[From DigInfo TV, where the post includes a 2:07 minute video; animated gifs of the system are available from Oddly_Even] Interact with virtual characters in the real world November 7, 2013 This mixed reality interface [called MARIO: Mid-air Augmented Reality Interaction with Objects] places virtual characters in the real world. It was developed by the Naemura Lab at the University of Tokyo. Users can have an animated character jump onto their hand, as well as guide the character onto blocks, creating a novel interactive experience. “Recently, devices have been developed that can form images in mid-air. We’ve utilized one of those,…

[From C1, the Condition One blog; view a 3:57 minute interactive video demo and download ‘showcase’ apps here] Announcing Zero Point: The first 3D 360 movie for virtual reality November 13, 2013 We’re excited to announce that we are in development with Zero Point, the first movie shot in 3D, 360 degree video optimized for the Oculus Rift head mounted display. In the film, we follow the pioneers of virtual reality; the researchers and developers creating an entirely new digital dimension. From combat training simulations at the Department of Defense, to research labs at Stanford, to indie game developers and…

[An American Heart Association press release; follow the link for additional audio and video materials] ‘Virtual reality hands’ may help stroke survivors recover hand function Study Highlights: Scientists used brain-computer interface technology to help stroke survivors use their minds to power “virtual reality hands” to help regain the use of their arms and hands. The technology offers hope of recovery to stroke survivors and others who have lost mobility and control of their arms and hands. DALLAS, Nov. 17, 2013 — “Virtual reality hands” — controlled by stroke survivors’ thoughts — could help them recover use of their hands and…

[From Forbes] The New Matterport 3D Camera Could Change Reality As You Know It 11/17/2013 Elise Ackerman, Contributor A few weeks ago I slipped on an Oculus Rift headset and visited the future of virtual reality. In a millisecond, I was transported from a drab office park in Mountain View, CA to the middle of a showcase home in Portola Valley, CA  that had been rendered as a life-size model by the Matterport 3D Camera. It was the closest I’m likely to get to teleportation. The details of my immediate surroundings were completely replaced by the virtual world. Using a…

[From Slate’s Future Tense blog, where the post includes the two video clips mentioned] [Image: A telepresence robot in The Good Wife. Still from The Good Wife copyright CBS.] More Proof That The Good Wife Is the Best Technology Show on TV By Torie Bosch Robots don’t usually show up on TV unless it’s to ruin civilization—or unless the show is set hundreds of years in the future. And they’re usually sophisticated machines (Futurama’s Bender’s taste in booze notwithstanding). But on CBS last night, a robot took a bold roll forward—into a door. In the fifth-season premiere of The Good…

[From Singularity Hub] Second Life Founder, Philip Rosedale, Is Quietly Creating a Next-Generation Virtual World Written By: Jason Dorrier Posted: 11/12/13 In Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, humanity escapes a gritty dystopia by donning VR goggles and entering a virtual world called OASIS. Back here in a comparatively rosy 2013, we don’t have a fully immersive virtual experience—yet. But virtual reality is undergoing a renaissance. And while Oculus develops a consumer-ready virtual reality headset, Second Life creator, Philip Rosedale, and his latest startup, High Fidelity, are hard at work constructing a next-generation global virtual world.

[From BuzzFeed; a 1:56 minute promotional video (NSFW) is available on MediaFire; apologies for the self-promotion but for more on this topic see the journal Human Technology] It Finally Happened: There Is An Oculus Rift Sex Simulator Welcome to 2013. NSFW video inside. Over the weekend, in Tokyo, the group VR Japan hosted an Oculus Rift Game Jam. These events, which are common in countries where developers have access to early versions of the headworn virtual reality display, are occasions for creative thinking about ways to apply the Oculus to generate immersive new gaming experiences. In that spirit, someone at…

[From The Scientist, which features a linked a photo gallery that can be found here; for more of Danny Quirk’s art find him on MEDinART, Behance and Facebook] Dissection via Paintbrush An artist uses latex body paint to bring anatomical structures to life By Tracy Vence | October 31, 2013 Getting to know the complex anatomical structures that make up the human body can be both fascinating and frightening. The thought of examining cadavers at close range is enough to send some potential anatomists running. Even for the non-squeamish, few outside of the medical profession can access this all-important learning tool.…

[A first-person account of presence and its aftermath, from the Guardian] I swapped my world for a virtual one – and I loved what I found Oculus Rift is a brilliant piece of kit that has huge potential for the future of gaming and education Lucy Prebble The Observer, Saturday 9 November 2013 We were supposed to have virtual reality by now. We knew from fiction what it would look like, the wrongs it would bring. For ages we seemed on the edge of a self-imposed Matrix or as much creepy, blobby lovemaking as we wanted, as in The Lawnmower…

[From NPR, where the story features an audio version too] [Image: “Sandy,” a sign-waving mannequin, helps bring in customers to a Los Angeles smoke shop.] There’s A New Kind Of Sign Spinner In Town by Alex Schmidt October 16, 2013 Want to get cash for gold, buy furniture, find a tanning salon or rent an apartment? You could look those things up online, but in many cities if you just drive around, you probably won’t have to go far before you see a person spinning a giant sign that will point you in the right direction. Or maybe you’ve just…

[From Neurogadget, where you can watch the 4:56 minute video] Mind-controlled virtual reality system combines the forces of Emotiv EPOC, Oculus Rift and Razer Hydra By Neurogadget; November 7, 2013 This awesome VR project combines the forces of three sophisticated gadgets to take mind-controlled virtual reality to the next level. Use your mind to move around with the Emotiv EPOC brain-interface, look around with the Oculus Rift 3D headset, and move your hands to interact with virtual objects holding the Razer Hydra gaming controller.

[From Motherboard, where the story features a 10:21 minute video; the discussion at the end in particular refers to presence, even though the term itself isn’t used] How to Use Virtual Reality to Replicate Psychosis By Alejandro Tauber November 5, 2013 In 2005, artist Jennifer Kanary’s sister-in-law committed suicide while suffering from a psychotic episode. This event led Kanary to develop Labyrinth Psychotica, an experience designed to give people more insight into how it feels to suffer through psychosis. Users are strapped into virtual reality gear and transported into the mind of a psychotic girl named Jamie. The whole experience…