[From CNN] Audiences experience ‘Avatar’ blues By Jo Piazza, Special to CNN January 11, 2010 8:06 a.m. EST (CNN) — James Cameron’s completely immersive spectacle “Avatar” may have been a little too real for some fans who say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora.…

[From Geek.com (“an online techology resource and community for technology enthusiasts and professionals since 1996”)] Orange aces augmented reality with Infinite Loop iPhone app Dec. 24, 2009 By: John Brownlee Although augmented reality has yet to transform me into the Snow Crash like techno-gargoyle I breathlessly anticipated I would be back in the cyberpunk throes of my teenage years, there’s just no denying the cool factor, and while the iPhone is a far cry from the virtual reality contacts the likes of William A. Gibson promised, there’s just no doubt that it is the premiere showcase of the form. Case in…

[From The New York Times ] Television Begins a Push Into the 3rd Dimension By BRIAN STELTER and BRAD STONE Published: January 5, 2010 Ralph Kramden can finally buy a television. It was more than half a century ago, in a 1955 episode of “The Honeymooners,” that Kramden, the parsimonious bus driver played by Jackie Gleason, told his wife, Alice, that he had not yet bought a new television because “I’m waiting for 3-D.” The wait will soon be over. A full-fledged 3-D television turf war is brewing in the United States, as manufacturers unveil sets capable of 3-D and…

[From The New York Times] A Venture Integrating Skype Into the Family Room By BRAD STONE Published: January 5, 2010 SAN FRANCISCO — There will soon be something new to watch on the living room TV: your relatives and friends in different parts of the world. On Tuesday, Panasonic and LG Electronics, two of the top television makers, are to announce that they are integrating the free online calling service Skype into their Internet-connected high-definition televisions.…

[From VentureBeat’s GamesBeat blog] Immerz sensory gear — don’t just play your games, feel them January 5, 2010 | Dean Takahashi Tech startup Immerz is launching new touch-feedback sensory gear today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The KOR-fx platform is the core technology behind the gear, which wraps around your neck and has two pads that rest over your upper chest. When you fire a missile and it explodes, you feel the feedback in your chest. It also works with movies and music, making any form of entertainment feel more immersive.…

[From the Pixels and Policy blog; the Gizmodo report is here] 11/15/2009 Virtual Worlds, Physical Disability, and Evolving Perception Virtual worlds can profoundly impact both our personal sense of self and the ideals of a wider community, but how is the Metaverse affecting younger generations? A thought-provoking report by Gizmodo reveals that our perceptions of who we are may be evolving with our exposure to new technology. Pixels and Policy takes a look at whether future generations will debate the philosophy of the virtual world.…

Katie Salen “Pokéwalkers, Mafia Dons, and Football Fans: Play Mobile with Me” Thursday, January 14, 2010, 6 to 8 pm Hörsaal 2 / Lecture Hall 2 (please see http://www.digarec.org for a map) Hasso Plattner Institut für Softwaresystemtechnik GmbH Prof.-Dr.-Helmert-Str. 2-3 D-14482 Potsdam The language will be English and the entry is free. Any changes of the programme or locations etc. will be published first on http://www.digarec.org. Abstract: This talk will address a theoretical reconfiguration of experience, a repositioning of the techno-social within the domains of mobility, games, and play, and embodiment. The ideas aim to counter the notion that our…

[From CNN] The future of brain-controlled devices By Anne Hammock, CNN December 30, 2009 (CNN) — In the shimmering fantasy realm of the hit movie “Avatar,” a paraplegic Marine leaves his wheelchair behind and finds his feet in a new virtual world thanks to “the link,” a sophisticated chamber that connects his brain to a surrogate alien, via computer. This type of interface is a classic tool in gee-whiz science fiction. But the hard science behind it is even more wow-inducing. Researchers are already using brain-computer interfaces to aid the disabled, treat diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and provide therapy…

[Another application of augmented reality, from Star Trek’s Facebook page; visit the web page to watch the :45 video demonstration] Star Trek: Experience The Enterprise Augmented Reality [HQ] Unlock an incredible 3D Augmented Reality experience only with Special Edition DVD & Blu-ray packages. Learn about the U.S.S. Enterprise, set your course and take command!…

[A press release from the web site of Mechdyne ; a 38 second video of “The Largest Modern Warfare 2 Display in the World!” which uses this technology is available here] Mechdyne Introduces Mosaic™ High-Resolution Display Modules for High Resolution 2D and 3D AV Applications World First Small Footprint, 70-Inch Display Modules Allow Building Display Walls or Immersive Environments to Any Resolution Using Minimal Space Marshalltown, Iowa and Houston, Texas – October 26, 2009 –  At the SEG 2009 Conference in Houston today, Mechdyne introduced Mosaic™ display modules, a scalable technology suitable for single and multi-screen AV applications and for…

[From IEEE Spectrum; the web version includes several links; thanks to Marzio Veneman] IBM Unveils a New Brain Simulator A big step forward in a project that aims for thinking chips By Sally Adee 18 November 2009—Scientists and engineers at IBM’s Almaden Research Center, in San Jose, Calif., announced today at the Supercomputing Conference (SC09) in Portland, Ore., that they have created the largest brain simulation to date on a supercomputer. The number of neurons and synapses in the simulation exceed those in a cat’s brain; previous simulations have reached only the level of mouse and rat brains. Experts predict…

[As with parasocial interaction and relationships, here’s an example of the use of mass media to evoke a sense of personal connection; you can create a message for any name here] From:  “Mitch Stewart, BarackObama.com” <info(at)barackobama.com> Subject:         A holiday video for Matthew Lombard Date sent:      Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:24:43 -0500 Matthew — You’ve been an incredible part of this movement this year. So some volunteers got together and helped us make a holiday video, just for you, Matthew Lombard. You can watch it here: http://my.barackobama.com/holiday8/?fname=Matthew It was a blast making it. Enjoy! Happy holidays, Mitch and the entire OFA community ———————————————————————- Paid…