[From The University of California, San Diego News Center] [Image: Brain response as measured by fMRI to videos of a robot, android and human] Your Brain on Androids July 14, 2011 By Inga Kiderra Ever get the heebie-jeebies at a wax museum? Feel uneasy with an anthropomorphic robot? What about playing a video game or watching an animated movie, where the human characters are pretty realistic but just not quite right and maybe a bit creepy? If yes, then you’ve probably been a visitor to what’s called the “uncanny valley.” The phenomenon has been described anecdotally for years, but how…

[From AFP via France 24; for more information see the museum’s Facebook page here] Pamplona museum offers virtual bull runs (AFP) – July 14, 2011 PAMPLONA, Spain — Revellers at Spain’s San Fermin festival lacking the nerve to run through the streets chased by a herd of thunderous bulls can now opt for a virtual bull-run. Visitors to Pamplona’s Museo del Encierro run on a treadmill while wearing virtual reality goggles that let them see computer-generated images of what it is like to race ahead of pounding hooves. “This is the only simulator in the world of a San Fermin…

[From The Australian] Thrills, spills and smells of 4-D films promise a white-knuckle ride John Harlow From: The Australian July 11, 2011 Just as audiences go sour on 3-D movies, fed up with high ticket prices, murky images and uncomfortable glasses, Hollywood blockbusters are being converted into 4-D. The fourth dimension is often said to be time, which drags during a poor 3-D movie. But in South Korea 4-D refers to a new chain of cinemas that synchronise blockbuster movies with the physical effects usually found in theme park rides. A Korean company called CJ 4D Plex has built cinemas…

[From Mediaite] Production Company Caught Faking Fourth of July Firework Footage In Boston For CBS Special by Jon Bershad | July 8th, 2011 This holiday weekend, anyone who was watching CBS in Boston got to see some amazing shots of fireworks. In fact, the footage was way more impressive than those on other networks as it featured incredible glimpses of the fireworks going off right behind such landmarks as Fenway stadium and the state house. However, some eagle-eyed, geography-knowledgable viewers began to notice something was amiss. The fireworks were shot off from a barge and for CBS to have gotten…

[From Chain Store Age; more information follows below] ‘Virtual Assistant’ technology makes retail debut at Duane Reade July 5, 2011 | By Marianne Wilson New York City — Next-generation digital signage that uses the latest in holographic imaging and audio-visual technology to create the illusion of a real person is making its U.S. debut at Duane Reade’s new flagship in downtown Manhattan. The technology, the Tensator Virtual Assistant, is provided by Lawrence, a Tensator Group Co. Completely customized for Duane Reade, it takes the form of a female greeter who welcomes entering customers and provides information on everything store-related. Currently,…

[From DigInfo TV, where the story features a 4:21 minute video and a collection of images] Ultra Realistic Dental Training Robot – Showa Hanako 2 30 June 2011 Showa University has announced Showa Hanako 2, a robot dental patient fabricated by robot maker Tmsuk. Compared with its predecessor Showa Hanako 1, this robot is designed to be more realistic, functional, and easier to use. Showa Hanako 2 will actually be sold by the dental supply company The Yoshida Dental Manufacturing. The main features of the new robot are a silicone skin and mouth lining by Orient Industry, a maker of…

[From Defence Professionals] [Image: A soldier trains in a simulator cab at the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)] Gaming technology helping UK forces prepare for Afghanistan July 5, 2011 A huge virtual reality training facility in Sennelager, Germany, which uses the latest 3D gaming technology, is helping British forces, from individuals to entire battle groups, prepare for operations in southern Afghanistan. Two years ago, PlayStation-style war games helped soldiers of 5th Battalion The Rifles (5 RIFLES) get ready for their tour of Iraq. Before departing for theatre, troops spent hours in simulators and replica operations rooms at the…

[From The Los Angeles Daily News; other reviews can be found in The Daily Mail, informitv and Which?] [Image: An audience member leaves the Los Angeles theatre as 3D replays (a bit blurry without the proper glasses) are shown from Petra Kvitova’s rather quick 6-3, 6-4 win over Maria Sharapova in this morning’s Wimbledon women’s singles final. (Photo by Tom Hoffarth)]  HOFFARTH: In 3D, Wimbledon (and Sharapova) is much sharper By Tom Hoffarth, Staff Writer Posted: 07/02/2011 Updated: 07/03/2011 [snip] This was a history-making moment in the 125th edition of Wimbledon. A live 3D feed was available in nearly 200…

[From Eurogamer] Sony predicts return of virtual reality 28/06/2011 by Fred Dutton Not content with attempting to usher in the advent of 3D console gaming, it seems Sony now has its sights set on the next quantum leap – virtual reality. Speaking in a video interview to promote next month’s b.tween 3D event in London, SCE Studios exec Mike Hocking explained that Sony’s recently announced HMD device could represent the future of 3D gaming by allowing users access to a full ‘virtual’ world.…

[From The Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel] Philip Chard | Out of My Mind New machines might pull us closer together June 27, 2011 When frustrated with or puzzled about another person, we sometimes say, “I wish I could get inside his head.” Intuitively, we recognize how tough it is to truly understand how another person perceives the world. Even heartfelt conversations between caring people cannot entirely bridge this interpersonal gap. What, if anything, can? Well, with emerging advances in communication technology, you and others of your choosing may soon be able to narrow this relational chasm in a way that…

[From AFP via Australia’s ABC News; a 2:33 minute video is available here] [Image: The Sense-Roid is connected to a jacket worn by the human user that replicates the embrace with the help of air compressors (AFP: Yoshikazu Tsuno)] Hug machine on show in Japan Thu Jun 23, 2011 AFP – Japanese inventors have pushed the frontiers of technology with the ultimate companion for lonely singles – a wired torso-shaped device that you can hug and that hugs you back. The Sense-Roid looks like a tailor’s mannequin with silicon skin and is packed with pressure sensors. It is connected to a…

[From Singularity Hub] New Japanese Pop Idol Shocks Fans With News–She’s Not Real by Peter Murray June 22nd, 2011 Only 15 seconds in the limelight and she’d already created an overnight buzz. She was the newest member of the very popular all-girl Japanese idol group AKB 48. Upon seeing the new face appear on a candy commercial, the band’s faithful took to the message boards: Who is Aimi Eguchi? This past Sunday, Ezaki Glico, the candy company which aired the commercial, confirmed what many of AKB 48’s fans had come to suspect: Aimi Eguchi wasn’t real. The new group member,…