Psychology of Immersive Environments Working Group

There's a new initiative over at the Media Grid groups; it's called Psychology of Immersive Environments Working Group, or "PIE.TWG" for short. I recently attended their first meeting in Second Life which was enthusiastic and to the point. The group intends to move forward research in the virtual world along a number of separate strands but I think the greatest benefit will be in bringing together Psychologists and related researchers under a single umbrella group.

The groups aims as set out in their charter are:

The Psychology of Immersive Environments Working Group (PIE.TWG) is responsible for 1) advancing basic and applied research on the psychology of immersive environments, 2) promoting immersive experiences and programs that are psychologically beneficial, 3) defining best practices for the early identification and assistance of at-risk users of immersive environments and the treatment of individuals currently manifesting symptoms of immersive disorder, and 4) collecting and disseminating scientific and professional information on the psychology of immersive environments.

This sounds like a bold and timely move. I'd recommend a look at their website and if your interested check out their evolving Forums too.

Nurien Social Networking set to blow Second Life out of the water?

Nurien has announced plans for a brand new high-definition graphics Social Networking service. For those in the know it uses CUDA and PhysX from NVIDIA, which means fantastically realistic movement from photo-realistic avatars. The psychological implications of approaching photo realism is something I've previously blogged on. As we approach photo realism the sense of immersion felt in virtual worlds, that contributes to believing we are 'actually there', increases dramatically. The implications of controlling an avatar that looks as realistic as real life and being able to control their behaviour are significant. One wonders if the sense of identity that each of us posses in the real world will extend to our 'Super Avatars'?

Could this attract a mainstream market that existing 3D multi-user virtual worlds have failed to tap in to? Check out the video.

Psychology on Second Life? Learning, Support and Research in 3D Online Multi-user Virtual Environments.

Bignell, S.J. (2009). Psychology on Second Life? Learning, Support and Research in 3D Online Multi-user Virtual Environments. Keynote Lecture at McCord Museum. International Conference on the Use of the Internet in Mental Health, McGill University, Canada.

Psychology on Second Life?: Learning, Support and Research in 3D Online Multi-user Virtual Environments.

View more OpenOffice presentations from Simon Bignell.

Abstract:
Multi-user online virtual worlds, such as Second Life™, can provide an accessible and rapidly deployed platform for immersive learning, support groups and virtual research. However, the challenge to these innovative spaces is in realizing their potential without being bogged down in the technology. Educationalists, therapists and an increasing number of researchers are using pseudo-3D 'avatars' and groups to connect virtually with others. Just as the 2D web has broken down barriers to the availability of information, 3D virtual worlds are allowing interactions between people irrespective of location, status or disability. Support groups, educational developments and virtual laboratories for research are utilising the immersive graphically realistic nature of virtual worlds and emerging properties to good effect. This talk outlines a framework for understanding the relations between the tools, techniques and technology used in learning, support and research in these evolving virtual communities.

Teaching and Learning in Online Virtual Worlds.

Bignell, S.J. (2009). Teaching and Learning in Online Virtual Worlds. Invited Talk. International Conference on the Use of the Internet in Mental Health, McGill University, Canada. May 2009. Videocast: http://tinyurl.com/m5zst6

Teaching and Learning in Online Virtual Worlds.

View more OpenOffice presentations from Simon Bignell.

Abstract:
3D multi-user virtual environments can provide a highly immersive and socially interactive way of enhancing university teaching. Most major universities have ventured into immersive 3D virtual worlds. However, existing teaching and pedagogies may not be sufficient to inform good practice in these settings. Specific skills need to be acquired by teaching professionals to run effective learning and teaching ‘in-world’. The University of Derby evaluated the use of Second Life™ for teaching and learning in Higher Education by developing virtual teaching methods and an extensive virtual world teaching space. When traditional text-based content is blended with innovative student-focused methods, the result seems to be a shift from isolated study and tutor-led instruction to student-led highly interactive group learning. Methods of teaching need to be established that place the student at the centre of the learning by involving them in the experience itself. Virtual worlds are ideal for this and findings suggest they can offer high levels of student engagement and satisfaction although whether the academic benefits of such classes are equivalent to face-to-face or existing e-learning methods is not yet fully established. Teaching in virtual worlds within Higher Education is challenging, requires planning and continual development, needs a flexible attitude towards learning, and possibly requires relinquishing control to the learner at the risk of alienating some students. The potential benefits are increased immersion and engagement with learning activities. Given the existing use of virtual immersive worlds and the impact of the internet on teaching along with the likely expansion, increasingly educationalists have to rethink student – tutor contact in these innovative learning spaces.

Autism Advocacy in the Virtual Online World

Here's a news article featuring Amanda Baggs (Blog) in the virtual world Second Life. Amanda is an advocate for Autism and has profound Autistic characteristics. The video features her work in virtual worlds and her views on mental health discrimination.



Her group in Second Life is called 'Autistic Liberation Front'. The group title may sound a bit radical but their site is very accessible. I'd recommend checking it out if you're interested. Her most popular video on YouTube gained a lot of attention from the press and raised awareness of some of the classic symptoms of Autism as well as the discrepancy between Autistic communication and verbal language.

International Conference on the Use of the Internet in Mental Health' May 14-16, 2009 in Montreal, Canada

I'll be giving two invited talks on the use of virtual worlds for teaching and learning at 'The International Conference on the Use of the Internet in Mental Health' May 14-16, 2009 in Montreal, Canada. Conference Website

Here's an introduction to the 3-day conference by the conference President Alain Brunet.



Alain conducts research on the role of the Internet in helping victims of trauma, their loved ones and professionals. More information on this research can be found here.

The conference will bring together people from across the globe to discuss the role of the Internet in Mental Health. I'll make my presentations available in the usual way following the conference. I'll also give backchat updates during the conference via Twitter as 'MiltonBroome'.

The Avatar as Communication

This is a great presentation by an online friend and researcher, avatar Anya Ixchel. Heterotextual observations from the virtual world.

The Avatar as Communication

View more presentations from anya.

Free Training in Problem-based Learning and Teaching in Virtual Worlds (Second Life) for Psychology. Tuesday 7th April 2009 at University of Derby.

We have now confirmed the date of the Upskilling Day and you are most welcome to register to attend. Please distribute this email to colleagues that you feel may also be interested in attending the UK-based event.

The JISC-funded PREVIEW-Psych project (http://preview-psych.org) is a 3D virtual world educational collaboration between University of Derby, Aston University and The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network. We are transferring problem-based learning techniques and technologies from Coventry University’s PREVIEW project to the Psychology subject group. The project is developing Psychology scenarios and virtual teaching techniques within the 3D virtual world Second Life.

You are invited to a free ‘Upskilling Day’ at University of Derby on Tuesday 7th April 10am-4pm. We will provide a series of hands-on workshops, guest lectures and interactive training in problem-based learning methods for effective online teaching in Second Life. No previous experience of Second Life or virtual worlds is required and all resources are provided. Buffet lunch and refreshments are also provided.

If you are involved in teaching and learning in Psychology or a related subject group and would like to attend the Upskilling Day or would like to find out more, please download a flyer and register online at the project website http://preview-psych.org or email Simon Bignell (University of Derby) at s.bignell@derby.ac.uk .

Please download the event flyer http://previewpsych.org/Upskilling%20Day%20Flyer.pdf

Regards,

Simon Bignell (Avatar: Milton Broome)
Lecturer in Psychology – University of Derby

Back to Virtuality

Here's a link to a review of a lecture I gave in Second Life last year by a fellow Blogger. Some time on and it's nice to see a lot of what we were working on at that time has been completed.

Back to Virtuality

PIVOTE Open Source Code Released

Virtual Worlds development company Daden have just released the open source code for PIVOTE (Previously MVP player). PIVOTE is a virtual learning authoring system for virtual worlds based on the Medbiquitous Virtual Patient standard. It was developed as part of the JISC funded PREVIEW project, where it was used to develop training material for Paramedic students at St George's Hospital and Kingston University. We've been using the player at University of Derby to 'rez' teaching objects in the virtual world Second Life for our PREVIEW-Psych project. We've integrated it into our problem-based learning scenarios and the results are fantastic.

Find out more at http://www.pivote.info/.

Food for thought for virtual worlds

PREVIEW-Psych Project Website Launched

Problem-based Learning in Virtual Interactive Educational Worlds for Psychology (PREVIEW-Psych)

Simon Bignell from the University of Derby is project leading a new JISC-funded £38,000 research project called PREVIEW-Psych. The project is a collaboration between University of Derby, Aston University, Coventry University and The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network.

We are transferring problem-based learning techniques and technologies from the PREVIEW project for the Psychology subject group. The project is developing Psychology scenarios and ‘intelligent avatar’ technology within the virtual world Second Life.

More information is available at the project website http://previewpsych.org We will be running a free to attend 'Upskilling day' at University of Derby in March 09 where we will provide training in the use of problem-based learning techniques within virtual worlds for the Psychology subject group. We will also be providing a mentoring scheme to around six institutions from Psychology and related subjects for more intense tutoring, coaching and seminars to enable practitioners to develop their own Second Life teaching and learning initiatives.

If you are working in teaching and learning in the Psychology subject group and would like to attend the Upskilling day or would like to find out more about the mentoring scheme please email Simon Bignell (University of Derby) at s.bignell@derby.ac.uk or contact his avatar Milton Broome in Second Life.

Open University host Virtual World Conference - ReLIVE08

Researching Learning in Virtual Environments - ReLIVE08

With researchers and practitioners attending from around the globe, this excellent opportunity for networking promises an interesting, stimulating and exciting 2 days. The conference will begin with a reception on the evening of the 19th November, and the first full day will see the opening keynote from Edward Castronova and a varied programme of paper presentations, symposia and workshops with presenters from around the world.


The conference gala reception and dinner will be supported by a variety of entertainment including a digital caricaturist, live music and the internationally renowned Terry Waite CBE as our after dinner speaker. The second day begins with an invited panel Question Time debate including Edward Castronova, Roo Reynolds, Bill Thompson and Claudia L'Amoreaux, chaired by Ren Reynolds, founder of the Virtual Policy Network. This is followed by more presentations and workshops with a networking lunch. We end the second day on a high with a keynote plenary led by Roo Reynolds. (text taken from the ReLIVE08 website)

The conference cafe is available inworld .

There is also a ReLIVE08 Facebook group.

Check out the conference webpage ReLIVE08

Loebner Prize for artificial intelligence announced

Can machines think? That's the question Alan Turing put to the world and one which scientists and philosophers are still pondering. At the 18th Loebner Prize for artificial intelligence (AI), held at the weekend, Elbot, an artificial intelligence program, convinced three of the 12 human interrogators he was indistinguishable from them.

The modern day Turing test continues to show us just how far away we are from a convincing human AI program. Psychological insights into how thoughts and concepts are represented in the mind are increasingly being used to refine such AI programs.

See the BBC News coverage for the full story.

See the Loebner Prize website for more details of the challenge.

Please Ignore - Test Only

Test video embed video from Xfire.

'Treating cancer' in a virtual world

Kingston University in the UK are using a innovative new 3D method for Radiography. Utilising a 3D virtual environment they are teaching students how to treat cancer patients. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7648170.stm

Hands Free 3D: Second Life Navigation Demo

Check out this video on YouTube. It's the latest hands free
development for virtual worlds. If this technology could be integrated
with some of the 3D projection innovations we've seen coming out from
Italy recently we begin to reach a position of genuine complete
immersion. 3D immersive reality then need only take the next leap to
perfecting stimulatory physical feedback for the psychological
experience to be convincing enough for genuine (interactive/immersive)
experimentation. I'll continue to monitor and report on these ventures
as they impact Psychology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t52gkAwJq8

Sent from my iPhone.

Top 25 Free Learning Professional Tools

25 Tools

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: learning tools)

'The Avatar' Hollywood movie takes virtual content creation to the next level

Famed Director James Cameron is in the final stages of making his blockbuster 'The Avatar'. The film has used an innovative film production technique called 'Facial Performance Replacement' amongst a host of other cutting edge digital and performance techniques.

The film, due for release in December 2009, explores multiple psychological themes and is set to further publicise the use of virtual worlds.

Check out a full review of the technology behind the film on THR.com here.

Breaking News of Next Generation Virtual World

LivePlace.com are apparently working on 'City Space' an advanced 3D multi-user virtual world. News is circulating that movie quality graphics and ultra usability in this platform will be available soon. A video is currently also circulating that shows an extremely impressive urban virtual world with photo quality graphics. The game is running on OTOY, the 3D engine that renders graphics in the cloud. The technology allows relatively weak computers (or even mobile phones) to display incredibly detailed graphics comparable to those seen in Hollywood movies.

See the clip:


Although some bloggers are claiming this footage is fake (i.e., not rendered in real time) the video is convincing. If this footage is real and we can expect to see this quality graphics then the implications for psychological immersion are profound. How long before we reach totality and the physical world is augmented by ultra realistic 3D virtual environments?

The video and some of the above text were clipped from: www.techcrunch.com


UPDATE 10th May 2009... It appears that at least part of the rendering footage is from other sources and therefore the credibility of the venture might be questioned. See this original footage as identified by member deputydog on VideoSift.com

The human body is obsolete

I've been interested in the futurist performance art of Stelarc (born. Stelios Arcadiou) for a while now. He worked at Nottingham Trent University, which is just down the road from Derby University. His performance art opens up questions that, I believe, traditional Science cannot yet approach. In this sense, Art is leading enquiry, which is nothing new of course. However, Stelarc pushes the boundaries as far as we can follow. His work heavily embraces the concept that the human body is obsolete (biologically inadequate), in this way he looks towards a time where biology is replaced with technology, or perhaps that they are in fact the same thing. In his words, "It is time to question whether a bipedal, breathing body with binocular vision and a 1400cc brain is an adequate biological form.".

As complex biological machines Stelarc's performances challenge notions of identity, psyche, decency, physical augmentation, cyberpscyhology, transhumanism and much more. The work is often profoundly disturbing, but I think important as a tool to push forward ways in which we might consider a virtual or technology-enhanced existence. The performances are often linked to hardware merged with his body and controlled from the web. From a third robot hand, a suspension from hooks, a cell-grown ear grafted to his arm or inside the body sculptures, the work is shocking and though provoking. Psychologically these body-technology mash-ups are confusing. Philosophically they are intriguing. How far can we replace the physical body with technology before it no longer can be though of as human?

Thinking machines and technology-enhanced bodies are the realm of the futurist and traditional thinkers are very resistant to these attempts at provoking thought. For psychologists using virtual worlds the opportunity of opening up these conceptual spaces into interactive virtual environments is now with us. A first foray into virtual 3D space often sees newbies play with the physical appearance of their human-like avatars (no one chooses the Furry avatar option anymore!) and experiencing the associated change in thoughts and behaviour that produces. Nevertheless, in the virtual world we have the opportunity to go even further than Stelarc’s performance art and utilise the space experimentally to open up Psychological questions yet unaddressed.

If you’re interested in these ideas I’d urge you to first check out his ‘Movatar’ project, where the possibility of AI-controlled virtual avatars controlling real-life bodies becomes a distinct reality through advance technology. The video below is a good introduction to Stelarc's output. Please note, the video shows scenes of human suspension art and as such might be unsuitable if you have a weak stomach.

The Heron Sanctuary - empowering people in virtual worlds

Here's a good video about just how important the virtual world Second Life can be for people with disabilities. It's a video by avatar Gentle Heron who co-founded the Heron Sanctuary. The Heron Sanctuary is a community of support for all disabled people. Their community offers members information, companionship, a way to make a living and to contribute to the community, and a way to have fun. The sanctuary assists in providing for those specific needs that can best be met in the virtual environment of Second Life.

I recently met Gentle and she told me about some of the work they are doing at the Sanctuary. I think many people can benifit from this type of support including those affected by Autism. Thanks to people such as this virtual worlds are beginning to be realised to their full potential. There's a full blog about the story of the Heron Sanctuary by Widget Whiteberry here.



This clip was was featured at the Health 2.0 conference on Web 2.0 technologies in healthcare on March 3-4 2008 in San Diego. For more information on Health 2.0, please visit Health 2.0.

http://www.health2con.com

SL-Labs in San Francisco Chronicle

SL-Labs recently featured in the San Francisco Chronicle in an article about Second Life healing called, 'Second Life offers healing, therapeutic options for users'. The article outlines various support groups in-world and mentions a variety of people that have contributed group over the years. Autism and Asperger’s are mentioned as well as the work of avatar 'The Sojourner' a multiple stroke survivor who created the "Shockproof Dreams" sim for stroke victims, people with autism and Asperger's syndrome and the people who care for them.

The article is well balanced and offers a glance in to the future of virtual worlds and the way in which they can have value to people real world lives.

Web Article is here: http://tinyurl.com/6oybrd

SL-Labs Video

Click to Play

A video of SL-Labs at University of Derby Psychology in Second Life.

Virtually Where?

This was an excellent presentation given by Andy Powell of the Eduserv Foundation recently. Andy (SL: Art Fossett) asked the question "Are 3-D virtual worlds such as Second Life having an impact on learning?" Eduserv is a UK not-for-profit charity that works to realise the effective use of ICT for learners and researchers. The Eduserv Foundation makes grants to the UK education community and undertakes other activities to support this aim.

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Fellow Blogger blogs on Autism talk

I was recently asked by Mariano DiFabio to give a Second Life lecture on Autism in virtual worlds for his New York-based biopharm neetup group. We had about 20 attendees (avatars) at the lecture at SL-Labs and what was planned as a short talk on the potential of virtual environments for people with Autism lasted over an hour. This talk was given using Second Life's voice capability and worked well. There were a number of important questions raised at the end, especially some that opened up the topic of how skills learned in-world might generalise to real life.
I look forward to following up on many of the new projects I found out about and talking with the new freinds I made at the meeting. Here's a link to Mariano's report on the talk. Avelient BioPharm Blog

Autism and Asperger's in Second Life

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A talk about the potential of virtual worlds for Autism research. Given in Second Life in June 2008.


SlideShare Link

Scientific discourse 2.0

This recent journal article grabbed my attention. It's from Nature.com and is titled "Will your next poster session be in Second Life?" by Huang, Kamel Boulos and Dellavalle in EMBO reports, Vol 9, No. 6. 2008. PDF here.

It looks at expanding technologies of the internet and how they are getting increasingly sophisticated. The trend towards user-oriented content, or web 2.0 has rapidly expanded our ability to communicate and share information with one another over distance and 'supposedly' made us more efficient in the process. The article outlines a number of examples of web 2.0 platforms and includes virtual worlds as one way of providing education.

Stanford Experiments in VR Psychology

I've long been an admirer of Jeremy Bailenson's research at Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab. His team are behind many very interesting projects researching the social psychology of digital human representation. Nick Yee especially has produced some excellent research output. Bailenson's theory of Transformed Social Interaction is providing a great framework from which to explain some of the findings coming from virtual worlds social psychology research. Here is his fast-paced talk from Metaverse U conference 2008.

Forward thinking for augmented realities

Here is an excellent presentation by Mike Liebhold at this 2008 Metaverse U conference that summarises some of the upcoming and existing technology that I think will have significant impact on the way we blend virtual worlds with the real world.



Mike Liebhold provides a glimpse into a near future changed profoundly by augmented reality. This disruptive technology gets us thinking about the impact and challenges we face of the blending of 2D/3D geodata and virtual worlds. Psychologically speaking, dividing the perceived space we navigate across virtual and real worlds may have considerable drain on our ability to differentiate these domains. At some not so distant time in the future will we be able to separate one from the other? How will we come to relate to synthetic lifeforms that navigate this space and will we see digital migration to higher bandwidth virtual/real locations? Mike's talk ponders the challenge of these complex future digital/real environments.