[This story from The Conversation effectively makes the unsettling point that the potential of presence-evoking technologies like VR to be used to learn about and manipulate us far surpasses the current concerns about Facebook, and that we better start facing these dangers. –Matthew] Think Facebook can manipulate you? Look out for virtual reality March 21, 2018 By Elissa Redmiles, Ph.D. Dtudent in Computer Science, University of Maryland (Elissa Redmiles receives research funding from a variety of sources including the National Science Foundation, National Center for Women in Technology, and Facebook.) As Facebook users around the world are coming to understand,…

[It’s certainly not the first use of presence-evoking technologies for medical, even surgical, training but this story from the University of Virginia emphasizes the ease of use, low cost, soon-to-be wide availability and important benefits of VR recordings of surgeries for a variety of audiences. The linked video clip mentioned near the end of the story is only 30 seconds long, but for more information and a 9 minute video see the PR Newswire press release. –Matthew] [Image: Dr. Ziv Haskal has created a virtual procedure that puts the viewer right in the operating room with him. Credit: Josh Barney,…

[Facebook has patented a design for a two or three legged robot that would likely have telepresence capabilities; since it’s Facebook, much of the coverage raises privacy concerns. This story is from CNN, where the original includes a second image. –Matthew] Facebook robots may one day follow you around at home by Matt McFarland March 6, 2018 Your future Instagram pictures could be taken by a Facebook-branded robot that follows you around the house. That is, if a newly awarded Facebook patent ever becomes a reality. The company received a patent on Tuesday for a self-balancing robot that’s capable of…

[Presence may be a powerful force for addressing the timely and much too common problem of sexual harassment. This story is from Los Angeles Magazine, where the original includes three other pictures; more information is available on the Vantage Point Indiegogo page and in coverage available via the Press page on the company’s website. –Matthew] Can Virtual Reality Help Stop Sexual Harassment in the Workplace? An L.A.-based entrepreneur and sexual violence-survivor is bringing a fresh solution to life March 19, 2018 Liz Ohanesian I’m a silent presence inside a tidy office, observing as one woman and two men work into…

[This story from Asahi Shimbun describes a very positive and meaningful use of presence. The original story includes a second image. –Matthew] [Image: A virtual reality device used in the clinical study is demonstrated at the Ashiya Municipal Hospital in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture. The image shown on the personal computer screen is also displayed inside the goggle. (Credit: Akiyoshi Abe)] Virtual reality takes terminal cancer patients to dream places By AKIYOSHI ABE/ Staff Writer March 19, 2018 ASHIYA, Hyogo Prefecture–Cancer patients in a palliative care unit at a hospital here are ticking off their “bucket list” destinations or attending events that…

[A major competition has been launched to accomplish a “grand challenge” for presence, as reported in this story from Fast Company. For more information see an interview with the XPrize founder in Fortune, and of course the website for the Avatar XPrize. –Matthew] The Latest XPrize Is For Building Remote-Controlled Humanoid Robots From caring for distant parents to entering burning buildings, there are lots of ways that people might use robot avatars to be in places they can’t go themselves. The XPrize Foundation is offering $8 million if someone can build one by 2021. By Ben Schiller March 12, 2018…

[Light field cameras aren’t new (see The Verge) but Google may be the company that brings them affordably to VR. This story is from MIT Technology Review, where the original includes more images. For more information see the Google blog post by Paul Debevec. –Matthew] VR is still a novelty, but Google’s light-field technology could make it serious art A new VR app lets you explore worlds with surprising depth and detail. by Rachel Metz March 14, 2018 I recently got a private tour of a NASA space shuttle’s cockpit, a quirky mosaic-covered LA home, and a peaceful chapel with…

[In most cases organizations use a presence-evoking technology for a single purpose, for example for entertaining consumers or for training employees; this story from The Asahi Shimbun describes an interesting case in which the same technology is used for both. The original version of the story includes a second image. –Matthew] [Image: Wearing VR headsets, riders prepare for a horror-filled ride at the Toshimaen amusement park in Tokyo. Credit: Odaka Chiba] Virtual reality horror ride could help train actual railway workers By Odaka Chiba/ Staff Writer March 11, 2018 The Seibu Group has devised two virtual-reality (VR) projects with entirely…

[A recent series of reports of Amazon’s Alexa spontaneously laughing has raised questions about whether machines should be designed to emulate humans. This story from Popular Science argues yes. A counter view can be found in “Alexa’s Creepy Laughter Is A Bigger Problem Than Amazon Admits” in Co.Design: “Alexa’s recent case of the ‘Ha Ha Has’ underlines the uncanny valley between Amazon’s Alexa and any real human. It’s why Star Trek poked at the inabilities of the logic-based aliens known as Spock and Data to understand humor. Humor is an insanely complicated topic considered intrinsic to human evolution. It’s why…

[Museums are still figuring out how to best utilize, and fund, virtual reality and the presence experiences it creates, but are impressed with its wide appeal. The director of HTC’s VIVE Arts “says VR will soon be just as important to a museum as its website.” This story is from The New York Times – see the original for several more images. –Matthew] [Image: A staff member at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris demonstrating a new permanent virtual reality installation about evolution. Credit: Dmitry Kostyukov for The New York Times] European Museums Get Adventurous With Virtual Reality By…

[Investment firm Fidelity has replaced classroom sessions in which trainees are told to empathize with customers with experiences using virtual reality that help make them more empathetic. This story about a positive use of presence is from The Observer. –Matthew] [Image: Jason Cooper, director of multimedia for Horizon Productions in Durham holds a pair of virtual reality goggles. N&O file photo] Fidelity is teaching employees compassion with virtual reality By Max Diamond March 07, 2018 DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – Phone associates at Fidelity Investments no longer just sit in a classroom and listen to an instructor for training, instead they…

[A new study at Northwestern University demonstrates how mammals use smells to navigate space and the technology developed for the experiment has the potential to improve presence experiences in future VR systems. This story is from WTTW-TV in Chicago and includes supplementary information from Northwestern Now and The Daily Northwestern. –Matthew] [Image: Northwestern University researchers created a virtual environment for mice to navigate based solely on smells. (Courtesy Northwestern University)] Sniff Test: Study Incorporates Smell into Virtual Reality Alex Ruppenthal March 5, 2018 Imagine strapping on a pair of high-tech goggles and immersing yourself in the sights, sounds and even…