worthwhile goal for the emerging tech, which will need to evoke effective social presence for human callers and callees. For more information follow the link to the paper at the end. –Matthew] [Image: Source: New Scientist. Credit: Juj Winn/Getty Images] This clever new A.I. assistant will screen and block robocallers for you By Luke…

[One may need to be a power user to fully recognize the benefits, presence-related and otherwise, of interacting with spreadsheets in the 3D space of virtual reality as described in this story from VentureBeat. The original story includes the 6:56 minute video referenced, along with the full research report in ArXiv, at the end. –Matthew] [Image: The hierarchical pie menu is invoked in-place and navigated from bottom to top through in-air movements of the pen (a-c). An arc menu on the corner of the tablet controls visualization options (activated – solid color, non activated – semi-transparent) (d). Adding a trend-line…

[All things being equal, presence responses are more likely when technology is unobtrusive or hidden; a new transparent TV display accomplishes this and is said to offer an “ultra-immersive viewing experience.” This story is from BGR, where it includes the mentioned videos and two more images. A longer (1:25 minute) HD video from Argus World is available on YouTube. CNET points out that “Comparable technology has been around since at least 2015, when Samsung showed a transparent OLED display panel for commercial use. LG also showed one at CES 2016” and as noted by BGR and in a 2016 ISPR…

[This story from MacRumors describes intriguing presence-evoking technology in a new patent filing from Apple. As the author notes, “[g]iven the complexity and outlandish nature of this filing, it is very unlikely that any of the features outlined in it will come to market any time soon. Nonetheless, it offers insight into Apple’s current areas of research and development.” The original version of the story includes two different images. For more details see coverage from Patently Apple, and for information about a related patent, see “Apple wants to bring Zoom-like background replacement to ‘Apple Glass’” from Apple Insider. –Matthew] [Image:…

[TechCrunch reports on how teams of volunteers are working to take the Burning Man event online because of the pandemic and in the process, participate in some “avant garde imagineering for what the future of human online interaction looks like.” In addition to the links to the separate projects, the original story includes six more images and links to related content. –Matthew] Digitizing Burning Man How indie developers are re-imagining social apps to save the iconic off-the-grid event Lucas Matney August 12, 2020 For decades, Burning Man has represented an escape from the current reality. An event for free-er spirits…

[This IEEE Spectrum story describes how roboticist John Peter Whitney takes some personal risks to develop technology that permits precise teleoperation (and potentially autonomous operation) of robots. The original version includes two more images and the mentioned video; follow the link at the end for more information. –Matthew] Remotely Operated Robot Takes Straight Razor to Face of Brave Roboticist You should really probably definitely not ever try this at home or anywhere else By Evan Ackerman July 28, 2020 Roboticists love hard problems. Challenges like the DRC and SubT have helped (and are still helping) to catalyze major advances in…

[This review of VR Quest educational software explores the potential of virtual learning experiences, and the spatial and social presence they produce. It comes from Parentology, where the original version includes two more images and a 1:54 “Introduction” video (also available via YouTube). A new 1:57 minute news report from Fox 12 in Oregon, and a 2013 CBS News report include brief interviews with students and the creator, and more information is available on the VR Quest website. For more context, “hear from researchers, educators, and developers from MIT, Stanford, and Seattle Public Schools as they share their experiences, benefits…

[Taking advantage of social presence, a new Kickstarter project creates a 3D holographic training partner for runners. The original version of this VRScout story includes three more pictures and a 2:29 minute video; the PR Newswire press release includes this: “’Nothing is a perfect substitute for running with another person,’ says CEO AbdurRahman ‘AR’ Bhatti, a former all-state cross-country runner himself. ‘But racing against a holographic avatar that you can train with anywhere at any time is the next best thing.’” For more information see the Kickstarter page and an interview with AbdurRahman Bhatti from NewsTalk Florida. –Matthew] Ghost Pacer…