[Photorealism certainly isn’t essential to evoke presence, but there’s a new space to study how much and when it might help. This is a press release from the University of Michigan’s UM3D Lab; follow the link for more images and a 2:09 minute video. –Matthew] Unreal Engine in Stereoscopic Virtual Reality August 24, 2015 Up until now, the Oculus Rift has been the go-to system for gamers seeking the ultimate immersive experience, offering immersive stereo compatibility with game engines like Unreal and Unity 3D. Recently, the UM3D Lab was able to push this experience even further, with Graphics Programmer Sean…

[Another unusual example of presence, even if the term isn’t used: How many people who see these swans will perceive them accurately as technology? This story is from Fast Company, where it includes a photo gallery; more information, images and a 2:19 minute video are available from Channel News Asia’s coverage. –Matthew] Robot Swans Patrol Singapore’s Reservoirs, Hunting Pollution If you’re going to fill your water with robot sensors, why not make them fit in? Charlie Sorrel July 17, 2015 The NUSwan might sound like a bio-engineered creature from Blade Runner, but it has more in common with the Roomba…

[It’s one thing to watch the top athletes at work but this new VR application is designed to give fans a sense of what it’s like to play against them; the story is from Forbes and includes the three videos mentioned along with more images. The press release is available from Business Wire. –Matthew] [Image: Tennis Professional Maria Sharapova On-Set at the American Express “You Vs. Sharapova” and “Vs. on the River” Virtual Reality Shoot in Los Angeles, CA.] Amazing Technology Allows Fans To Play Tennis With Maria Sharapova At 2015 US Open Gabe Zaldivar, Contributor Aug 18, 2015 The…

[This weather simulator lets travelers ‘visit’ any city serviced by the airport in real time; the story is from PSFK and includes more pictures and a video; for more information see the August 15 coverage by NBC’s Today, which includes a 4:15 minute video. –Matthew] Airport Simulates Your Destination’s Climate at Push of Button Stockholm Arlanda Airport lets you feel foreign weather even before your flight Leo Lutero 12 june 2015 The Climate Portal is exactly how it sounds; it’s a series of small rooms that bring the climate of faraway places to where you are. Yvonne Boe, Communication Manager…

[The ability of VR and presumably presence to relieve pain is central to the plot of the play Ugly Lies the Bone; the story below from the Roundabout Theater Company blog describes a recent demonstration the cast and others experienced (some of the coverage indicates that audience members will have the opportunity as well). More information about the play is available from Broadway World. The stories don’t mention it but the lead actress in the play is Meryl Streep’s daughter, who also has a key role in the CBS TV series Extant, which deals with other presence-related themes.…

[Using VR (and presence) for training and practice opportunities in health care isn’t new, but it seems to be expanding to more people and procedures as the technology improves and becomes more mobile and as costs come down. This is from Fortune. –Matthew] Here’s why hospitals are using virtual reality to train staff By John Gaudiosi August 17, 2015 Mobile virtual reality devices like Google Cardboard, Gear VR, and VR One are changing the way hospitals and health care providers are training doctors, nurses, and medical personnel. Augmented and virtual reality company Next Galaxy Corp has partnered with Nicklaus Children’s…

[Time for a field trip! Note the explicit reference in this CNET story (which features many more photos) to the key concept: “Commonly referred to as ‘presence’ by VR pundits…,” as well as the potentially depressing suggestion at the end that adversarial combat will be more popular than cooperative games. –Matthew] Zero Latency: The VR revolution begins in Melbourne, Australia For Road Trip 2015, CNET gets a hands-on preview of a world-first VR entertainment facility before it opens its doors to the public on August 15. August 13, 2015 by Bennett Ring Stepping onto the large freight elevator, my body…

[Following on Philips’ Hue system, Lightpack extends the colors of a TV or monitor screen into the viewing room; they can even be used together to amplify the immersive effect (as in this video on YouTube). This story is from Ozy; see an earlier post on ISPR Presence News for more on Hue. -Matthew] TV Backlighting for Better Bingeing By Vignesh Ramachandran August 13, 2015 We pay a lot of attention to what’s on our TVs, but probably not to what’s going on behind them. Why should we when we already have access to the likes of high-quality sound, curved…

[A touring film festival just for the high-presence VR format; this is from the New York Times ArtsBeat blog, where it includes 2 more images. –Matthew] [Image: A scene from “Colosse,” a film in which the narrative is driven by where viewers direct their gazes. Credit: Joseph Chen] A Virtual Reality Film Festival Becomes a Reality By Mekado Murphy August 5, 2015 Would you like to be in a movie? How about inside a movie? A new film festival focused solely on virtual reality projects will give audiences that opportunity. The inaugural Kaleidoscope VR Film Festival, announced by organizers on…

[It’s amazing how quickly presence-evoking technology is evolving; this new design for headsets has the potential to allow longer and more “natural and comfortable” sessions; the story is from Stanford News, where it includes a 1:42 minute video; more details and images are available from the Stanford Computational Imaging Group. –Matthew] Stanford researchers unveil virtual reality headset that reduces eye fatigue, nausea Assistant Professor Gordon Wetzstein’s new Stanford Computational Imaging Group has developed a light-field stereoscope that creates a dramatically more natural virtual reality experience than what is present in today’s leading headsets. By Vignesh Ramachandran Stanford Report, August 3,…

[In the market for a luxury home but no time to visit candidate properties? Just ‘go there’ via VR! The concluding quote in this story from L.A. Biz provides nice perspective: we’ve moved from “grainy black and white photo[s]” to color photos, video, drones, and now virtual reality. See coverage in The Los Angeles Times for a video. -Matthew] [Image: Real-estate agent Matthew Hood has brought VR to Sotheby’s International Realty […] to market luxury homes. Credit: Annlee Ellingson] Virtual reality makes house hunters feel at home Aug 12, 2015 Annlee Ellingson, Staff Writer L.A. Biz I’m standing in front…

[It’s early days, but will 3D video for virtual reality bypass the uncanny valley problems of CGI? Will we create, edit and share films in 8i’s (or a related) format? Will it eventually be possible to use it in real-time? This story is from The Next Web, where it features several images and videos; much more information and samples are available on the 8i website. –Matthew] 8i debuts 3D Video file format based on light field tech for rich, realistic interaction by Jackie Dove August 5, 2015 8i, a startup based in New Zealand, has unveiled a new 3D Video…