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How Virtual Reality Farming Will Transform the Future of Food Supply

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Agriculture has long been a skilled and high-pressure profession, but modern farmers encounter challenges that even our grandparents could not have imagined.

In the UK, extreme weather is severely impacting agricultural lands. A recent survey revealed that 84% of farmers have witnessed a drop in crop yields or livestock production. This decline stems from a mix of heavy rain, drought, and extreme heat. Coupled with labor shortages, escalating machinery costs, and the demand to produce more food with fewer resources, the outlook for British agriculture appears increasingly uncertain.

As these issues escalate, innovations have surged. One of the most surprising solutions isn’t a cutting-edge tractor, miracle fertilizer, or genetically enhanced supercrops. Instead, it’s virtual reality (VR). This immersive technology, typically associated with gaming, is gradually becoming essential for the agricultural sector.

Here are five ways VR can pave the way for resilient farms and safeguard the food supply for an expanding population.

Life-saving VR Simulator

Operating a tractor is a daily task on the farm, but it can be daunting for new drivers. Tractors may be slow, but they can pose serious risks.

Rural roadways are infamous for narrow lanes, mud, hidden ditches, overgrown hedges, and blind turns, all of which can lead to serious accidents. Statistics indicate higher accident risks.

To combat this, researchers at Nottingham Trent University have developed a tractor-specific VR hazard perception test. Utilizing 360-degree footage from a tractor’s perspective, learners can experience real-life scenarios. Farmers report these situations as highly dangerous: hidden bikes, potholes, tight corners, and vehicles that regard 14-ton tractors as mere obstacles.

In trials with over 100 drivers, many, particularly those with past accidents, struggled to recognize hazards in time. It’s evident that traditional training doesn’t suffice, as tractors have distinct turning radii, slower speeds, and unique blind spots compared to cars.

There’s hope that this VR training could become a standard educational tool in universities and young farmers’ clubs, ensuring safer driving practices before they venture onto the roads.

Hone Your Skills in VR

VR is also training the next generation of vineyard workers safely, minimizing the risk of harming the vines. The Maara Tech project in New Zealand has created a system enabling trainees to practice vine cutting indoors, even on rainy days. Pruning in wet conditions carries significant risks, exposing fresh cuts to moisture, which can lead to fungal diseases.

Researchers at Eurecat, a European R&D center collaborating with several universities on agricultural innovations, have advanced this concept further. They’ve developed VR pruning shears equipped with sensors that guide users on the correct pressure, angle, and technique. It’s not just about speed; precision is crucial.

Accurate cuts result in healthier grapes, leading to superior quality and fewer errors. Since this training is virtual, new workers can build their confidence and help alleviate seasonal labor shortages.

Mindfulness with VR Headsets

Agriculture is not just physically demanding; it’s also mentally taxing. When adverse weather ruins planting schedules, drought devastates fields, and costs soar, even the most resilient farmers can reach their breaking point.

It’s perhaps unsurprising that 95% of farmers under 40 believe that mental health issues are the biggest hidden struggle they face in agriculture.

In response, researchers at the University of East Anglia have initiated the Rural Mind Project, employing a 360-degree VR experience to immerse healthcare professionals, policymakers, and support workers in real farming scenarios—addressing issues like isolation, anxiety due to weather, and financial pressures.

This initiative goes beyond fostering empathy; it aims to facilitate tangible change. VR training is equipping practitioners to recognize rural-specific stressors, find effective support strategies, and dismantle the stigma associated with seeking help.

Unlike conventional therapy, where the presence of a psychiatrist may induce anxiety, farmers can practice coping methods in a tranquil virtual setting designed for rural challenges. Initial feedback suggests VR may reach individuals who would typically avoid seeking assistance.

While it’s not a complete solution, it’s a promising step towards making mental health care as accessible as checking the weather forecast.

Learn the Ropes Without the Mess

Not only does VR help in understanding farm life, but it also provides the younger generation a head start without the mess, fertilizers, or early wake-ups.

Through the DIVE4Ag project at Oregon State University, schoolchildren can embark on virtual field trips via their gadgets, exploring dairy farms, urban gardens, and aquaculture facilities.

Meanwhile, at Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Science in India, the AR/VR Experience Center offers agricultural students interactive lessons on crop cultivation, animal care, and modern production methods.

As immersive VR education gains traction, it sparks excitement and confidence, motivating the upcoming generation to consider agricultural careers long before stepping onto a physical farm.

Stepping into the Metaverse

If VR can train farmers effectively, support their mental well-being, and educate them about agriculture, why not extend these benefits to animals? In Turkey, one adventurous dairy farmer has started using VR goggles on his cows while they are comfortably housed in a barn, allowing them to view lush pastures accompanied by soft classical music.

The goal was to create a serene atmosphere to reduce stress and potentially enhance milk output. Early results have been remarkable, as average production climbed from 22 to 27 liters per cow per day.

This approach might seem quirky, but managing cows indoors during extreme climates allows for better control over their feeding, milking, and overall health, suggesting that the future of farming may indeed lie where livestock engage with the metaverse.

From safer tractor operations to calming cows using VR, this technology is demonstrating its value beyond mere gaming. It offers a glimpse into the future of agriculture. EIT Food showcases these innovations, merging visionary concepts with practical solutions to illustrate how immersive technology can make agriculture smarter, safer, and more sustainable for all.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Would You Upload Your Mind to a Virtual Utopia?

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“What does it mean to upload consciousness to intangible space?”

Francesco Carta/Getty

In every version of you, characters grapple with a daunting choice: Upload your consciousness to a digital paradise or succumb to a forsaken physical reality.

Mind uploading, a familiar theme in science fiction, often serves as the backdrop for relationship dilemmas or philosophical inquiries. But what does it really entail to transfer consciousness into formless space? Can we decipher its mechanisms based on current science? And if we could, would we really want to?

At the core of my novel, amid romantic tenderness and innovative technology, is a theoretical and philosophical question: the Ship of Theseus paradox. Plutarch’s version, dating back to the 1st century AD, challenges whether a ship, meticulously replaced part by part, still qualifies as the same vessel. Philosophers have debated this thought experiment for centuries. What if we were to reconstruct the original ship from its components—planks, oars, masts, and sails? Is either constructed ship the authentic Theseus’ ship? This dilemma compels us to differentiate between the material essence of an entity (wood, neural pathways, molecules, etc.) and our perceptions of its completeness and authenticity.

In every version of you, my character Navin opts to upload himself to Gaia, a digital utopia. Navin represents a pivotal moment. At the moment of uploading, his physical and uploaded selves are theoretically identical. However, they begin to diverge thereafter. The virtual Navin would not be the same as the corporeal Navin had he continued to exist.

I had to reverse engineer the concept of uploading to create a plausible narrative. Some tales intentionally obscure the science to highlight themes such as relationships, philosophy, or satire. In certain narratives, characters connect devices to their heads or receive intravenous injections to magically extract their consciousness into a “cloud.” Other works contemplate science rigorously, depicting a brain systematically deconstructed via laser scanning, leaving no doubt about the destruction of the physical entity.

Exercising my rights as a writer, I ventured beyond the fundamentals of neuroscience, boldly speculating within the realm of science fiction. While crafting this novel, I was working in various neuropsychiatric wards and preparing for my psychiatric examinations. A recent edition of New Scientist‘s what to think series, which delves into theories about consciousness, would have undoubtedly aided my research!

After studying neural networks and connectomes, I began to envision consciousness as an incredibly intricate network of activity, with unique activation patterns varying from individual to individual. If we could duplicate these connections and their activation sequences using a sufficiently advanced computer, might we be able to replicate our minds without being tethered to our physical forms? However, the question persists: will we ever have computers capable of preserving human consciousness without loss or distortion of information?

Upon sharing my early manuscript of every version of you, I was struck by the array of reactions to the concept of uploading. Some experienced fear, exclaiming, “You mean you eradicated all the originals?!” Others adopted a more detached, philosophical stance. If there exists continuity between substance and subjectivity, how can we claim that the uploaded entity is not the original person?

Should I upload myself to Gaia? My answer is far from straightforward. In an intellectual society, we often overlook that we are not merely distinct minds controlling our physical forms. We forget the intricate interplay between our minds and bodies, with the latter often leading the way. Our gut, heart, skin, glands, and blood vessels engage in perpetual dialogue with our brain.

Moreover, we are molded by our surroundings, our connections with others, and our relationship with nature. Psychoanalyst Esther Bick has discussed the concept of “psychic skin,” which serves as a vessel for our inner selves, arising from early childhood sensory experiences. Severing the link between mind and body results in loss.

In every version of you, uploading compels us to scrutinize the subtle ways technology can undermine our essence. We integrate technology into our lives and the intimate spaces of our homes and bodies, drawn to its utility, brilliance, and excitement. But who owns the data we transfer to technology? Who possesses our uploaded minds? I would endure uploading for an extended period in search of an alternative way to exist on Earth. However, I cannot definitively predict my ultimate decision. If all my loved ones resided on Gaia, resisting that allure would be incredibly challenging.

Grace Chan is the author of every version of you (Verve Books), featured as New Scientist Book Club’s Reads for November 2025. Join us to read together here.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Exploring the Virtual Halloween Festival: Surprised by What I Discovered | Games

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IAfter five consecutive years attempting to steer clear of spending £80 for a stroll around the local park to admire the extravagant Halloween decorations or securing tickets for a wet day at a pumpkin farm in Scotland, I resolved to do something different this Halloween with the kids. We opted for a virtual pumpkin festival.

ghost town pumpkin festival. This game was born during the 2020 pandemic when developer Adam Robinson Yu’s local pumpkin festival was canceled. (Yu also crafted the charming “A Short Hike.”) Each year, the event has returned briefly, letting players take the form of cute ghosts to explore a whimsical micro-world brimming with player-made pumpkins. Each iteration has brought little enhancements, with the 2024 updates featuring a haunted house escape room that took my kids and me quite some time to solve. This year also introduced a movie theater showcasing spooky silent films in vacant rooms.

As you traverse the festival, you’ll encounter other players floating around as traditional sheet ghosts, often adorned with charming hats. Pumpkins populate every corner, from the benches outside a skeleton-themed barn to the corridors of the haunted house. True to form, many designs reflect game themes. Among smiling faces and cat silhouettes against a lunar backdrop created by children, we noticed tributes to Hollow Knight and a meticulous recreation of Majora’s Mask from the spookiest installment of the Zelda franchise.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/dROr2wZ6FDA?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival 2024" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

The advantages of a virtual Halloween festival are numerous. You won’t fall prey to overpriced £8 watery hot chocolate or subpar food van fries. You have the freedom to carve as many virtual pumpkins as your heart desires, and if you make a mistake, you can simply erase it. Plus, it’s no problem if your 6-year-old refuses to don a coat. We were pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable the Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival turned out to be. In addition to the obvious allure of a nerve-wracking hedge maze and a tractor ride through a barn decorated with both cute and cheesy creepy elements, there are countless hidden gems (and collectible pin badges) I stumbled upon during an hour of solo exploration.

Take, for instance, the movie theater. When exiting, I attempted to open the bathroom door only to find it locked. A key was hidden behind the popcorn counter. There was an intriguing code posted on a bulletin board by the bathroom door. Once we cracked that, we discovered another key in one of the stalls and a “restricted access” door beside the theater screen. The compelling little horror game hiding behind that door was too intense for the kids and, honestly, even for me. (Luckily, you can disable all the frightening elements through a menu featuring options like turning off fake blood splatters and swapping out scary images for pictures of dogs.)

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The Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival runs until a week after Halloween and can be downloaded below. itch.io Pay as you wish. We highly recommend lingering after your pumpkin carving to explore more.

Source: www.theguardian.com

How Virtual Reality Goggles Contributed to my Journey to Physical Rehabilitation

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IYou were asking me a month or two ago if I had ever had a spatially immersive experience, or if I was 60 years old and could have been hired early. Virtual Reality Goggles, I’d say it was as likely as the Silicon Valley tech giant appointed to “disrupt” the US federal government.

Let me explain a series of events that are likely to have led me to the latest technology.

Over the years I had to be in the perfect acrobatic position that would qualify me Cirque du Soleil To avoid discomfort while working on my computer. Despite moving to multiple rounds of standing desk and boring physics, I can no longer use my right arm.

Last year in particular felt like a tortured battle between cognitive decline and brain fog. This is the result of the steady use of ineffective anti-inflammatory agents. I have never done much work in my life and never had much time in my hands. I am currently armed with an MRI scan indicating that my shoulder tendon has ruptured. This records the date to combat the three herniated neck discs compressing the nerves running through my arm, and my malicious guilt.

To cope, I have learned to develop curiosity, a great source of distraction. I leave the house and open to places where adventures may take me… because you never know. Last week I did a shuffle dance with a great DJ Camden assembly Pub in the afternoon.

Two months ago I left for something I thought I would stop by at the museum, but instead found myself in a store looking for a charger for my iPhone. While standing there, I explained to my empathetic young sales assistant that I was a benched writer and that my right arm was temporarily disabled, and jokingly asked if he had a gadget that could put food in my mouth with my left hand without stabbing my eyes with a fork.

I looked ignorant when he asked if he wanted to try out the “mixed reality headset.” He explained that it is used in multimedia experiences such as watching movies and games on virtual screens. He suggested that eye tracking, coupled with voice control in the accessibility feature, could make me work.

The next moment I was sitting in the demonstration area wearing thick, heavy glass goggles. After a quick setup, a little green dot floats in the air. Tap your thumb and finger together to see a group of familiar app icons in a transparent visual overlay. Pixelization of the graphics makes the icon more clear than the chair in front of me. Eye tracking is the most surprising thing. All you need to do is look at the app you want to launch, gently tap your finger and thumb together to open the program. You can move multiple screens close or far apart, like furniture in a room.

I try other programs, open the photos and extend them to isologies. I’m watching immersive videos that look just as realistic as nightmares with dinosaurs blown away, but they’re kind of adorable and check me out the same way I keep the gaps in them. It reminds me of a parenting moment when my son was a toddler and struggled to resolve whether the stuffed animal was real or not. He was relieved to be told there was no gruffalo-like thing, despite being a replica of a stuffed animal. Once he realized it was an optical trick, he didn’t need to ask again the difference between the real thing and the pretend.

Navigating my path around various programs is a bit like learning to balance on a bike. I grow up confused. Speed ​​of movement requires constant adaptation to spatial and visual cues. I start to relax. I reach out and interact with digital objects – butterflies land on my finger. I have found myself reacting to the same wonders I experience in the real world.

And de Noument. A small dial appears on the side of the goggles, allowing you to control the reality you want to immerse yourself in. The actual room is gone and surrounded by mountain scenes. I breathe in surprise. Its spatial depth, light and shadow make the scene very clear and I feel the space around me. I know it’s not real, but the distinction is clear – I experience a mood shift as if it were. It’s similar to getting into a Piccadilly Circus tube and surface at the next stop and being on the beach in the Bahamas.

If the possibilities of these immersive spaces are slightly frightening, consider the historical adaptation of neurocognition and spatial awareness as a species, as well as the consequences of cultural and scientific advances. It takes how physics evolved because we were able to imagine visual art, the fundamental shift in spatial perspectives from two dimensions to three dimensions of painting, or the invisible behavior of the universe that is not available to the human eye.

In a few minutes, I was easily in and out of the program. Using my eyes and hands, my arms relaxed without firing nerve pain. It shows software that demonstrates breakthroughs in medical training, an immersive experience that can be used in educational environments, art, architecture and design. Seeing this, I realized I was overwhelmed by tears thinking that I might be able to work for the months leading up to my surgery and during rehabilitation.

Until my thoughts move to my next dilemma. How did you intend to break the news to your husband? 30 years of marriage and rules have always been the case. We are consulting each other about purchasing over £100. How was it when you explained it to him over the phone? What is the difference in my mood, the vision I had the following year in my life? It felt like someone had given me a smart medicine, a magical cure for brain fog. In fact, I always change goggles and painkillers.

There was only one answer. I have to bring them home so he can try it out for himself. I took a picture of the boxless purchase and texted him with the message “No heart attacks, I can return them.” He immediately texts, “I’m having a heart attack.” I leave the store with deep creative thinking and new virtual reality goggles, carrying the bag with my left arm. I take the bus that goes in the wrong direction and go without picking up a visual clue that will stop another 10.

Once I send it home, negotiations will continue all night. I’ll refrain from reviewing. He admits there is a consensus that it is relatively best on a VR headset, but that’s it. virtual reality. I think it’s like claiming that smartphones are nothing more than mobile phones. He points out that even influencers and early adopters are predicting market failures because prices are so prohibitively prohibitive (from £3,499). Why don’t you wait for prices to drop? Point out that waiting will defeat your purpose. It’s about doing my job and helping me survive mentally next year. He’s certain. He gets it and is actually at ease for me. Even it moved. The goggles stay.

A few days later During coaching on accessibility features, you can block gestures from your right arm and force a break in the part of your brain you want to steer on the right side. Accelerate your learning to become hands-free on other devices. And that’s good because I can only use my goggles for a few hours a day before I have a neck cramp with weight. But I learned to hack for that. By lying down to serve as a table of some kind.

I’m not dying with bug eyes in public, but after experiencing the panic attacks I experienced after taking them off, I am beginning to feel relieved with my new hip identity – the consequences of physical disorientation and fear towards their seductive charm.

This turned my way from friends and family despite the enormous amount of ridiculous laughter and skeptical concerns. I have not been a target of this much stack since being arrested after trying joints as a teenager. Am I at risk of letting go of my struggle to become a human in the real world? Look at this space. This article was described as hands-free.

Debora Harding’s dance with Toctopus has been published by Profile Books and Bloomsbury USA. Buy for £9.99 Guardianbookshop.com

Source: www.theguardian.com

Online virtual reality tools offer free assistance for public neurology work

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A new online platform has been launched to help speakers practice in front of virtual audiences, easing the anxiety many face in public speaking situations.

Dr. Chris McDonald, founder of Cambridge University’s Immersive Technology Lab and creator of the platform, aims to eliminate long waits and high costs associated with seeking help for language anxiety.

“Most people experience language anxiety but don’t have access to treatment. This project aims to break down those barriers,” he explained.

Virtual reality public speaking The platform uses exposure therapy, combining breathing exercises and eye movements to reduce heart rate and fear response.

Users can practice public speaking in various virtual reality settings, from empty classrooms to large stadiums with thousands of people. McDonald refers to the latter as “overexposure therapy.”

McDonald mentioned that the platform, compatible with Android and iOS, offers scenarios like study materials, feedback mechanisms, and job interviews accessible via laptop, VR headset, or smartphone with a cheap mount.

In a recent study published in the Frontier Journal of Virtual Reality, 29 Chinese adolescents showed significant improvement in public speaking confidence and enjoyment after using the platform.

Further research is planned, but McDonald revealed that tens of thousands have already used the platform during development. He emphasized the importance of creating an effective and accessible tool for users.

Psychologist Dr. Matteo Cella from King’s College London’s Virtual Reality Lab acknowledged the platform’s potential benefits but stressed the need for robust trials to evaluate its efficacy.

Dr. Kim Smallman of Cardiff University highlighted the importance of assessing the impact and effectiveness of new technologies like VR in addressing mental health challenges.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Experience Tasting Cakes in Virtual Reality with an Electronic Tongue

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Taste hydrogels are administered to the mouth via small tubes

Shryn Chen

Electronic tongues that can replicate flavors like cake and fish soup can help you replicate food in virtual reality, but still can’t simulate anything else that affects taste, such as smell.

Yizhen Jia Ohio State University and his colleagues developed a system called e-Taste. This can solve a way to sample food and partially reproduce its flavor in someone’s mouth.

This includes using chemicals that correspond to five basic flavors. Sodium chloride, salty water, sour citric acid, glucose for sweetness, magnesium chloride for bitterness, umami glutamic acid. “These five flavors already explain the very large spectrum of food we have every day,” says Jia.

The system uses sensors to detect the levels of these chemicals in the food, convert them into digital measurements, pumping these values ​​into a pump, and pushing a small amount of hydrogel containing different flavors into a small tube under a person’s tongue.

First, the researchers tested a system with a single flavor and asked how well the device reproduced sour on a 5-point scale, comparing it to a real sample of sour taste. They gave the same number for 70% of the time for the true sour thing that was reproduced.

The team then tested whether the system was able to replicate more complex flavors such as lemonade, cake, fried eggs, fish soup, coffee, etc., and asked a group of six if they could distinguish them, and felt they could have over 80% of the time.

However, I say it’s not very useful to focus on such flavors alone. Alan Chalmers Because other sensations are also involved in our taste at Warwick University in the UK. “Next time you have strawberries, close your nose and eyes. Strawberries are very sour, but are perceived as sweet because of their aroma and red colour. So if you send them just sour on your device, you’ll never know that they’re actually from strawberries.”

“This kind of electron can extract the amount of sweetness [and] It’s sour, but it’s not a taste for a human tongue,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Using Brain Implant to Control Virtual Drones: Paralyzed Individuals Can Now Fly with Their Thoughts

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A virtual drone was steered through an obstacle course by imagining moving a finger.

Wilsey et al.

A paralyzed man with electrodes implanted in his brain can pilot a virtual drone through an obstacle course just by imagining moving his fingers. His brain signals are interpreted by an AI model and used to control a simulated drone.

Research on brain-computer interfaces (BCI) has made great progress in recent years, allowing people with paralysis to write speech on a computer by precisely controlling a mouse cursor or imagining writing words with a pen. It became. However, so far it has not yet shown much promise in complex applications with multiple inputs.

now, Matthew Wilsey Researchers at the University of Michigan created an algorithm that allows users to trigger four discrete signals by imagining moving their fingers and thumbs.

The anonymous man who tried the technique is a quadriplegic due to a spinal cord injury. He was already fitted with Blackrock Neurotech's BCI, which consists of 192 electrodes implanted in the area of ​​the brain that controls hand movements.

An AI model was used to map the complex neural signals received by the electrodes onto the user's thoughts. Participants learned how to think about moving the first two fingers of one hand to generate electrical signals that can be made stronger or weaker. Another signal was generated by the next two fingers, and another two by the thumb.

These are enough to allow the user to control the virtual drone with just their head, and with practice they will be able to expertly maneuver it through obstacle courses. Wilsey said the experiment could have been done using a real drone, but was done virtually for simplicity and safety.

“The goal of building a quadcopter was largely shared by our lab and the participants,” Wilsey says. “For him, it was a kind of dream come true that he thought was lost after he got injured. He had a passion and a dream to fly. He felt so empowered and capable. He instructed us to take a video and send it to a friend.

Although the results are impressive, Willsey says there is still much work to be done before BCIs can be reliably used for complex tasks. First, AI is required to interpret the signals from the electrodes, but this depends on individual training for each user. Second, this training must be repeated over time as function declines. This could be due to slight misalignment of the electrodes in the brain or changes in the brain itself.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Finally Got My Virtual Reality Setup Working: A Week of Work, Exercise, and Relaxation

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II’m writing this from a room slowly orbiting the Earth. Behind a screen that floats in front of me, through a huge opening where a wall should be, a planet slowly rotates and appears close enough to take up most of my field of vision. To my right it’s morning in Australia. The first vestiges of India and Europe are illuminated and dotted to my left. The soft drone of the air circulation system hums quietly behind me.

I spent a week using a virtual reality headset to do everything I could: work, exercise, compose music. This was the year that VR threatened to go mainstream as prices became more affordable and Apple entered the market. So I wanted to see how far VR has come since I first tried it in the mid-2010s, when the main experience was available. It was a nauseating roller coaster simulator. I used Meta’s latest model, called the Quest 3, and the conclusion was clear. This means it works now. It feels a little unfinished, but we’ve finally reached the point where VR is possible. It becomes really useful.

The biggest surprise was working in VR. This is not recommended. When you put on the headset, you can summon multiple screens, all connected to your computer, and make them as large as you want and place them anywhere in your environment. “Pass-through” – the ability to see digital objects superimposed on the real world, enabled by a camera built into the front of the headset – means you can cut out a window from the virtual environment to see the keyboard. You can also choose any number of work environments, from minimalist cafes to mountain huts, and switch between them at will. I quickly reached the point where if I was working alone, I would rather work in virtual reality than in real life.

The main problem is the overall lack of polish. The headset doesn’t feel like a finished product. It’s probably 10% too heavy, like a lab prototype that hasn’t been improved yet. The battery alone won’t last the entire day. Sometimes the controller disconnects without explanation. I brought it on a plane to do some work, but the challenge of connecting to my laptop using the onboard Wi-Fi proved insurmountable.

But watching movies in VR while flying was nothing special. Yes, I felt the need to apologize to my neighbor in a very British way. Wearing a headset in public has not yet become socially acceptable. But as soon as I pressed play, I realized I would never be able to go back to in-flight entertainment. I was sitting in a movie theater with the lights dimmed and several rows of seats separating me from a giant screen on a virtual wall. In long periods without turbulence, we really forgot we were flying. The one downside is that I was so engrossed in it that I almost missed the breakfast cart passing by.


“Today, the key to getting the most out of VR is to use it for activities you do yourself, even if you’re not a gamer.” Photo: Marissa Leshnoff/The Guardian

Of course, the movie theater was empty except for me – by design. Other apps are intentionally less sparsely populated. I downloaded one that promised a live virtual concert. Upon entering the virtual lobby, I discovered that there was no concert going on and no sign of one being scheduled. No problem. It also provided a space for people to mingle when acts weren’t performing. I loaded it. It was a beautifully designed virtual world, all domes and arches and curved slopes. But it was a ghost town. I was the only one there. And this is considered to be one of the most popular apps for live music on the internet.

When most people think of VR, they often think of Ready Player One. This is a science fiction novel and film about a world where people spend most of their time in a shared virtual reality, where they gather as avatars to interact, talk, and watch sports and music. together. This feels like a long way off. There are games that give hints about this group experience, such as “Gorilla Tag,” where children gather together after school to play tag as gorillas, talking to each other and moving around by waving their arms. However, VR adoption has not yet become widespread enough to make Ready Player One’s vision a reality. Now, the key to getting the most out of VR is to use it for activities you do yourself, even if you’re not a gamer.

For at least some types of knowledge workers, work is one such activity, and someone closely involved in the industry recently told me that it is considered the fastest growing use case. It is being I feel that productivity can be easily improved with VR. Gone is the office clutter, replaced by a calming environment that matches your mood for the day. Monitors that would cost thousands of dollars in the real world are displayed in front of you on demand. A virtual forest in the mountains is far better than the gray walls of my study as a place to sit down at my keyboard and write music. All distractions disappear from view.

Another thing is exercise. I was doing a personal training session in my garden, and a virtual trainer was floating in the air right in front of me. Passthrough, which was only recently added to Quest, is important here because it means you can use weights. This was not a smart idea in previous models as it completely obscured the real world. While many people have tried to join a gym temporarily and failed, it’s not unreasonable to hope that on-demand personal training at home might help them get back to exercising regularly.


Apple’s Vision Pro headset, launched earlier this year, was meant to be the starting gun for VR. That wasn’t the case. It’s a marvel of engineering and has magical uses, but it’s still lacking in compelling apps. £3,500 price tag For most people that is ruled out. Stories of headsets gathering dust or being returned have led some to believe that VR is nothing more than a hype bubble created by a tech industry desperate to find the next big thing.

But VR isn’t all hype. Sure, there are kinks that need to be smoothed out. But I think we’ve reached a tipping point. It’s really useful if you’re bringing this in for single player and something you don’t really use in public. Work, entertainment, exercise – everything is already great in VR. Don’t rely on tiny rectangular screens as a way for humans to communicate with machines.

  • Ed Newton-Rex is the founder of Fairly Trained, a nonprofit organization that certifies generative AI companies that respect the rights of creators, and a visiting scholar at Stanford University.

Source: www.theguardian.com

“What is the meaning of AI?” – Top questions asked to Alexa in the UK in 2024 | Virtual Assistant

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Virtual assistants have become a common feature in many UK households, providing information on weather forecasts, time, and sports results.

The most popular virtual assistant is Alexa, and Amazon, its parent company, has released the top questions and requests received for the software in 2024. Some questions were expected, such as queries about Bitcoin, Earth’s population, and the meaning of AI.

However, some of the more surprising questions included inquiries about cooking sausages, Henry VIII’s marriages, and Tom Cruise’s height.


Many people used Alexa in the kitchen as a virtual sous chef, asking for help with recipes for pancakes, Yorkshire pudding, and banana bread.

Celebrities like David Attenborough, Paul McCartney, and Tom Cruise were frequently asked personal questions by users of Alexa.

Monarchs and world leaders were also popular topics of search, with questions about King Charles III’s age, Rishi Sunak’s height, and Donald Trump’s net worth being among the top queries.

Taylor Swift was one of the most searched names, particularly for questions about her height, age, and net worth, only behind Elon Musk.

Additionally, Swift was the most played music artist on Alexa, with three of her albums in the top five most played albums of the year.

Football was the dominant sport in the searches, with questions mainly focused on England’s national team and Premier League clubs.

Players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, and Erling Haaland were popular searches throughout the year, especially during England’s European Championship campaign.

One of the most popular questions asked to Alexa was: “Alexa, are you coming to my house?”

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Virtual Idol, Hatsune Miku, Holds a Unique Place in My Heart

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CThrongs of J-Pop enthusiasts gathered outside John Cain Arena on a scorching 36-degree Melbourne night, flaunting their iconic green wigs. However, the blistering heat wasn’t a concern for Hatsune Miku, the night’s star attraction who is digitally animated and doesn’t sweat. The 16-year-old ‘Vocaloid’ virtual pop sensation embarked on her inaugural Australian tour.

As followers are well-informed, Miku is the avatar of a 157 cm tall teenage girl with distinctive green pigtails. She is the representation of a collection of voice samples created using Yamaha’s Vocaloid speech synthesis technology by Krypton Future Media. Users input lyrics and melodies, which are then “sung” by the sampled audio (portrayed by actor Saki Fujita as Hatsune Miku). While some Vocaloid producers fine-tune their software for realism, others cherish its artificial essence.

Hatsune Miku on stage. “The basic idea of ​​Vocaloid is that it's a gift to the fans,” says one audience member. Photo: ©CFM

Inside the arena, Miku came to life on an LED screen, igniting a controlled frenzy among the audience. Most attendees remained seated, focusing on synchronizing their battery-powered colored glow sticks. Miku, towering over with a mesmerizing presence, danced to a live band amid a massive lighting setup. Speaking in English with a Japanese accent, she engaged with the audience, creating an illusion of a live, spontaneous performance.

“Thank you all for making this night truly special,” she joyfully exclaimed. “I hope we had a great time.” The crowd erupted in cheers. “Until we meet again!” she signed off.

Vocaloid tracks have gained popularity in Japan, often appearing on mainstream pop charts and even reaching the top spots. Billboard introduced a chart exclusively for Vocaloid, Niconico. Since its debut in 2007, Miku’s first demo, 01_Ballad, has inspired over 100,000 fan-made songs, mostly from Japan’s otaku community, known for their fervent passion for characters over celebrities. Miku’s prominence led her to open for Lady Gaga, perform at Coachella, and be remixed by Pharrell Williams.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/bkY_3vXuGBA?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="“01_ballad” (Vocaloid Hatsune Miku, Original PV)" height="480" width="640" allowfullscreen="

Other popular characters based on various voicebanks include Rin Kagamine and Luka Megurine, who made a surprise appearance at Miku’s Melbourne concert, delighting fans.

While many attendees in Melbourne cosplay as Miku, some fans create new Miku designs to embody specific traits or brands. For instance, “Bunningsmiku” or “Woolysmiku.” This quirky practice aligns with the highly commercialized subculture. A recent Live Nation survey found that Asian pop fans spend 138% more per ticket and 85% purchase merchandise.

“Vocaloid is essentially a gift to the fans. It’s the fans who shape its identity,” Olivia shared. “There’s a vibrant community surrounding it that unites everyone.”

Despite her eternal teenage years and cutting-edge technology, Hatsune Miku is now in many ways a traditional artist with a setlist of classic hits. Photo: Jonathan White/©CFM

For some fans, concerts serve as an opportunity for identity exploration. Tori, 19, dressed as the gender-swapped male Mikuo, embracing their transgender identity.

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“I’m transgender, but I feel more comfortable.” [dressed this way]. “I love music, I love her as an instrument, and I find the technology amazing,” they said. “I feel like a lot of nerd people, transgender people, people who don’t feel like they fit in can relate to that.”

Initially unrelated to artificial intelligence, Vocaloid software paved the way for today’s generative AI models trained on artists’ voices, often without consent. Open source pop music is on the rise. Grimes announced that AI could render artists’ voices in exchange for royalties.

Despite her perpetual teen persona and cutting-edge tech, Miku has established herself as a legendary figure with timeless hits. Fans like Kong, 36, a devotee since 2008, hold a special place in their hearts for Miku and revel in nostalgic performances of classics like world is mine.

“Miku has a special place in my heart. Before I had a job, before I had a family, before I had children, I gave birth to Miku,'' Kong reminisced, under the glow of home lights. “She embodies what you need in life when you know her, when you meet her. The song is haunting. It transcends time.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

A Virtual Assistant Revolutionizing Cancer Research Through Interactivity

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Imagine asking your virtual assistant, “Hey Google/Alexa, tell me the lyrics to ‘Beautiful People’ by Ed Sheeran.” Voice User Interface You could possibly receive the information you need within seconds. Cancer doctors and researchers face the challenge of exploring and interpreting cancer genomic data, which resembles a huge library with billions of pieces in different categories. What if you had an Alexa-like tool that could answer questions about the data within seconds?

Traditionally, researchers have used computer programming and interactive websites with point-and-click capabilities to analyze cancer genomic data. Researchers agree that these methods are not only time-consuming, but also often require advanced technical knowledge that not all clinicians and researchers possess. Scientists from Singapore and the United States have collaborated to develop a conversational virtual assistant to navigate the vast library of cancer genomes. They named this assistant Melvin. Their goal was to make relevant information quickly available to all users, regardless of technical expertise.

The scientists described Melvin as a software tool that allows users to interact with cancer genomic data through simple conversations with Amazon Alexa. It incorporates familiar Alexa features, such as the ability to understand and speak everyday English and the ability for researchers to initiate a conversation by saying the name “Alexa.” Additionally, the scientists incorporated a knowledge base containing genomic data for 33 types of cancer from a global cancer database. The Cancer Genome AtlasIt contains a variety of data, including gene expression data, mutations known to increase the risk of developing cancer, etc. It also incorporates secondary information from each database, such as the definition and location of human genes, protein information, and anti-cancer drug efficacy records, to help users effectively interpret the results.

The scientists collected nearly 24,000 pronunciation samples for cancer genes, cancer types, mutations, types of genomic data, and synonyms of all terms in these categories from nine cancer experts at the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore. These experts were from Singapore, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the United States, and India, which was needed to increase the diversity of Melvin’s accents. The scientists said that due to the lengthy data collection time, the pronunciations did not cover all known cancer genes and traits.

The scientists explained that a voice user interface works well if it correctly hears and understands the user, including the context of the conversation. Because cancer terms differ from regular English vocabulary, the researchers trained Melvin to learn cancer vocabulary using a machine learning process that gives meaning to previously unknown words. Out-of-Vocabulary Mapper Service Design.

Additionally, the researchers developed a web portal where users can submit pronunciations of certain cancer features that Melvin may not initially recognize. This will allow Melvin to know what the user means when he hears those words. To address users’ potential security concerns about the recordings, the researchers noted that users can avoid data storage by deleting the recordings by following the instructions in their Amazon Alexa account. The researchers discussed opportunities to expand Melvin’s capabilities through crowdsourcing for pronunciation improvements. The researchers hope that these pronunciations will provide more data to match regional and national accents so that Melvin can understand and speak.

The scientists say Melvin will work with any device that supports Alexa and will be able to ” Gene Name” and “What percentage of lung cancer patients have a mutation in that gene?” Melvin reported that within seconds it processes these questions and returns responses in audio and visual form.

They also reported being able to ask follow-up questions based on previous conversations. They described the difficulty of getting valuable information from a single question and highlighted the value of Melvin’s ability to maintain context through incremental questioning. The scientists asserted that this design makes it easy for users to explore multiple relevant questions in a single conversation. They also demonstrated that Melvin performs advanced analytical tasks, such as comparing mutations of specific genes across different cancer types and analyzing how gene expression changes.

The scientists concluded that MELVIN can accelerate scientific discoveries in cancer research and help translate research results into solutions that clinicians can apply to patients. They acknowledged that while MELVIN’s framework is currently centered on cancer genes, it can be expanded to support more characteristics of cancer. The team plans to enhance MELVIN by adding more valuable datasets and features based on user feedback..


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Source: sciworthy.com

Tubi: America’s Top Free Streaming Service and the Magic of the Virtual Video Store

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TThere's a reason why many websites devote huge virtual pages to the question of whether and when a new movie is on Netflix. For many casual viewers, the biggest streaming sites are almost synonymous with streaming itself, with even big brands like Disney+, no longer HBO Max, Peacock, and Paramount+ essentially battling for second place. But at some point, you might have to admit that this is, at best, a battle for third place: last month, all of the aforementioned glitzy non-Netflix services lost out to Tubi in viewership numbers.


While premium streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video are experimenting with ad-supported versions to boost revenue (either by lowering the price of their ad-supported subscriptions, hoping that customers will pay more to avoid the ads, or by making revenue from the ads themselves), Tubi offers a rotating lineup of ad-supported movies and TV shows at an unbeatable price. It's a free service that doesn't even require you to sign in (I know this firsthand: I've been a regular Tubi user for years, but I've yet to create an actual account). Tubi combines the thrilling browsing experience of an old-school video store, the instant gratification of Netflix, and the old-school channel flipping of cable (when everyone embraced the built-in ad breaks that came with watching a movie). Apparently, viewers don't mind a little retro in their streaming experience. Tubi is still growing viewership and ad revenue; in the most recent quarter, the latter increased by 22% (the CEO says the service is growing viewership and ad revenue by 22%). There is no profit yetBut growth in such a competitive and fickle industry is still remarkable.

Even before those numbers were released, Tubi was no longer a timid upstart. The part of the media conglomerate that wasn't sold to Disney, Fox Corporation, which owns the various Fox-branded TV stations, acquired the service in 2020. But its basic approach seems to be much the same: offering viewers a wide range of ad-supported choices (even shows that might have been offered recently or at the same time on other, more premium streaming services) without pumping too much money into flagship originals aimed at subscribers. Tubi's original programming is indeed plentiful, but it also has a retro feel, more in keeping with what you'd expect from cable or direct-to-video exploitation movies of the '90s or early 2000s than, say, HBO. The company has begun experimenting with star-studded, high-profile originals, such as a new series starring TV mainstay Lauren Graham, but they're unlikely to outweigh the appeal of a virtual video store.

In fact, a secret weapon that sometimes goes unmentioned when describing Tubi's rise is the fact that it has a ton of movies older than 30 years ago, which is relatively uncommon for many paid streaming services. At the moment, Netflix has about two dozen movies from before 1990, which is up from the last few months thanks to a recent anniversary effort that promoted movies from 1974 and 1984 together. Max does a little better on average because it owns Turner Classic Movies, but it doesn't have the depth or variety of actual TCM (or a good streaming app that's exclusive to cable TV subscribers). For other services, it's easy to find what's on offer by searching for genres that are less common today, like westerns or musicals. For example, Peacock has one musical from before 1990. Tubi's choices in this department include the original West Side Story, Seven Brides, The Royal Wedding, The Pajama Game, The Jazz Singer, Fiddler on the Roof, Yentl, The Music Man, and High Society. Of course, it won't tell you everything you need to know about the genre, but it's a better start than what more expensive services offer.

That makes Tubi seem like an option for older people who want to complement their MeTV viewing and take a peek into the past. But the company says Tubi has the youngest average age of TV viewers, at 39. The “TV” moniker probably rules out TikTok and YouTube, which are attractive to the youngest media consumers, but Tubi CEO Anjali Sood said: Recent Interviews The company is eyeing a younger audience and sees itself competing with major alternatives to traditional movies and TV, rather than as a future version of cable channels with particularly rich content.

YouTube’s reach (and creators’ endless supply of attractive, algorithmically refined thumbnails) will likely be hard to beat, but for now at least, the two services are impressive contenders. While YouTube lets you rent movies and shows, the platform owes its explosive growth to its original content and creators, who aren’t always immersed in anything more than other YouTube videos and the fickle whims of the algorithms that serve them. This material can combine in many ways: sketch comedy, talk shows, reality TV, visual essays, animated shorts, and more, but much of it has its own parameters and genres, and to outsiders it often seems untethered from history. Tubi, on the other hand, can offer a surprisingly decent crash course in classic movies, if you’re willing to endure a few ad breaks (again, most of us who grew up on cable TV in the ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s were). Even in months when a particular “classics” section is on the wane (or when a particular public domain title's transition is less than optimal), there's an eclecticism that stretches beyond the very recent past and can actually satisfy your curiosity on a tight budget. If streaming is rotting our brains and keeping us indoors, maybe streaming can offer at least a little breadth.

Maybe it's a middle-aged fantasy. The culture would return to a richer sense of history that actually makes entertainment from different eras more enjoyable to connect. But now the brand that streaming stands for is hostile to theatrical releases, funding writer-driven projects, and churning out shows that are increasingly removed from the craft of TV production. Netflix has inadvertently created a new, worse kind of monoculture, one where choice is scarce and binge-watching is encouraged, insatiable and unsatisfying. Imagine a future where you lounge on Tubi instead.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Retired employee sues bank after losing virtual currency fund in Hyperverse

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Catalina de Solieu had high hopes for a comfortable retirement. She had completed her career as a nurse, paid off the mortgage on a property in regional Victoria, and had savings in the bank.

A friend from a network marketing group introduced her to an investment opportunity called Hyperfund, with the promise of using the returns as a source of income for her retirement. After initially investing small amounts, she eventually invested $80,000.

Within a few months, the money vanished.

“I lost my home,” she says three years later. “I lost all my money. I couldn’t pay the mortgage. When I actually sold the house and paid off the rest of the mortgage, I was in a lot of debt. By that time I had no money. There wasn’t much left.”

Now 71, de Solieu says she lives on a pension that barely covers her rent.

“Right now, I don’t have a nickel in the bank or in my pocket. I can’t go to the dentist. I can’t get my car serviced properly.

“It goes on and on. I can’t get it either. [hearing] Checked out. I even had a friend deliver groceries to my door. I have nothing left. ”

This experience left de Solieu feeling depressed and suicidal.

“I became so depressed that I wanted to commit suicide. It’s a terrible thing for anyone to admit, but that’s how I felt.

“I still wake up every morning and sob. Ever since that happened, every morning I can’t get up because I don’t forgive myself and I want to beat myself up.”

After losing $70,000, Des Solieu was unable to pay his dentist fees. Photo: Steve Wormersley/The Guardian

Mr. De Solieux is one of several Australians who have suffered losses from the HyperVerse project and is taking part in a legal effort to recover the losses from the banks that oversaw the transfer of money to the project.

UK-based investment fraud law firm Wealth Recovery Solutions has identified an Australian who transferred funds to a cryptocurrency exchange to become a member of Hyperfund, later renamed Hyperverse. This person is leading Mr. Des Solieu’s legal action.

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Source: www.theguardian.com

Enhancing Virtual Reality with Artificial Touch Technology for a More Immersive Experience

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When you open the door, it hits you and warmth spreads over your skin. Fighting the smoke and heat, I brace myself and head inside. As you walk through a burning building, flames flicker around you. You find what you want and run away. It's so cold outside that I start shivering and my hands and feet go numb.

But when I remove the headset, everything stops. An incredibly realistic training exercise is now complete. All of these sensations felt real, but they were not caused by changes in my surroundings. Instead, carefully selected chemicals were injected into the skin to mimic different emotions.

Such stimuli have long helped us understand the most complex of the human senses: touch. In the 1990s, research into capsaicin, an extract from chili peppers, and menthol, found in peppermint, helped determine how our bodies respond to heat and cold. now, Jasmine Lu and colleagues at the University of Chicago They use this knowledge to create chemically induced sensations that make virtual environments incredibly realistic.

With a technology called chemical haptics, they built a wearable device that, when placed on the skin, can cause the wearer to experience different sensations, such as hot or cold, numbness or tingling, depending on their needs. . Its uses could include creating highly realistic virtual worlds for gamers to explore, training firefighters, and more. But will we ever be able to fully recreate the experience of touching the real thing? And if we can't, what might we stand to lose?

Source: www.newscientist.com

Coinbase Addresses U.S. Regulatory Lawsuit Regarding Virtual Currencies, Comparable to Beanie Babies | Cryptocurrency

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A federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday accused Coinbase and U.S. securities regulators of disagreements over whether digital assets are and are not securities in a case closely watched by the crypto industry.

Coinbase opposed classifying cryptocurrencies as securities, arguing that digital coins are like Beanie Babies and more like collectibles than company stock.

“There’s a difference between buying Beanie Babies and buying Beanie Babies,” said William Savitt, a lawyer for Coinbase.


Coinbase has asked a court to dismiss a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit alleging that the largest U.S. cryptocurrency exchange is selling unregistered securities in defiance of regulations.

The SEC countered this argument by arguing that purchasing the token amounted to acquiring the issuer’s company.

The SEC argued that the crypto tokens at the center of the lawsuit support larger “companies” and are akin to investment contracts.

“When they buy this token, they are investing in the network behind it. You cannot separate one from the other. As the value of the network or ecosystem increases, [associated] It’s a token,” SEC attorney Patrick Costello said.

Judge Katherine Polk Failla heard arguments from both sides on Wednesday, focusing her questions on case law defining what securities regulators consider investment contracts and the attributes of some crypto tokens traded on platforms such as Coinbase. did. Failla said he was still considering several questions after a hearing that lasted more than four hours and did not decide the issue in court.

The judge’s ruling helps clarify the SEC’s jurisdiction over this area and is likely to impact digital assets. This case is one of many filed by the SEC against the crypto sector. The agency initially focused on companies selling digital tokens, but under the chairmanship of Gary Gensler, it has targeted companies that provide trading platforms, clearing activities, and act as broker-dealers.

The SEC sued Coinbase in June, accusing it of facilitating trades in at least 13 crypto tokens, including Solana, Cardano, and Polygon, which should have been registered as securities.

Although the Securities Act of 1933 outlined the definition of the term “security,” many experts rely on U.S. Supreme Court precedent to determine whether an investment product qualifies as a security. Masu. The key test is whether people are contracted to invest in common companies with the expectation of profit.

Coinbase argued that unlike stocks and bonds, crypto assets do not meet the definition of an investment contract, a position held by the majority of the crypto industry.

SEC lawyers argued that securities are different from buying collectibles like baseball cards or Beanie Babies, citing a 1990s trend in which Americans bought stuffed animals in hopes of rising prices.

“When you buy a collectible item, like a baseball card or some kind of figurine, you’re just buying that item. You’re buying something,” Costello said.

Still, Feira told SEC lawyers that he is “concerned” that the agency is seeking to “expand the definition of what constitutes a security.”

The SEC said buyers of digital assets, even on secondary markets like Coinbase’s platform, are buying tokens as investments similar to stocks and bonds.

However, Coinbase’s lawyers disagreed, pointing out that purchasers of such tokens did not sign a contract giving them the right to receive public corporate profits.

“Let me just say this: I would have been shocked to learn that the investment agreement had nothing to do with the contract,” said William Savitt, a lawyer for Coinbase.

The judge appeared to reject Coinbase’s argument that the case involved the so-called material issue doctrine. This legal principle is based on the Supreme Court’s decision that federal agencies cannot be regulated without specific authorization from Congress.

In its lawsuit, the SEC also targets Coinbase’s “staking” program, which pools assets and charges fees to verify activity on the blockchain network in exchange for “rewards” to customers. The SEC said the program should have been registered with the SEC.

Source: www.theguardian.com