[This story from the University of Rochester Medical Center describes a new tool that creates presence illusions to study how the brain and body are affected by neurological diseases and disorders. See the original version for a 3:46 minute video. –Matthew] Researchers Harness Virtual Reality, Motion Capture to Study Neurological Disorders September 05, 2018 Neuroscientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have a powerful new state-of-the-art tool at their disposal to study diseases like Autism, Alzheimer’s, and traumatic brain injury. The Mobile Brain/Body Imaging system, or MoBI, combines virtual reality, brain monitoring, and Hollywood-inspired motion capture technology, enabling…

[This story about the Nuclear Dissent “immersive website” highlights the personal nature of effective presence experiences; it’s from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. See what the author means by visiting the new website. –Matthew] A virtual visit to a nuclear test site By Thomas Gaulkin September 14, 2018 It can be difficult to grasp how nuclear weapons shape world events without confronting the cold, hard facts. There are an estimated 15,000 nuclear warheads on Earth, and the nine nuclear states that have them ran some 2,000 nuclear tests to produce them. Sky-high numbers like that get you part of…

[Some of the most valuable applications of presence are in the human aspects of medical care; this story by the creator of the My MRI Journey app is from The Guardian. An earlier King’s College Hospital press release adds some detail and a user’s reaction: “The VR technology allows children to feel as though they are inside an MRI scanner and experience what it will be like on the day. Children have the opportunity to get accustomed to the loud tapping noises that happen during the scan (this is the electric current in the scanner coils being turned on and…

[Presence-evoking technologies are being used to reproduce important buildings to learn about and allow more people to experience them. This story is from Smithsonian, where it includes a 6:25 minute video; for more details see the links within the story and new coverage in Designboom that features more pictures and a different video. –Matthew] [Image: Source: Designboom] Take a 3D Tour Through Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West New state-of-the-art scans allow virtual visits to the architect’s winter home and gives conservators detailed blueprints By Jason Daley June 21, 2018 As he aged, architect Frank Lloyd Wright became a snowbird.…

[This touching story about a simple use of media technology to connect with and grieve the loss of loved ones seems particularly appropriate on this date. It’s from The Washington Post via The Australian Financial Review, where it includes more images and a 49 minute NHK documentary (which is also available on YouTube). For more coverage you can listen to a 22 minute segment of the NPR program This American Life, and I’ve included an extended excerpt from a new first person report of a pilgrimage to the “phone of the wind” from The Believer below. –Matthew] Japan’s Otsuchi ‘wind…

[This story from USC News describes a new technology that adds the powerful sense of touch to presence illusions. For more information, see a new interview with Professor Culbertson in VentureBeat. –Matthew] [Image: Heather Culbertson, an assistant professor in computer science, designed a low-cost haptic sleeve device that simulates human touch. (USC Photo/Caitlin Dawson)] Armband developed at USC mimics a person’s touch Computer scientist creates sleeve embedded with elements that simulate sensations. The device could be a therapeutic tool for people with anxiety. By Caitlin Dawson July 6, 2018 Imagine a virtual world where someone touches your arm during a…

[The new 17-minute work “Awavena” combines AR, VR and 360-degree film to capture a spiritual experience in the Amazon. The story below is from VICE, where the original includes four more pictures and a 6:53 minute “making of” video. A 10:36 minute podcast discussion is also available from VICE, and more information about how VR creators including the makers of “Awavena” are learning how to tell stories in immersive media is available from Variety. –Matthew] [Image: Hushahu, the first Yawanawá woman to become a shaman, on the bridge to the tribe’s home in the Amazon] This Incredible VR Film Takes…

[Swedish telecom company Com Hem (“Come Home”) commissioned a campaign with advertising agency M&C Saatchi Stockholm that features video ads that vividly illustrate customers experiencing presence. The story below from Adweek is about the latest ad, “Above and Beyond”; see the original story or Vimeo to watch the 1:00 minute ad. Earlier ads include “Dive” (YouTube), “The Astronaut” (Vimeo), “Wherever You Are” (Vimeo), “Summit” (Vimeo), and a Film/TV clip-filled extended ad (YouTube). The campaign has apparently been successful (see coverage in Resumé). –Matthew] [Image: A young pilot pushes his airplane to its limits in this Swedish spot.…

[A new VR tour in Jerusalem lets viewers “Step into History.” Without using the term; both this story from the AP via the Miami Herald and the one from Breaking Israel News that follows below are filled with descriptions of the presence experience the tour provides visitors. The Tower of David Museum’s website includes a 0:35 minute video also available via YouTube. –Matthew] [Image: In this Monday, Sept. 3, 2018 photo, released by the Tower of David Museum, a visitor uses goggles on a new virtual reality tour that allows visitors to experience how archaeologists believe Jerusalem looked 2,000 years…

[As another school year begins new technology developments suggest that realistic, interactive, artificially intelligent digital teachers may transform the traditional classroom experience. This story from Newsroom describes a new advance in digital teacher technologies in New Zealand; the original version includes an additional image, and for more information see the Vector press release, which includes a 2:00 minute video that features student reactions to both the digital and real teacher. –Matthew] [Image: Students trialling digital teacher Will say he’s just like a human. Photo: Supplied] World-first digital teacher in NZ schools August 23, 2018 Farah Hancock Kiwi students will be…

[This story on Labor Day in the United States describes how the power of vivid early photographs of working children directly looking at the camera (and therefore the viewer) helped change public perceptions and end child labor in the U.S. As noted in the last paragraph, today other media including virtual reality (and the sense of presence it evokes) are also being used to show and combat social injustices. The interesting story is from The Washington Post, where the original includes eight more images (follow the link at the end for over five thousand more) as well as links to…

[The airlines are finding interesting applications of presence-evoking technology. This story from MRO (“Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul”) Network is about new immersive tech Emirates Airlines is adopting for seat booking and other previews of the inside of its planes (more details, images and a 1 minute video are available from Emirates). APEX (“Airline Passenger Experience Association”) has a related story about a passenger survey supporting the addition of VR-based experiences in airlines’ airport pre-flight lounges. –Matthew] Virtual Reality Informs Passengers Booking Airline Seats Emirates helps make seat selection a more accurate experience for its passengers via an immersive, 3D, online process…