[Here’s a first-person report on an interesting approach to increasing presence with VR; the story is from MIT Technology Review, where it includes an additional image. –Matthew] Using Virtual Reality Underwater Is Weird (but Fun) Sure, you can soar or swim in VR. Just put on a headset and jump in a pool. by Rachel Metz February 20, 2017 No matter how well virtual reality mimics the sights and sounds of flying, floating, or swimming, it’s impossible to feel that you’re really doing those things when your feet are planted firmly on solid ground. So Stephen Greenwood and Allan Evans…

[Jessica Billhart has some very interesting insights on VR and presence; this interview with her is from MIT Technology Review, where it includes several more images. –Matthew] Imagining the Future of VR at Google The search giant’s filmmaker on what the new medium does that film cannot. by Jason Pontin February 14, 2017 Jessica Brillhart is the principal filmmaker for virtual reality at Google, where she enjoys one of the most creative jobs in Silicon Valley. She makes VR experiences (including World Tour, the first film made with Google’s Jump system, a circular 16-camera rig designed to capture VR films)…

[Here’s a short story about a new effort to add senses to presence experiences; it’s from New Scientist, where it includes a 0:41 second video; another video (“[CHI 2017] Ambiotherm: Enhancing Presence in VR by Simulating Real-World Environmental Conditions”) is available on YouTube. –Matthew] Virtual reality weather add-ons let you feel the sun and wind 13 February 2017 By Timothy Revell Virtual reality devices can already fool your eyes and ears. Soon your other senses will be fooled too, with the creation of a device that can bring the weather in your virtual world to life. Nimesha Ranasinghe at the…

[IMAX has begun to implement its plans to speed the mainstreaming of VR; the two articles below detail the company’s plans and report on the new IMAX VR Experience Center in Los Angeles. –Matthew] [From the Los Angeles Times] [Image: A guest plays a virtual reality game based on Lionsgate’s “John Wick” at the Imax VR Experience Centre in Los Angeles (Imax Corp.)] Virtual reality industry ‘in need of a jump-start,’ Imax CEO says at new VR center Ryan Faughnder February 15, 2017 Richard Gelfond, chief executive of big-screen company Imax Corp., unveiled his new virtual reality center Tuesday with…

[The use of telepresence robots in businesses may have the potential to affect more people, but nobody is likely to benefit from their use more than the group discussed in this story from The Conversation (where it includes another image and a 9:35 minute video). The last two sections are particularly interesting and important – we need to help change the policies and perceptions that prevent school districts from more widely adapting telepresence robots, and as scholars provide objective evaluations of their impacts. –Matthew] [Image: Too sick to attend school in person, but perfectly able to participate with a robot’s…

[As this story from Ozy notes, weddings in virtual reality aren’t new but they’re getting easier and more affordable; for more information, including a 0:51 minute video of Martin and Elisa using their robot avatars and exploring wedding settings in VR, see coverage in Wales Online. –Matthew] [Image: Source: Wales Online] How to Get Married In Virtual Reality By Leslie Nguyen-Okwu February 14, 2017 Martin Shervington and his fiancée, Elisa Evans, are one of those couples that make you want to gag. The kind that finish each other’s sentences, that secrete adorable when they hold hands, that decide between a…

[This story from Simon Fraser University News highlights several interesting telepresence projects; the original story includes a 1:23 minute video. –Matthew] [Image: SIAT graduate student Azadeh Foirghani demonstrates the Flex N Feel glove. Credit: Simon Fraser University via Phys.org] SFU technology puts ‘touch’ into long-distance relationships February 10, 2017 By Marianne Meadahl Long-distance couples can share a walk, watch movies together, and even give each other a massage, using new technologies being developed in Carman Neustaedter’s Simon Fraser University lab. It’s all about feeling connected, says Neustaedter, an associate professor in SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT). Student…

[This project is an example of the most positive uses of VR and presence; the story is from Alphr, where it includes other images and a 1:46 minute video. For more information follow the link at the end of the story, see coverage from the CBC (including another video) and read the press release via EurekaAlert! –Matthew] [Image: Creating A Virtual Reality Tumour graphic. Source: University of Cambridge.] Virtual-reality tumour gives researchers a whole new way to study cancer VR project among first four winners of £100 million Cancer Research UK challenge Thomas McMullan 10 Feb 2017 “I’d call a…

[Looker’s product is a “complete data platform that offers data analytics, exploration and insights to every function of a business… The company is powering data-driven cultures at more than 800 industry-leading and innovative companies such as Sony, Amazon, The Economist, Spotify, Sears, Kohler, Etsy, Lyft, Red Bull and Kickstarter.” The blog post below from the company’s website describes the creation of the company’s new data visualization tool that utilizes virtual reality, including some of the interesting challenges and possibilities of the immersive, presence-evoking format (note particularly the discussion starting with “It’s an interesting experiment that raises a lot of questions”).…

[This new VR game raises lots of interesting questions regarding interface design and homuncular flexibility, and the use of presence for social and political advocacy. The story from CNET includes a 0:51 minute video teaser, and more information is available from the Samurai Punk website. –Matthew] The American Dream: A VR game where you have guns for hands Imagine a 1950s world where Mr. and Mrs. Middle America are going about daily life with guns for hands. Forget gun control — this is the American Dream! by Claire Reilly November 5, 2016 The American Dream is built on guns. That’s not…

[The Teomirn HoloLens app looks like an impressive presence-evoking tool for learning to play piano; this story is from UploadVR, where it features two 1:00 minute videos. See also a story (and video) in Next Reality about the related Music Everywhere HoloLens project for teaching piano improvisation. –Matthew] Teomirn Is A HoloLens App That Teaches You To Play The Piano By Jamie Feltham January 30th, 2017 Playing games that also teach you skills is a dream for any lazy person, but it’s still a distant one. Guitar Hero was fun, but it never taught you to play its starring instrument,…

[The evolution of technology to increase media user’s sense of presence continues… The original version of this story from the Daily Mail includes two sidebars, more images, and a related video. The full POV Head Rig press release is available via Newswire. –Matthew] The terrifying mannequin-head camera that could revolutionize VR porn: Device aims to create more ‘intimate emotional attachment’ It has stereoscopic cameras in the eyes and binaural sound microphones Also has multiple cameras across its surface to achieve 4K resolution at 60fps Creators say the POV Head Rig will make virtual reality porn more immersive By Cheyenne Macdonald…