[Texas A&M Today reports on NASA-funded efforts at the University to add smells to virtual reality experiences to enhance presence and help maintain the health of astronauts on long, isolating journeys. See the original story for more images and follow the link to the new article in Acta Astronautica for more details. –Matthew] [Image: Credit: Texas A&M Engineering] Stop And Smell The Roses — From Outer Space Researchers at Texas A&M are looking at how multisensory virtual reality can support astronauts during future long-duration missions. By Felysha Walker, Texas A&M University College of Engineering January 19, 2023 Astronauts are heading…

[This post from The Conversation by an expert observer describes how a recent change in the software behind the artificially intelligent “companions” of Replika demonstrates the impact and implications of emotional presence experiences with virtual characters (see the original version for more images). A similar perspective can be found in a post in the UK’s UnHerd, which concludes with this: “AI technology is improving rapidly. As this happens, the quality of social simulation offered by chatbots will follow, allowing users to forget they are interacting with a programme which a company hopes it can use to extract money. As our…

[While acknowledging the use of the conversational AI ChatGPT technology to compose an important message is more ethical than concealing its use, the reaction to a message from the Deans of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development regarding the recent shootings and deaths at Michigan State University confirms that there are some contexts in which presence-evoking technologies are not acceptable. The story below from The Vanderbilt Hustler provides details, and a follow-up story has the headline, “Peabody EDI deans to temporarily step back following ChatGPT-crafted message about MSU…

[The “erratic” and “creepy” responses to users testing Microsoft’s new conversational AI feature for its Bing search service are receiving a lot of press coverage. Some examples of the AI’s behavior are provided in the Fast Company story and excerpts from other coverage below. The most dramatic case seems to be the one reported by New York Times technology reporter Kevin Roose after a “bewildering and enthralling two hours talking to Bing’s A.I.” – the excerpts from his report make clear that the fast-evolving technology is evoking a disturbing form of medium-as-social-actor presence even for people with extensive experience with…

[The Medium post below by Idoru co-founder Mica Le John describes the company’s goals in providing users the ability to create extremely realistic digital avatars of themselves. Without using the term self presence, he notes that “When you can connect with your avatar, hold your digital-you in your hand, you can experience and even feel through it.” A November 2022 article from Dazed that follows the post provides more details, and follow the link to Idoru.world for more information. Israel21c also has a related story about YOOM’s volumetric capture process for creating realistic avatars. –Matthew] Idoru is Inclusivity By Mica…

[This story from Purdue University explains how computer scientist Aniket Bera and others are working to help a variety of robots “better incorporate and understand human behavior and emotion.” While the focus is on the robots’ abilities, the changes lead to increased medium-as-social-actor presence, improved human-machine communication, and important positive – even life-saving – outcomes. See the original story for a second image.  –Matthew] [Image: For Aniket Bera, an expert in emotional computing, smart devices need to be heart-smart, not just head-smart. With applications that include virtual therapy, autonomous vehicles and rescue bots like this robot dog, his lab works…

[A New Jersey startup company called Mobeus has a telepresence product called Airglass, described this way In a November 2022 Business Wire press release: “Airglass converts the desktop into a transparent, glass-like layer, creating the futuristic experience of seeing beyond the display screen. … [It] combines interactive air, i.e., a virtual, see-through touch screen, and immersive glass, i.e., an overlay of an invisible digital layer atop the display, to deliver an enhanced meeting experience.” The author of the Digital Trends story below tried it out and provides a first-person report. See the original version of the story for four more…

[A combination of technologies including those that enhance spatial and social presence are combined in a new system for remote psychological therapy, as reported in this story from the University of Kansas. –Matthew] [Image: The Earth mother avatar is shown in the forest setting of the EEG-enabled Virtual Therapy System. Credit: Chris Tacca] KU Team Develops Virtual Reality Therapy System That Aids Clients, Therapists With Real-Time Brain Data Contact: Mike Krings February 6, 2023 LAWRENCE — Clients seeking therapy need to feel comfortable in an environment that is conducive to examining mental health and with a counselor they can trust.…

[This press release from Ohio State University describes a training program that uses virtual reality and presence to simulate the experience of first responders in a variety of disaster situations. See the original version for a 1:31 minute video and a link to more multi-media materials. The project’s web page provides more details and includes a 5:00 minute video. NBC4 in Columbus, Ohio has a 2:34 minute news report. And for even more information see a July 2021 Ohio State interview about the project. –Matthew] [Image: Paramedic Joshua Cooper participates in virtual reality mass casualty training at Delaware County EMS.…

[At a launch event for the Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab at the University of Southern California on February 8, 2023 the Lab’s founding director Professor Allissa Richardson, unveiled the Lab’s first virtual human, Lora King. Professor Richardson’s Facebook post after the event (which includes nine more images) is below and provides some of the details about the project and a link to a website where you can “talk” to Lora King. For more information, see coverage from USC’s Daily Trojan, USC News, and the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. –Matthew] Today, Lora King and I debuted…

[This short story from rAVe [PUBS] based on a press release from Coventry University is an update on the innovative, international Immersive Telepresence in Theatre project. See the original story for a second image and visit the project’s website, and in particular its About page, for much more information. –Matthew] Coventry University’s Telepresence in Theatre with Virtual Performers is Heading to USA By Maggie McIntyre January 30, 2023 UK-based Coventry University’s Immersive Telepresence in Theatre project is crossing the pond for a special performance in Miami. Through the use of video conferencing software, the project enables actors and performing arts…

[In this story from Interesting Engineering a group of researchers provide a fascinating and accessible explanation of how they’re exploring technologies that would allow people to “use their bodies normally” to control additional limbs. They say it’s early days for this research in “third level human augmentation,” but to the extent that the control over these limbs becomes intuitive, i.e., with the user failing to fully acknowledge the role of the technology in the experience, the research suggests the possibility of a powerful form of presence. See the original version of the story for three more images and links to…