IEEE Keynote – VR behavioral data tracking: With great power comes great responsibility
Susan Persky
Social and Behavioral Research Branch (SBRB)
National Human Genome Research Institute
National Institutes of Health
IEEE VR 2020 Keynote Presentation 8am-8:45am PST
Tuesday, Mar. 24, 2020
A Brief History Of Half-Life, One Of Gaming’s Most Iconic Franchises
For those unfamiliar with the series, Half-Life centers around ass-kicking physicist Gordon Freeman who, alongside a team of scientists working out of a remote research facility referred to as the Black Mesa compound, inadvertently rip open a portal to an alien dimension known as Xen. The series—which consists of Half-Life, Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Lost Coast, Half-Life: Episode 1, and Half-Life 2: Episode Two—follows the adventures of Freeman as he attempts to quell the invading alien threat alongside a band of resistance fighters.
When the original Half-Life launched on Steam in 1998, it revolutionized the FPS genre. Unlike other action games at the time, Half-Life told its story almost entirely from a first-person perspective. Instead of using cut-scene intermissions to advance its plot, Half-Life relied on scripted sequences planted strategically throughout the game. ...
Based on the footage provided and the positive responses by those lucky enough to have already gone hands-on with the game, Half-Life: Alyx could very well be a catalyst for a whole new wave of mainstream VR gaming experiences.
Half-Life: Alyx launches on SteamVR-compatible headsets tomorrow at 10am PT/1pm ET for $53.99. Pre-load your copy now so you’re ready to rock.
Mayweather Boxing + Fitness CEO On New Locations, Virtual Reality Product: ‘It’s More Than Just A Workout’
Mayweather Boxing + Fitness, a group exercise experience created by World Champion boxer Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr., announced the launch of over 135 franchise locations earlier this month.
Mayweather received in excess of 6,000 applications for franchises, due in part to his 70% consumer awareness rate, the CEO said.
“We have a virtual reality product where members get coached to box by Floyd. We have a 12-week program; you go into the virtual product, and Floyd is there, doing the same pad-work combinations he would do with his father. You can even spar against different opponents, including Floyd.”
To learn more about the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness experience, visit mayweather.fit/studio/.
See the full story here: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mayweather-boxing-fitness-ceo-locations-185531999.html
I ate a meal in virtual reality. Here’s what it tasted like
- Virtual reality dining is still a pricey novelty — costing as much as $2,000 — but it does have the potential to create a new kind of food experience.
- If VR technology is adopted more broadly, it could become a bigger part of creating memorable, and profitable, food experiences, as well as be a tech-based source of addressing health issues in society.
- As the coronavirus creates a global “social distancing’ phenomenon, including in developed countries with large elderly populations, and more individuals turn to food delivery, VR could ultimately help address isolation caused by pandemics.
Kulczak found that VR heightened her appreciation for the food. She explained, “Eating and having the [virtual reality] glasses allowed me to focus on elements of food that are taken for granted when you see what’s in front of you.” She continued, “The flavors seemed more distinct, the textures more prominent. I feel like the visual art used warm and cool colors to portray a feeling and used objects like sunset to emotionally connect you to the dining experience.”
See the full story here: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/21/virtual-reality-dining-explained.html
This Library In Minecraft Was Built By 24 People To Fight Censorship Across The World
“The Uncensored Library” is now filled with books containing articles that were censored in their country of origin. They are only available inside the computer game, Minecraft so that they can be hidden from government surveillance technology. Everyone can read the books on the server, but cannot change their content at all.
Thanks to this virtual library, journalists from 5 different censored countries(Egypt, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam) have the possibility to be heard again.
“Their articles have now been republished as Minecraft books in English and the articles’ original language and are available in countries that censored their works,” the project representatives explained.
The library creators explain why they chose this Minecraft design:
“Minecraft is an open-world game where players can explore an intentionally blocky, pixelated world. Here they can discover and extract raw materials, craft tools, build structures, and cooperate with other players. The game’s creative mode is often described as ‘digital Lego’ and is being used in educational environments. Part of Minecraft’s gameplay is gathering and crafting items, such as books. Minecraft books have 100 pages and can be written freely. Other players can read them but cannot change the content of the books on the server.”
F1 drivers to stage virtual reality races
Formula One's drivers will battle it out in an Esports Virtual Grand Prix series in a bid to give fans their racing fix while the season is delayed by the coronavirus.
Formula One chiefs are aiming to start racing in Azerbaijan on June 7, but to fill the void for now the sport has asked current F1 drivers to play a racing game featuring as-yet unnamed celebrity guests.
The events start this weekend with the Virtual Bahrain Grand Prix run on the official 2019 F1 video game.
Viewers will be able to tune in via YouTube, Facebook and Twitch with a qualifying session to determine the grid preceding the race itself.
See the full story here: http://www.rfi.fr/en/wires/20200320-f1-drivers-stage-virtual-reality-races
South Korea’s Naver stamps out anonymity for commenters
In a new move which took effect yesterday, South Korean Internet giant Naver displayed the user names and comment histories of users who posted replies on news stories on its platform.
The company said the change is intended to prevent cyber bullying and abusive behaviour online.
Naver's anonymous comment system has often been criticised for allowing abusive and disparaging comments.
Naver's move came in the wake of the deaths of two singers, Sulli and Goo Hara, late last year.
Sulli took her own life at the age of 25 and was often the subject of hate comments over how she dressed and about being an outspoken feminist.