[From Motherboard, where the story features two videos and several more images] A New Virtual Reality Tool Brings the Daily Trauma of the Syrian War to Life Written by Christopher Malmo August 23, 2014 The situation for journalism in Syria is grim, and getting worse. With Bashar al-Assad on one side, and a handful of extremist rebel groups like the Islamic State on the other, journalist abductions and intimidation are common, with sometimes sickening results. For a few years now, Syria has been categorized by the Committee to Protect Journalists as the most dangerous country in the world to be…

[From the University of California, San Diego; a 4:39 minute video is available on YouTube] New Virtual Reality Navigation System to Help Diagnose Cognitive Defects August 18, 2014 | By Tiffany Fox Note: This is the first in a three-part series about Qualcomm Institute research projects that have a direct impact on aging. All three projects are funded through the Calit2 Strategic Research Opportunities program. The Qualcomm Institute is the University of California, San Diego division of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2). Experts agree that the ability to navigate a neighborhood or built space is one…

[From Business Insider; for more see the Netflix Hack Day 2014 web page] Netflix Paired With The Oculus Rift Headset Could Transform Your Home Into A Movie Theater Steven Tweedie Aug. 20, 2014 Netflix recently unveiled several experimental projects that were created during one of its “Hack Days,” where employees can tinker and dream up new versions of the popular streaming service. One of the coolest projects is called Oculix, and it combines the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset with the Netflix experience.…

[From Gizmag, where the story includes a 27 image picture gallery] Swimarium: The virtual reality swimming pool By Stu Robarts August 13, 2014 If you’ve ever fancied scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef but can’t afford it, this idea from OVA Studio might provide a solution. The Swimarium is a design concept in which LED screens are placed all around a pool to create an immersive virtual swimming experience that would let you dive anywhere in the world.…

[From Motherboard] New Military Jets Are So Powerful, Pilots Must Be Trained in Virtual Reality Written by Jordan Pearson August 11, 2014 The latest generation of US Air Force fighter jets are smarter, stealthier, and more lethal than their predecessors, but they present an unexpected hurdle: The new jets are too powerful to unleash their full potential during training exercises. One general believes that training pilots in virtual reality is the solution. Fifth generation jets like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II boast weaponized high technology like supersonically launched guided missiles and a wealth of sensors that provide full…

[From Forbes, where the story includes two videos; much more information is available at the CEEDs Project web site] [Image: Source] Making Sense of Big Data With Virtual Reality And The Unconscious Mind Federico Guerrini 8/16/2014 A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic, is a well-known quote – often mistakingly attributed to Stalin. Regardless of the author, the sentence is interesting because it can be read in at least two ways: in one, it relates with compassion fatigue, our inability of feeling outrage when the horror surpasses a certain threshold. But it might also be…

[From Journalism.co.uk; see also the BBC’s 3:57 minute video report] Lessons from BBC virtual reality stream at Glasgow Games The BBC Research and Development team shares what lessons were drawn from the first virtual reality sports stream and how they can be used in the future Posted: 8 August 2014 By: Catalina Albeanu A virtual reality live stream was set up at the Commonwealth Games last week to allow viewers outside of the Hydro Arena to experience the gymnastics competition as if they were comfortably seated in the stalls. The BBC Research and Development (R&D) team placed a 360 degree…

[From CNET, where the story includes more images and a 1:04 minute video; more coverage is available from The Creators Project, including this quote from Chris Helson: “When you actually stand there with them floating in front of you, they have a life that you connect to in a very different way than you would with a film or video, or even a 3D film.”] Help Me Obi: Is this the first true 3D video? Art installation Help Me Obi plays projected video that viewers can walk around and watch from any position. by Michelle Starr July 27, 2014 Video…

[From Gizmag, where the story includes an image gallery and a 2:29 minute video; those of us at ISPR 2014 in Vienna had the chance to try out and learn about the Virtualizer from the creators] [Image: The Virtualizer VR rig from Cyberith lets gamers walk, run, jump, crouch, kneel and even sit] Cyberith’s Virtualizer brings running, jumping … and sitting to virtual reality By Colin Jeffrey July 23, 2014 In recent years, we’ve seen a number of virtual reality (VR) devices targeted at bringing more immersive gaming to the home while also adding locomotion to the mix. Joining the…

[From Digital Trends; see also “Androids Attend Damon Albarn Show In Japan” on The Creators Project web site] South Korean baseball team installs robots to replace absent fans By David Nield — July 26, 2014 Going to miss the ballgame? If you’re a fan of South Korean team Hanwah Eagles then you can still be there in virtual spirit — the Eagles have just added three rows of robot spectators who beam video clips and messages from supporters who can’t be there in person. It looks like the new technology is a hit with fans: nearly 90,000 messages have been…

[From Motherboard, where the story includes the two videos mentioned] [Image: From a large photo gallery at ACFI PRESS] This Is What It’s Like to Be Anesthetized by Virtual Reality Written by Meghan Neal, Managing Editor August 8, 2014 The strange link between virtual reality and mind-altering drugs is well-trodden territory here at Motherboard. We’ve explored tripping in Oculus Rift, treating heroin addiction with VR therapy, technoshamans replacing psychedelics with an immersive virtual experience, and a speculative future where virtual reality “jolting” is the illicit substance of choice. Now here’s another drug being “disrupted” by VR technology: anesthesia.…

[From CNN, where the story includes a photo gallery and a 1:53 minute video] [Image: Details of a new sports-based theme park in Barcelona are sketchy, but promotional images show visitors taking part in virtual swimming races.] Barcelona to host world’s first sports theme park By Barry Neild, CNN August 4, 2014 (CNN) — Fitness isn’t usually a requirement for theme parks — standing in lines, climbing into rides and screaming in abject terror require only basic levels of stamina. Not so at the world’s first-ever sports amusement park planned for the Olympic Stadium and other Olympic venues in Barcelona,…