Virtual reality Books

Book SynopsisFrom one of our leading thinkers, a dazzling philosophical journey through virtual worldsIn the coming decades, the technology that enables virtual and augmented reality will improve beyond recognition. Within a century, world-renowned philosopher David J. Chalmers predicts, we will have virtual worlds that are impossible to distinguish from non-virtual worlds. But is virtual reality just escapism? In a highly original work of ''technophilosophy'', Chalmers argues categorically, no: virtual reality is genuine reality. Virtual worlds are not second-class worlds. We can live a meaningful life in virtual reality - and increasingly, we will.What is reality, anyway? How can we lead a good life? Is there a god? How do we know there''s an external world - and how do we know we''re not living in a computer simulation? In Reality+, Chalmers conducts a grand tour of philosophy, using cutting-edge technology to provide invigorating new answers to age-old questions.Drawing on examples from pop culture, literature and film that help bring philosophical issues to life, Reality+ is a mind-bending journey through virtual worlds, illuminating the nature of reality and our place within it.Trade ReviewChalmers is a joy: an exuberant guide through challenging terrain, quick with anecdotes and arguments, wit and wild ideas -- Kieran Setiya * TLS *Delightfully - or perhaps worryingly - convincing... A brilliant and very readable philosophical investigation... [Chalmers] tackles some frankly mindbending ideas, but does so in a lively and entertaining style, filled with references to pop culture -- PD Smith, Book of the Day * Guardian *Everyone should read this important book -- Josh Glancy * Sunday Times *Fascinating... Thoughtful, clear and funny... Reality+ is a gripping act of philosophical escapology... Hugely entertaining -- Kit Wilson * The Times *One of the most important living philosophers, existing in an exclusive club of living thinkers who are on compulsory reading lists for undergraduate philosophy students... He writes with admirable clarity and there's something quite rock'n'roll about him -- Bryan Appleyard * Spectator *[Chalmers] deftly interweaves the finer points of ancient Chinese philosophy and Cartesian dualism with the metaphysics of the Matrix films and the World of Warcraft computer games... A rich, scintillating [...] book that reflects many fascinating facets of our virtual worlds -- John Thornhill * Financial Times *A David Chalmers book is a competition. On the one hand the writing is so clear and engaging that you want to keep turning pages; on the other, the ideas are so surprising and profound that you are continually stopping to think about them. Reality+ is a treasure trove of provocative reflections on cosmology, consciousness, artificial intelligence, ethics, and more. Reading it will change the way you think about the universe -- Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of SpacetimeFasten your seatbelt and put your helmet on, David Chalmers is going to take you on an amazing trip. Reality+ is wild, profound, and playful, placing famous arguments from the history of philosophy next to surprising observations about video games. Cleverly disguised as light reading, this book carries a large payload of new ideas about existence, knowledge, and what makes life worth living -- Jennifer Nagel, University of TorontoAs humanity enters a brave new world of artificial superintelligence and computer-generated virtual realities, how can we humble hunter-gatherers, descended from cavemen, begin to grasp our astonishing technological future? The answer lies in this book. We must think about the ultimate nature of reality. In Reality+ David Chalmers provides the roadmap to your future -- Susan Schneider, NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation, and author of Artificial You: AI and the Future of Your MindA stunning achievement. In effortless prose David Chalmers explores new ways to think about everything from consciousness to computation, deities to democracy. Reality+ shows time and again how familiar topics take on interesting new forms when viewed through the lens of virtual reality -- Scott Sturgeon, author of The Rational MindWhat is real anyway? Exploring the deepest doubts about reality from Zhuangzi to Descartes, Chalmers stirs our own doubts and leads us into the real worlds of future virtual reality. A gripping book -- Susan Blackmore, author of THE MEME MACHINE and SEEING MYSELFOne of the world's leading philosophers re-examines all the age-old questions of life through the new-fangled prism of virtual reality. Fun, provocative, occasionally zany, Reality+ sketches out the contours of a new "technophilosophy" and makes you think afresh about the possibilities of the metaverse -- John Thornhill, Books of the Year * Financial Times *What will it be like to be trapped in Zuckerberg's Metaverse? This is a mind-bending yet lucid discussion of how we might still lead meaningful lives, even in a simulated world -- The Telegraph Cultural Desk, Books of the Year * Telegraph *In a world stuffed with dangers of all scales, from microbial plagues to planet-smashing asteroids, might it be reassuring to know that we are all just software programs running on some vast alien computer simulation? The eminent Australian philosopher David J Chalmers addresses such sci-fi possibilities in Reality+ . Whether we are trapped in the Matrix or in Mark Zuckerberg's promised Metaverse, questions of what is real and how we might still lead flourishing lives are here discussed in mind-bending yet lucid fashion. The good news, according to Chalmers, is that a table made from digital ones and zeroes (if we are in VR or a simulation) is just as real as a table made from quantum wave-packets (assuming we live in the real world). That is, until a rock falls on it from space -- Steven Poole, Books of the Year * Telegraph *The Australian philosopher David Chalmers made this name when he concluded that consciousness was the "Hard Problem". Everybody else had come up with various daft conclusions. But Chalmers, not being daft, said we had no idea what it was. Now he goes further: we don't know whether we are a computer simulation -- Bryan Appleyard, Books of the Year * Sunday Times *Chalmers posits that virtual reality will not only be commonplace, but it'll be as valid as our genuine reality. We'll interact with virtual objects, which will replace screen-based computing. We'll spend much of our lives in virtual environments - come the next pandemic, we might be hanging out in simulate worlds, not on Zoom -- Rory Kiberd, Books of the Year * Irish Times *The future, too, is the subject of David Chalmers's Reality +. Rather than scoffing at Mark Zuckerberg's metaversal adventures, Chalmers gives due consideration to what the rise of virtual worlds could mean for the real one-and whether, after a certain point, they'll even be distinguishable. -- Books of the Year * Prospect *Chalmers is very clever because [in Reality+] he's managed to rehearse many of the key arguments that you would encounter in most philosophy courses, but through that lens of virtual reality... It genuinely is thought-provoking (or virtual thought-provoking). It's well-written too -- Nigel Warburton, Books of the Year * Five Books *

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Book SynopsisLook anyone who invents something really great has a moment where they think it''s going to destroy the world.For the first time in her life, Fin is off the network. A few months ago, she was the inventor of a programme so powerful, so unusual that she was untouchable.Until she wasn''t.Meanwhile, people have started disappearing from the streets of the city and the technology she created might be implicated. Square Eyes is a graphic novel about a future where the boundaries between memory, dreams and the digital world start to blur. It's a kaleidoscopic mystery story which asks: in a city built on digital illusion, who really holds the power? What is weakness? And when is it most dangerous?Trade ReviewThe book I keep going back to for its peerless haunting art… is Anna Mill’s and Luke Jones’s Square Eyes… it’s utterly confident and audacious in its space, aesthetics, innovation and design, and I could page through it from now until next Christmas with the same sense of wonder. A thing of beauty, indeed. -- Tim Martin * Spectator *This exquisite book… may scare you half to death… [but] what truly sets this book apart is its extraordinary illustrations… on every beautiful, teeming, phantasmagorical page… it fairly takes the breath away. -- Rachel Cooke * Observer *[An] instantly gripping work with an important point to make. -- James Smart * Guardian, **Books of the Year** *A spiky tale set in a dystopian near-future… [Square Eyes] certainly is a wild ride. -- Siobhan Murphy * The Times *A remarkable, prophetic graphic novel debut. Through 286 deliriously colourful pages, [Anna Mill and Luke Jones] plunge us into an all-too-plausible future, where the real and the digital are blurring and dangerous powers want to control them both. * Bookseller *Whatever you put on your head to stop your mind from exploding, make sure it’s fitted properly before immersion in Square Eyes. Just the volume and quality of work alone defies belief, and that’s before you get onto the disconcerting psychedelia of the graphics and the story. * Strong Words *A big, bleak yet gorgeous dystopia... Square Eyes comes at you in a disorienting rush… This immersive, inventive graphic novel offers its own brand of escapism. -- James Smart * Guardian *The digital dystopia presented by Square Eyes is scarily busy and psychedelic, contrasted by the grey near-ruins of the modern age. The world building in this book is extraordinary. Take your time to absorb the crowd details and bits of characterisation layered into Anna Mill's art. * Shortlist *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive overview of developments in augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality—and how they could affect every part of our lives.After years of hype, extended reality—augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR)—has entered the mainstream. Commercially available, relatively inexpensive VR headsets transport wearers to other realities—fantasy worlds, faraway countries, sporting events—in ways that even the most ultra-high-definition screen cannot. AR glasses receive data in visual and auditory forms that are more useful than any laptop or smartphone can deliver. Immersive MR environments blend physical and virtual reality to create a new reality. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, technology writer Samuel Greengard offers an accessible overview of developments in extended reality, explaining the technology, considering the social and psychological ramifications, and discussing pos

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Book SynopsisAugmented Reality (AR) blurs the boundary between the physical and digital worlds. In this book, Dr. Helen Papagiannisa world-leading expert in the fieldintroduces you to AR: how it's evolving, where the opportunities are, and where it's headed.

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Book SynopsisCollins Big Cat supports every primary child on their reading journey from phonics to fluency. Top authors and illustrators have created fiction and non-fiction books that children love to read. Book banded for guided and independent reading, there are reading notes in the back, comprehensive teaching and assessment support and ebooks available.Part of the Shinoy and the Chaos Crew non-fiction series, this information book ties into The Day of the Scrambled Signs.Find out the answers to questions you''ve always wanted to know about virtual reality.Virtual reality can show you things that you might never see in real life. Find out how VR works, what it's used for, and how you might be able to try it yourself!Gold/Band 9 books offer developing readers literary language and stories with distinctive characters.Ideas for reading in the back of the book provide practical support and stimulating activities.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“With Future Presence, Peter Rubin gets at the heart of why everyone – not just gamers, technophiles, or sci-fi fans – should be excited about Virtual Reality and how it will change their lives.” — Shuhei Yoshida, President of Worldwide Studios at PlayStation “A cool, smart take on virtual reality. Peter Rubin approaches a deliriously infinite topic not only with brain, but with heart.” — Jaron Lanier, author of Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality and godfather of VR “This book is like talking to your smartest, funniest friend about technology over drinks at your local bar. And you might need a drink to ready your body—because the future is now.” — Aisha Tyler, director, actor, podcaster, and New York Times bestselling author of Self-Inflicted Wounds

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Book SynopsisWilliam Bainbridge contends that the worlds of massively multiplayer online roleplaying games provide a new perspective on the human quest, one that combines the arts and simulates most aspects of real life. The quests in gameworlds also provide meaning for human action, in terms of narratives about achieving goals by overcoming obstacles.Trade RevieweGods may serve as a helpful reference for those researching online gaming, religious symbols, or considering a literary analysis of gaming environments. * Daniel B. Shank, Sociology of Religion *Table of ContentsChapter 1: Disbelief ; Chapter 2: The Culture Game ; Chapter 3: Deities ; Chapter 4: Souls ; Chapter 5: Priests ; Chapter 6: Shrines ; Chapter 7: Magic ; Chapter 8: Morality ; Chapter 9: Cults ; Chapter 10: Death ; Chapter 11: Quests ; Appendix: The Gameworlds

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Book SynopsisJohn V. Pavlik argues that a new form of media has emerged: experiential news, which delivers not just news stories but also news experiences, in which the consumer engages as a participant or virtual eyewitness in immersive, multisensory, and interactive narratives.Trade ReviewPavlik's thoughts about the future shape of [journalism] are intriguing. . . Highly recommended. * Choice *Remarkably clear, concise, engaging, analytical, readable, and thought-provoking book. -- Seok Kang * Journalism & mass Communication Quarterly *Pavlik offers practical strategies for the understanding and use of virtual reality and augmented reality both as immersive technologies and tools for imaginative but factual journalism. Soundly grounded in universal journalistic principles and values, Journalism in the Age of Virtual Reality confronts the benefits and challenges of this once-elusive technology now maturing and taking its place in the media ecosystem. A must-read for anyone tracking change in the world of media disarray and disruption. -- Everette E. Dennis, Northwestern University in QatarJohn V. Pavlik’s latest work provides a unique perspective on the evolution of journalism from the analogue to the digital. He suggests that the rise of experiential media may help mitigate the “internet echo chamber” represented through subjective media consumption often found through social media. Together with the rise of mobile broadband, the increased video and image resolution found on modern cellphones, and the variety of options available for consumer-level immersive gaming headsets, from Google Cardboard to the Oculus and HTC systems, Pavlik expertly guides the reader to an understanding of how experiential journalism may not only enhance but ultimately change the face of the field as we currently know it. -- Bryan W. Carter, University of ArizonaJournalism in the Age of Virtual Reality demystifies the often complex technologies used to produce and distribute experiential media. Pavlik traces the evolution of these technologies in a clear and concise manner with extensive interview content from experts in each of the key areas explored. This book is very much a future-oriented text that builds on the foundations of telecommunication and information science history to insightfully predict how experiential technologies might evolve in the decades ahead. -- Pete Seel, Colorado State UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Experiential Stories: Situating the Transformation of Journalism in Historical Context2. Digital Design in Experiential News3. The News User Experience: Immersive, Interactive, and Multisensory4. Encoded Content5. Interactive Documentaries6. Drone Media and Beyond7. Economic, Regulatory, and Other Contextual Factors8. An Experiential News ParableNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisHow augmented reality and virtual reality are taking their places in contemporary media culture alongside film and television.TThis book positions augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) firmly in contemporary media culture. The authors view AR and VR not as the latest hyped technologies but as media—the latest in a series of what they term “reality media,” taking their places alongside film and television. Reality media inserts a layer of media between us and our perception of the world; AR and VR do not replace reality but refashion a reality for us. Each reality medium mediates and remediates; each offers a new representation that we implicitly compare to our experience of the world in itself but also through other media. The authors show that as forms of reality media emerge, they not only chart a future path for media culture, but also redefine media past. With AR and VR in mind, then, we can recognize their precursors in e

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1 Introduction-The Growing Role of Robotics in Health Care 2 How Robotics Will Affect the Practice of Medicine for Practitioners 3 How Robotics Will Affect the Experience of Health Care for Patients 4 Robot and Artificial Intelligence Companies Around the Globe 5 Medical Robotics in Acute Care Medicine (Urgent Care, Pain Management, and Robot-Assisted Surgery) 6 Robotics in Rehabilitation Medicine: Prosthetics, Exoskeletons, All Else in Rehabilitation Medicine 7 Neuroprosthesis Applications of Robotic Exoskeletons 8 Robots on the Battlefield and for Space Travel 9 The Economics of the Robotic Industry 10 Brain-Controlled Assistive Robotics and Prosthetics 11 Artificial Intelligence in Radiology 12 The Future of Robots in Medicine Index

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth look at virtual reality and how it can be harnessed to improve our everyday lives.Trade Review"...[Jeremy Bailenson's] enthusiasm is contagious, and he explains complex issues to an audience broader than fellow scientists, providing a real vision of our possibly VR-infused future." -- Nature"If you want to understand the most immersive new communications medium to come along since cinema... I’d suggest starting with Mr. Bailenson’s [book]. It’s short, it’s levelheaded and it tells you what you need to know. Among other things, the book answers the sometimes vexing question of what VR is actually good for." -- The Wall Street Journal"Remarkably interesting... People interested in the current state of virtual reality’s applications will enjoy Bailenson." -- The New York Times"Jeremy Bailenson’s work is unflinching and brave. He helps us see more of our vulnerabilities and our potential than ever before. This book describes the edge of human self-knowledge, and a precipice of human foibles to avoid." -- Jaron Lanier, VR pioneer and author of You Are Not A Gadget"An accessible introduction, a cogent primer, to the potential and pitfalls of VR." -- The Washington Post"Few people alive know as much about VR as Jeremy Bailenson. For decades he’s been researching how VR affects humans. Read this before you enter this new world." -- Kevin Kelly, founding editor of Wired and author of The Inevitable

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Book SynopsisCovering everything from chess to football, from Saving Private Ryan to American Sniper, and from Call of Duty to drone interfaces, War Games is an essential guide for anyone seeking to understand the militarization of American culture, offering a compact yet comprehensive look at how we play with images of war. Trade Review"Let Eagle’s brisk storytelling shuttle you through a labyrinth of training simulators, re-enactments, video games, epic films, and more. You will be rewarded with a staggeringly rich meditation on our cultural obsession with representing the unrepresentable. From capture the flag to capture the real, I know of no other text that delivers an Olympian glimpse of the whole spectrum with such breadth, clarity, and style." -- Roger Stahl * author of Through the Crosshairs: War, Visual Culture, and the Weaponized Gaze *"As Eagle’s comprehensive overview of war gaming shows, war cannot be understood apart from its mediation. The visual, narrative and operational logics of war games have shaped the experience of warfighting through and through, often to the detriment of those who fight or get caught in the crossfire." -- Stacy Takacs * co-author of American Militarism on the Small Screen *"Lucid and engaging, War Games describes a world permeated by symbolic figurations of war, from toy soldiers, to full scale combat simulations, to the screen media of film and video games. A fascinating, well-written work." -- Robert Burgoyne * author of Film Nation: Hollywood Looks at U.S. History, Revised Edition *"Eagle delivers an impressive survey that reads like a veritable tour de force across the various technological and mediatized arenas of past, present, and future war." -- Holger Pötzsch * ALH Online Review *Table of ContentsContents Introduction 1. Live Tabletop Games
 Gaming in Miniature Combat and Contact Sports Military Maneuvers Recreational Reenactments 2. On Screen Authentic Violence and the World War Two Combat ReportsSaving Private Ryan and the Reenactment of the Real Vietnam on Big Screens and Small Somatic War in the Twenty-First Century 3. Interactive Flight Simulation and the Technologies of Preemption The Military-Entertainment Complex First-Person Shooters Realism in Videogames Back to the Battleground Acknowledgements Further Reading Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisCovering everything from chess to football, from Saving Private Ryan to American Sniper, and from Call of Duty to drone interfaces, War Games is an essential guide for anyone seeking to understand the militarization of American culture, offering a compact yet comprehensive look at how we play with images of war. Trade Review"Let Eagle’s brisk storytelling shuttle you through a labyrinth of training simulators, re-enactments, video games, epic films, and more. You will be rewarded with a staggeringly rich meditation on our cultural obsession with representing the unrepresentable. From capture the flag to capture the real, I know of no other text that delivers an Olympian glimpse of the whole spectrum with such breadth, clarity, and style." -- Roger Stahl * author of Through the Crosshairs: War, Visual Culture, and the Weaponized Gaze *"As Eagle’s comprehensive overview of war gaming shows, war cannot be understood apart from its mediation. The visual, narrative and operational logics of war games have shaped the experience of warfighting through and through, often to the detriment of those who fight or get caught in the crossfire." -- Stacy Takacs * co-author of American Militarism on the Small Screen *"Lucid and engaging, War Games describes a world permeated by symbolic figurations of war, from toy soldiers, to full scale combat simulations, to the screen media of film and video games. A fascinating, well-written work." -- Robert Burgoyne * author of Film Nation: Hollywood Looks at U.S. History, Revised Edition *"Eagle delivers an impressive survey that reads like a veritable tour de force across the various technological and mediatized arenas of past, present, and future war." -- Holger Pötzsch * ALH Online Review *Table of ContentsContents Introduction 1. Live Tabletop Games
 Gaming in Miniature Combat and Contact Sports Military Maneuvers Recreational Reenactments 2. On Screen Authentic Violence and the World War Two Combat ReportsSaving Private Ryan and the Reenactment of the Real Vietnam on Big Screens and Small Somatic War in the Twenty-First Century 3. Interactive Flight Simulation and the Technologies of Preemption The Military-Entertainment Complex First-Person Shooters Realism in Videogames Back to the Battleground Acknowledgements Further Reading Works Cited Index

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Book SynopsisA timely, all-in-one guide to planning, organizing, and running virtual events in libraries. Ranging from simple gaming activities utilizing VR headsets to augmented reality tours, exhibits, immersive experiences, and STEM educational programs, these ideas include something for every size and type of academic, public, and school library.

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Book SynopsisDesign principles integrate research findings with the real-world experiences of professional instructors. Featuring 11 design principles aimed at training recognition skills for people who must rapidly assess a situation and make a decision, this book is for anyone interested in using augmented reality and simulations to design better training.Trade Review'This handbook lays out the foundations of skilled decision making and cognitive performance, focusing on recognition skills as fundamental. Designing training for developing and improving cognitive performance has been a hidden practice offered by only a very few pioneering researchers and practitioners until now. This book opens the lid on how to do this effectively based on both cutting-edge theory and models in cognitive performance, as well as an understanding of the technology offering. Every technology company investing money into developing these technology-driven mixed-reality training systems should be reading this to ensure relevance, utility, usability, and adoption to their training organisation customers.' Rob Hutton, University of the West of England, UK'Augmented reality applications are unlikely to have an impact without guidelines for putting the technology into practice, and that's what this book delivers. It is clearly written, with a number of good examples. This book's implications extend beyond augmented reality - implications for anyone wanting to improve training programs.' Gary Klein, Cognitive Psychologist and CEO of ShadowBox LLC'Finally! A gem of a handbook on how to design virtual learning experiences. Building on the science of learning, this handbook offers practical guidance to create training that makes a difference and works. A must source for scientists, instructional designers, practitioners, and for all who engineer technology-based learning environments.' Eduardo Salas, Rice University, USATable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Engagement; 3. Scenario Building; 4. Fidelity and Realism; 5. Supporting Mental Model Construction; 6. Scaffolding and Reflection; 7. Synthesis; 8. Conclusion; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis Element reviews the current state of what is known about the visual and vestibular contributions to our perception of self-motion and orientation with an emphasis on the central role that gravity plays in these perceptions. The Element then reviews the effects of impoverished challenging environments that do not provide full information that would normally contribute to these perceptions (such as driving a car or piloting an aircraft) and inconsistent challenging environments where expected information is absent, such as the microgravity experienced on the International Space Station.

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Book SynopsisThe digital age we now live in is fundamentally changing how we relate to our perceptions and images. Daniel O''Shiel provides the first comprehensive phenomenology of virtual technology in order to show how the previously well-established experiential lines and structures between three basic categories of phenomenal experience our everyday perceptions of reality; our everyday fantasies of irreality; and our everyday engagements with external images, not least digital ones are becoming blurred, inverted or are even collapsing in a new era where a specific type of virtuality is coming to the fore. O'Shiel examines in depth just what this means for the phenomenology behind it, as well as the concrete practical consequences going forward. The work is divided into two main parts. In the first O'Shiel fully investigates the phenomenological natures of perception and imagination through close textual analyses of the relevant works by Edmund Husserl, Eugen Fink and Jean-Paul Sartre. In eachTrade ReviewHow to interpret the relation between the infinite of our actual and real world, and the infinite of the digital and virtual world of social media? Not in terms of “transition”, but in terms of transformation. Daniel O’Shiel describes meticulously the very nature of it: i.e. as form of “irrealization”. This loss of the “real”, he shows, is at the core of the passions and experiences generated by virtual reality. Is this a problem? Read the book, and judge for yourself. * Roland Breeur, Professor of Philosophy, KU Leuven, Belgium *We live in a world dominated by the power of the image, wherein the boundaries between the real and the virtual are increasingly blurred. What happens to the self, to the other, and to values in such a situation? Mining crucial insights of classical phenomenology and applying his findings to a variety of contemporary virtual technologies, O’Shiel has produced a valuable monograph not only for scholars of phenomenology, but also for anyone who wishes to think seriously about what it means to perceive and to imagine in the digital age—and about how to do so with greater discernment. * Ian Alexander Moore, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Loyola Marymount University, USA *O’Shiel’s book is a major achievement. It offers a masterful survey of the contributions of major phenomenological thinkers to the conceptualisation and analysis of the virtual which could serve equally well as a point of entry for a phenomenologist curious about the virtual, or a researcher of the virtual seeking to grasp phenomenology. Ultimately O’Shiel’s project is a syncretic one, and this overview of phenomenological contributions to the understanding of the virtual serves as a springboard to the production of his own framework. The fecundity of which is amply demonstrated by its application to various forms of virtual technology, such as social media, online gaming, and virtual reality. This book is a treasure trove of phenomenological insights into the virtual. It is engagingly written, conversational without being superficial. The author has made a major contribution to contemporary phenomenology, and this book will undoubtedly become the go to text for those teaching and researching the phenomenology of the virtual. * Gregory Swer, Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction PART I. PERCEPTION, IMAGE AND THE CHALLENGE OF VIRTUALITY 1. Husserl 1.1. Husserl’s Perception 1.2. Presentation, Presentification and Phantasy 1.3. The Problem of Image-Consciousness 2. Fink 2.1. Fink’s ‘Presentification and Image’ 2.2. Presentation, Depresentation and the Types of Presentification 2.3. Image-Consciousness, Again 3. Sartre 3.1. Perception and the Imaginary 3.1.1. Experiencing and Evoking Absence: Perception, Imagination and the Analogon 3.1.2. Sartre’s Imaginary: Between Perception and Concept 3.1.3. An Ambiguity in Sartre’s Conclusion? 3.2. Sartre’s Answer for Image-Consciousness .. 3.3. Recapitulation and Discussion 4. The Challenge of Virtuality 4.1. Heidegger and Our Forked Being 4.2. Bergson and Deleuze 4.3. Perception and Image: a Difference in Kind or Degree? 4.4. Real Virtualities: Self, World, Others and Values PART II. IRREAL VIRTUALITY: THE CASE OF VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY 5. Social Media 5.1. The Significance and Influence of Social Media 5.2. Changed Selves, Worlds, Others and Values in Social Media 5.3. Breeur’s Challenge: A Possibility for Real Engagement On or Through Social Media? 6. Online Gaming 6.1. Games Are Not (Straightforward) Perceptions 6.2. The Online Gaming Experience 6.3. Changed Selves, Worlds, Others and Values in Games 6.4. Reality, Irreality, Superreality and Addiction 7. VR, AR and MR Technologies 7.1. A Summary of VR, AR and MR Technologies 7.2. Changed Selves, Worlds, Others and Values in VR, AR and MR Technologies 7.3. ‘Pure’ MR and the Case of Holograms 8. Considerations and Consequences 8.1. Virtual Technology: Its Current Status and Scope 8.2. Blurrings, Inversions and Collapses? Current Trends and Future Possibilities Conclusion Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTRANSFORMING EDUCATION WITH VIRTUAL REALITY The book provides an in-depth and comprehensive knowledge reviewof the use of virtual reality in the education industry and businesses. Virtual reality (VR) technology has thoroughly transformed education by providing engaging and immersive ways for students to experience their education and by offering visual learning, creative development, etc., to enhance their studies. Moreover, with increasing accessibility, both students and educators can utilize it for effective teaching and learning. By embracing this VR-related technology, teachers can transform traditional classrooms into lively ones. Businesses can also leverage VR for skilling, up-skilling, and re-skilling. This book is divided into two parts. Part I discusses the opportunities, challenges, and application of VR technology, and Part II focuses on reimagining education with the metaverse. Readers will find in this book: a description of the relationship between virtual reality aTable of ContentsPreface xvii Part 1: Modern Technology in Education: Opportunities, Application and Challenges 1 1 A Novel Adaptive Framework for Immersive Learning Using VR in Education 3Sudharson D., Reena Malik, Rithish Ramamoorthy Sathya, Vaishali V., Balavedhaa S. and Gautham S. 1.1 Introduction 4 1.2 The Two Perceptive Elements 6 1.3 Immersive Tools and Technologies 9 1.4 The Methodology 13 1.5 Interaction Through Voice Assistant 16 1.6 Improved Distraction Tracking 16 1.7 Discussions 19 1.8 Market Analysis 20 1.9 Result 24 1.10 Conclusion 24 2 When Technology Meets Tradition: Rediscovering Tribes Through Virtual Reality 27Debanjana Nag 2.1 Introduction 28 2.2 Concept of Communication and Virtual Reality as a Tool of Communication 29 2.3 The Tribes and the Concept of ‘Modern’ Society 32 2.4 Status of Women in Tribal Societies 33 2.5 Socio-Political Systems of Tribal Societies 34 2.6 Conditions of Education, Health and Hygiene 34 2.7 Application of Virtual Reality as a Learning Pedagogy to Understand Tribal Aspects 36 2.8 Problems in the Implementation of VR Among the Tribes 38 2.9 Utilization of Virtual Reality to Connect Tribes with the Mainstream 40 2.10 Epilogue 42 3 Post-Pandemic Approaches Through Various Advanced Toolkits for Online Teaching and Learning Confidence 47Karthikeyan Kandasamy, Prakash Maran Jeganathan and Shalini Surajmani 3.1 Introduction 48 3.2 The Impact of Technology on Learning 49 3.3 MAXHUB UC BM35 Bluetooth Teleconference Speakerphone 53 3.4 4K Ultra HD 55 3.5 BenQ EdTech 57 3.6 Conclusion 58 4 Expanding Teaching Possibilities: Applications of Technological Products in Education 61Jyoti Verma and Gagandeep 4.1 Introduction 61 4.2 Benefits of Technology in the Education Sector 64 4.3 Applications of Technological Products in Education 65 4.4 PESTLE Analysis of Technological Products in the Education Sector 67 4.5 Successive Growth of Technological Products in India 68 4.6 Conclusion 69 5 Evolutionary Advantages of Virtual Reality in Education 73Richa Kapoor Mehra 5.1 Introduction 73 5.2 Differences Between Real and Virtual Space 76 5.3 Use of Virtual Reality: A Matter of Concern 82 5.4 Conclusion 84 6 Exploring Possibilities and Apprehensions About Application of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education 87Siddharth Shimpi 6.1 Introduction 88 6.2 The Current State of AI in Higher Education 90 6.3 Advantages of AI in Higher Education 91 6.4 Potential Risks of AI in Higher Education 91 6.5 Ethical Considerations in AI in Higher Education 93 6.6 Future of AI in Higher Education 94 6.7 Case Studies 95 6.8 Best Practices 96 6.9 Conclusion 96 7 Impact of Virtual Reality on Immersive Education 101Manju Rani 7.1 Introduction 102 7.2 Techniques Used in Immersive Learning 103 7.3 Advantages of Immersive Learning 104 7.4 Disadvantages of Immersive Learning 105 7.5 Virtual Reality 105 7.6 Processing of VR 107 7.7 Types of Virtual Reality 108 7.8 Developing Content for VR 109 7.9 Creating a Virtual Reality Environment 109 7.10 VR in Education 112 7.11 E-Learning and VR 113 7.12 The Usefulness of VR Technology in the Field of Education 114 7.13 VR in Teacher Training and Pedagogy 118 7.14 Creating an Immersive VR Environment with MaxWhere 118 7.15 Applications or Software for Using VR Technology in the Field of Education 120 7.16 Growth of VR Technology in Education 121 7.17 Obstacles in Using VR Technology 122 7.18 Interpretation of Results 122 Part 2: Reimaging Education with Metaverse 127 8 The Metaverse in Education: An Upcoming Future Trend 129Priya Jindal and Ansh Jindal 8.1 Introduction 130 8.2 XR in Metaverse 130 8.3 Categories of Extended Reality (XR) 131 8.4 XR and Learning 133 8.5 Approaches of Learning in Metaverse 135 8.6 Comparison of Classes in Person, Virtual Classes, and in the Metaverse 137 8.7 Challenges of Metaverse in Education 138 8.8 Trends Supporting Metaverse in Education 140 8.9 Conclusion 141 9 Role of Virtual Reality in Education: Its Scope, Reach and Effect on Student Behavior 145Shweta Kapoor and Gitanjali Kalia 9.1 Introduction 146 9.2 Types of Virtual Reality 148 9.3 Various Types of Augmented Reality 149 9.4 Virtual and Augmented Reality 150 9.5 Application of Virtual Reality 151 9.6 Implementation of VR in Education Sector 155 9.7 Effects of Virtual Reality on Student Behavior 157 9.8 Positive Effect of Virtual Reality on Students 158 9.9 Negative Effect of Virtual Reality on Students 159 9.10 Challenges Faced when Implementing VR in Education Sector 160 9.11 Conclusion 161 9.12 Forming New Perspectives 162 10 Virtual Reality in Education: Benefits, Applications and Challenges 165Rajni Bala and Prachi Gupta 10.1 Introduction 166 10.2 Industry Key Players in VR in Education 167 10.3 VR Market Segmentation in the Education Sector 168 10.4 Application of VR in Education 168 10.5 Distance Learning 170 10.6 Advantages of VR in the Classroom 170 10.7 Disadvantages of VR in the Classroom 172 10.8 How VR Will Improve Education 173 10.9 Challenges of Implementing VR in Education 174 10.10 How to Maximize the Benefits of VR in Education 176 11 Exploring the Landscape of Virtual Reality in Education: A Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis 181Natashaa Kaul and Chanakya Kumar 11.1 Introduction 182 11.2 Literature Review 183 11.3 Methodology 185 11.4 Findings and Results 187 11.5 Methodology and Research Perspectives 188 11.6 Temporal Analysis Using Word Clouds 189 11.7 Future Research 192 11.8 Conclusion 193 11.9 Implications for Research and Practice 196 11.10 Limitations of the Study 197 12 VR in Vocational Educational and Training: Conceptual Framework and Adoption Roadmap 201Kumar Shalender, Babita Singla and Sandhir Sharma 12.1 Introduction 201 12.2 Benefits of VR in Training 203 12.3 VR Adoption Framework 206 12.4 Conclusion and Discussion 207 13 Virtual Reality in Education — A Blessing or Curse? 211Priya Jindal, Ansh Jindal and Radhika Gambhir 13.1 Introduction 212 13.2 Virtual Reality 212 13.3 VR in Education 214 13.4 Conclusion 224 14 Virtual Reality: A Mechanism for Modern Education 229Deepali Bhatnagar and Adity Boruah 14.1 Introduction 230 14.2 What Makes Learning Deep Rooted? 231 14.3 Definition of Virtual Reality 232 14.4 Virtual Reality as an Instructive Tool 234 14.5 Educator and Student Acceptance of VR Use in Education 236 14.6 Statistics of the Usage of Virtual Reality in the Education Sector 237 14.7 Enablers for Teaching with Technology 239 14.8 Virtual Reality in Modern Education: Benefits 240 14.9 Areas of VR Application in Education 241 14.10 Constraints and Challenges in the Path of VR Learning 242 14.11 The Road Ahead 242 14.12 Conclusion 244 15 Application of VR Technology in the Educational Sector — Opportunities and Challenges 249Sushmitha Abhishek Rao, Bonnie Rajesh and Rajesh Raut 15.1 An Introduction to Virtual Reality 250 15.2 Literature Review 250 15.3 Important Elements of Virtual Reality (VR) 251 15.4 Features of VR 252 15.5 Opportunities of Virtual Reality in Education 253 15.6 Challenges of Virtual Reality in Education 257 15.7 Conclusion 259 16 Is Virtual Reality Really the Future of Learning? 263Rajneesh Ahlawat, Renu Tanwar and Preeti Ahlawat 16.1 Introduction 264 16.2 Virtual Reality History 264 16.3 Virtual Reality Learning 265 16.4 Benefits of Using Virtual Reality in Education 265 16.5 Disadvantages of Learning through Virtual Reality 267 16.6 Virtual Reality Applications 268 16.7 Types of Virtual Reality 270 16.8 Virtual Reality: Statistics 271 16.9 Education with Virtual Reality 271 16.10 Virtual Reality Used in Schools 272 16.11 Virtual Reality’s Impact on Modern Education 272 16.12 Virtual Reality Examples 273 16.13 Classroom VR Implementation 275 16.14 Secondary Schooling Using VR 276 16.15 VR for Students who Struggle with Studying 277 16.16 Difficulties in VR Education 277 16.17 Future of VR in Education 279 16.18 Conclusion 279 17 Application of Virtual Reality for Education 283Ramkrishna Dikkatwar, Nilesh Kate, Saradhi Kumar Gonela and Prashant Chaudhary 17.1 Introduction and Background of the Study 284 17.2 Literature Review 284 17.3 Methodology 286 17.4 Literature Section 287 17.5 Bibliometric Analysis and Discussion 290 17.6 Conclusion and Future Scope 302 18 Metaverse: A New Avatar-Based Technology for Diverse Educational Experiences 311Pooja Darda, Shailesh Pandey, Om Jee Gupta, Susheel Yadav and Reena Malik 18.1 Introduction 312 18.2 Literature Review 313 18.3 Research Methodology 315 18.4 Proposed Framework for Metaverse Applications in Education 315 18.5 Limitations 317 18.6 Future Scope 317 18.7 Implications 318 18.8 Conclusion 318 19 Up-Skilling in Fashion Retail 323Prashant Chaudhary, Neelam Raut, Harshali Patil and Nilesh Kate 19.1 Introduction 324 19.2 Literature Review 326 19.3 Findings and Conclusion 329 19.4 Practical Implications and Discussion 330 19.5 Scope for Future Studies 332 20 Metaverse: Reimagining the Future of Teaching-Learning 337Mihir Vaidya and Meenal Pendse 20.1 Introduction 338 20.2 Using Metaverse and Its Tools in Education 338 20.3 Advantages, Disadvantages, Challenges and Remedies to Challenges 342 20.4 Organizations Working on Integrating Technology with Education 347 20.5 Conclusion 349 21 Proposed Framework to Map Virtual Reality with Ancient Indian Education System to Increase Neuroplasticity for Autistic Spectrum Disorder Children 351Noor-A-Nabi Khan, Naheeda Tharannum B., Khondekar Lutful Hassan and Habiba Hussain 21.1 Introduction to Autism Spectrum Disorder 352 21.2 Studies on Autism Spectrum Disorder 354 21.3 Studies on Virtual Reality 355 21.4 Studies on Ancient Indian Education System 356 21.5 Studies on Neuroplasticity 357 21.6 Brain: Normal and Autistic Children 357 21.7 Research Area Explored and Unexplored 359 21.8 Proposed Problem Statement 359 21.9 Aim and Objectives 360 21.10 Ancient Indian Education System: Holistic Development 360 21.11 Holistic Development: From Autism to Being Normal 361 21.12 Virtual Reality and Autism Spectrum Disorder 362 21.13 Implementation of Virtual Reality: Education 365 21.14 Mapping Virtual Reality and Ancient Indian Education System 366 21.15 How Virtual Reality Helps Autism 366 21.16 Algorithm for Virtual Reality in Autism 367 21.17 Pseudocode for Virtual Reality in Autism 368 21.18 Proposed Neuroplasticity-Enabled VR Ancient Indian Education 369 21.19 Implementation of Neuroplasticity in VR 370 21.20 Computer Programming on VR with Ancient Indian Education 372 21.21 Computer Programming on Neuroplasticity Development 373 21.22 Conclusions 374 21.23 Future Scope 374 22 Virtual Reality in Education: Analyzing the Literature and Bibliometric State of Knowledge 379Manpreet Arora 22.1 Introduction 380 22.2 Research Questions 382 22.3 Methodology 382 22.4 State of Knowledge Published on the Term "Virtual Reality in Education" in SCOPUS Database 382 22.5 Main Research Themes Covered in the Top Articles 397 22.6 What Literature (available in SCOPUS) States about the Concept of VR in Education 399 22.7 Conclusion 399 References 400 Index 403

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Book SynopsisSince the mid-2010s, virtual reality (VR) technology has advanced rapidly. This book explores the many opportunities that VR can offer for humanities and social sciences researchers. It provides a user-friendly, non-technical methods guide to using ready-made VR content and 360 video as well as creating custom materials.Table of ContentsWhat is VR and why use it in research? Working with existing VR material: content analysis Working with existing VR material: activities with participants Working with social VR Creating 360° imagery Creating original VR content Conclusion: next steps in VR research  

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Book SynopsisWhat is the metaverse? Quite simply, it''s a digital platform to help people collaborate, work and play in new ways, in an immersive 3D environment. In Basic Metaverse, leading futurist David L. Shrier explains how the technology works, unpacks its potential uses - including its relationship to the development of Web3 - and its impact on everyday life and work. He explores some of the legal and moral quandaries that could accompany widespread adoption of this transformational technology, from issues of wealth disparity and access to what happens if your virtual avatar commits a crime in the metaverse.The metaverse future is full of possibility. One thing we can be certain of is that it will be stranger than we can imagine. Join Shrier as he journeys across virtual worlds in search of understanding.Trade ReviewA breathtaking dive into the virtual world of the not-so-distant future. Superbly succinct and comprehensive at the same time, in this book you will find everything you always wanted to know about Metaverse but were afraid to ask -- Vuk Jeremic, former President, UN General AssemblyDavid Shrier has created an invaluable primer for anyone interested in our digital future. With a broad range and an incisive approach, he has dissected and demystified the emerging metaverse from a fascinating array of angles. With this book, we now have cohesive view of a phenomenon decades in the making, yet in many ways still inchoate - and with this book, we can better understand the inevitable and vast impact the metaverse will have on us as individuals, communities and societies -- Richard Sarnoff, partner and chairman of media, entertainment and education, KKRDavid is the leading author when it comes to innovation. In this book, he shares real knowledge and scenario analysis about our future with the metaverse, using a simple and clear language. I encourage all business executives and leaders to read his work -- Marco Donzelli, CEO, HLB InternationalFrom the holodeck to a totally immersive internet, David Shrier's book is a useful guide for understanding the massive new market opportunities enabled by the metaverse, leveraging practical examples of global collaboration and training -- Chad Anderson, managing partner, Space CapitalBasic Metaverse is a constellation of ideas for digital wayfinders to explore our new reality. Much like our galaxy, the metaverse is destined to be composed of countless virtual worlds, each fostering within them novel forms of life, each encouraging new worlds to arise from within ourselves -- Pablo Quiroga, co-founder and CRO, ATMTA, Inc. (the creator of Star Atlas)Basic Metaverse is a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the family of technologies and approaches that underpin this dynamically growing area. Shrier's clear writing gets to the point without the hype so often found in frothy media coverage of the space. Executives, investors, journalists and the interested public will benefit from this guided tour of the metaverse -- Jack Buckley, vice president, People Science, Roblox

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Book SynopsisExplores the theological and psychological implications of humanity's fascination with technology. Jaco Hamman examines how our virtual relationships with and through tablets and phones, consoles and screens, have become potentially addictive substitutes for real human relationships.Trade ReviewThis book, written from the heart of the pastoral psychotherapeutic tradition in a fresh, contemporary way, invites an embracing of the importanceof any and all healing work that allows human beings to thrive and to be fully alive. Hamman's book pushes us to accept that this work is probably harder than it has ever been, but also to believe that it is still possible, and may just yet save us. -- C. D. Mayer -- Journal of Religion and HealthGrowing Down is an enriching read, inviting reflection about human nature, growth, interpersonal relating, and Christian spirituality. It avoids superficial judgments and polarities; rather, it invites readers to ponder and grapple with the nature of humanness awash in technology, particularly from a Christian perspective. -- Dan Sartor -- Christian Scholar's ReviewThis volume is a rich meditation on formation, technology, and the embodied connections that human beings need in order to flourish. -- Aaron Klink -- Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Self Intelligence: Toward a Theology of Being an "I Am" 2. Relational Intelligence: Toward a Theology of "Being With" 3. Transitional Intelligence: Toward a Theology of Illusion 4. Reparative Intelligence: Toward a Theology of Care 5. Playground Intelligence: Toward a Theology of Play 6. Technological Intelligence: Toward a Theology of Discovery and Devices Conclusion

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Book SynopsisDiscover the methods and techniques required for creating immersive design visualization for industry. This book proposes ways for industry-oriented design visualization from scratch. This includes fundamentals of creative and immersive technology; tools and techniques for architectural visualization; design visualization with Autodesk Maya; PBR integration; and texturing, material design, and integration into UE4 for immersive design visualization.You'll to dive into design and visualization, from planning to execution. You will start with the basics, such as an introduction to design visualization as well as to the software you will be using. You will next learn to create assets such as virtual worlds and texturing, and integrate them with Unreal Engine 4. Finally, there is a capstone project for you to make your own immersive visualization scene.By the end of the book you'll be able to create assets for use in industries such as game development, entertainment, architecture, design Table of ContentsChapter 1: Design for Creative and Immersive Technology • Scope of this book• Topics covered• Design visualization• Emerging technologies (VR, AR, and MR)Chapter 2: Tools for Architectural Visualization• MAYA for design visualization• Substance for PBR texturing• Design visualization gamification (UE4)Chapter 3: 3D Design with Autodesk Maya• Basics of modelling• Basics of unwrapping• Basics of Substance PainterChapter 4: Interactive Visualization with UE4• Interface of UE4• Exploring toolsChapter 5: Creating Virtual Worlds• Modelling assetsChapter 6: Unwrapping our Assets• Introduction to unwrapping• Unwrapping assetsChapter 7: Lightmap Analysis and Correction• Creating Lightmap UVs• Static vs. dynamic lighting• Lightmap analysis, correction, and padding• Shader analysis and tweakingChapter 8: PBR Integrated Texturing• Importing and baking maps• Texturing various assetsChapter 9: Material Design and Integration• Exporting for UE4• Importing into UE4• Material setupChapter 10: Real-Time/Emissive Materials• Emissive workflow in Substance Painter• Emissive workflow in UE4Chapter 11: Interaction Design in VR Engine• Importing 3D assets• Object properties editorChapter 12: Unreal® Engine 4 for Level design• Creating level• Documenting problems and errorsChapter 13: Design Visualization Capstone Project: Testing and Fixing Errors• Fixing errorsChapter 14: Design Visualization Capstone Project: Aesthetic Development• Completing level design• Lighting our sceneChapter 15: Immersive Design Portfolio• Cleaning up• Testing with VR headsets• Thoughts and suggestions

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Book SynopsisIn this book, Erin Pangilinan, Steve Lukas, and Vasanth Mohan examine the AR and VR development pipeline and provide hands-on practice to help you hone your skills. Through step-by-step tutorials, you'll learn how to build practical applications and experiences grounded in theory and backed by industry use cases.

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Book Synopsis Develop AI-powered apps and games for HoloLens and mixed reality headsets This is a complete guide to programming AI-powered mixed reality apps with the Windows Mixed Reality platform. Step by step, Dawid Borycki guides you through every type of mixed reality development, from simple 2D to cutting-edge apps for Microsoft HoloLens and immersive headsets. First, you’ll learn to write UWP 2D apps that adapt for any Windows 10 device, transfer camera images to machine learning services, and use mobile sensor readings to control headset content. Then, building on these skills, you’ll master every facet of building cross-platform 3D apps that link augmented reality content to real objects. Advanced Microsoft technology expert Dawid Borycki shows how to: Set up a mixed reality development environment with all the tools you’ll need, including HoloLens and Mixed Reality simulators Write Universal Windows 2D apps for all Windows 10 devices, and adjust their views and capabilities to specific hardware Render media streams, acquire video from world-facing cameras, and detect human faces in those images Generate descriptions of what the user sees, and present them via text or speech Build AI-powered voice-controlled apps with Microsoft Cognitive Services (MCS) Master core concepts and techniques for building 3D mixed reality apps with Unity Format 3D objects with materials to create holograms Add interactions to holograms based on user input Integrate HoloLens capabilities, including air gestures, spatial sound, and mapping Table of ContentsPart I: Fundamentals1. Introduction to Windows Mixed Reality 2. Development Tools3. Configuring the Development Environment, Emulators and Hardware Part II. Developing 2D UWP Apps4. UWP Basics5. Media Controls6. Microsoft Cognitive Services7. Communicating with Devices Part III. Developing 3D Apps8. 3D Graphics Fundamentals9. Unity Basics10. Physics and Scripting11. Animations and Navigation12. Understanding HoloLens-Specific Functionalities13. An AI-Powered 3D App14. Attaching Holograms to Real Objects with Vuforia15. UrhoSharp

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Book SynopsisThis book summarises research findings relating to virtual reality implementation for pain assessment and treatment, reviewing the literature in pediatric and adult pain care for acute and chronic conditions across several pain populations. The authors provide detailed information about the effect mechanisms of virtual reality for Parkinson's disease, and the virtual reality interventions for rehabilitation of Parkinson's disease in terms of assessment and treatment. Anxiety disorders, such as specific phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder have garnered the greatest therapeutic attention due to the advantages that applying exposure therapy techniques in a virtual reality environment has over many real-life exposure situations. Later, in order to further improve the intelligence level of a fully mechanized coal mining face and construct a stable and reliable monitoring system of hydraulic support, a monitoring method of hydraulic support in a virtual environment is proposed. In order to further improve the intelligence level of fully mechanized coal mining face and construct a stable and reliable monitoring system of hydraulic support which is of guiding significance to actual production, a monitoring method of hydraulic support in virtual environment is proposed. In the concluding study, using meta-analysis methods and combining the basic elements of teaching system design, a quantitative analysis of 60 quasi-experimental or experimental virtual reality and augmented reality studies is conducted.

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Book SynopsisThe book deals with the challenges that arise when virtual worlds are used for learning and teaching. The ideas and practices emerging from this field are relevant to all educators, and offers insights into the development of a pedagogy that is authentic, inclusive and enjoyable. Each chapter addresses a particular issue and is illustrated with examples drawn from both research and practice. These examples cover a wide range of learning scenarios, both formal and informal, involving teenagers, school pupils, undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as a variety of lifelong learners. The issues include the importance of virtual worlds, the influence of online games and physical-world economics and politics, the relationship between avatars and learner identity, the challenges of ensuring child safety and protection, interaction between real-world and in-world environments and activities, accessibility and the development of new pedagogues. The authors are all teachers and learners in virtual worlds; many have been responsible for designing, programming and maintaining virtual environments.

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Book SynopsisPlay is human nature, which we remember and return to because of the excitement involved. Hence, play is in most cultures used in learning common rules and in achieving social harmony among children as well as adults. Additionally, practical subjects such as science include playful interaction with objects. This book outlines theoretical frameworks that apply in playing to learn and characteristics of games that are important in encouraging learning. Regrettably however, abstract and boring systems, as well as watching television, replace such enjoyment in learning. Fortunately, robust virtual environments and realities ease the rigour in designing and in executing educational play. It has to be noted that virtual environments are now designed for television sets, mobile telephones and computers. Therefore, the book ''Information and Communications Technology'' (ICT) includes all of such technologies, although the cases reported here are specifically computer games.

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Book SynopsisIt’s been over ten years since Minecraft first launched, forever altering the video game landscape. With a community of more than 90 million monthly users, plus plenty of exciting updates, the game continues to evolve and is now more popular than ever! Master Builder Respawned is the complete, unauthorized guide to your favorite sandbox game. With this fully up-to-date collection of tips and tricks, everything you see in the world of Minecraft can be manipulated and changed to match your imagination! Topics covered include mods, mini-games, and expert advice for seriously impressive builds. Additional chapters take a look at the brand new mobile game Minecraft Earth and provide information about the highly-anticipated Minecraft Dungeons game. Whether you’re just now joining the community or you’re a Diamond armor-wearing expert, there’s always something new to learn. So grab your Pickaxe, pick up this book, and let’s get building!

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Book SynopsisNamed a Best Book of the Year by the Economist, Wall Street Journal & Vox‘The father of virtual reality’ (Sunday Times) explains why virtual reality presents the ultimate test for humanity.‘Essential reading, not just for VR-watchers but for anyone interested in how society came to be how it is, and what it might yet become’ EconomistWelcome to a mind-expanding, life-enhancing, world-changing adventure.Virtual reality has long been one of the dominant clichés of science fiction. Now virtual reality is a reality: from the startling beauty of lifelike video games to the place where war veterans overcome PTSD, surgeries are trialled, and aircraft and cities are designed. VR is, in fact now, the most effective device ever invented for researching what a human being actually is – and how we think and feel. More than thirty years ago, legendary computer scientist, visionary and artist Jaron Lanier pioneered its invention. Here he blends scientific investigation, philosophical thought experiment and his memoir of a life lived at the centre of digital innovation to explain what VR really is: the science of comprehensive illusion; the extension of the intimate magic of earliest childhood into adulthood; a hint of what life would be like without any limits. We are standing on the threshold of an entirely new realm of human creativity, expression, communication and experience, and as we use VR to test our relationship with reality, it may test us in return.‘Vivid and absolutely extraordinary’ Evening StandardTrade ReviewA terrific book by a supremely intelligent guy ... vivid and absolutely extraordinary * Evening Standard *Essential reading, not just for VR-watchers but for anyone interested in how society came to be how it is, and what it might yet become * Economist *A studied and nuanced interrogation of VR’s potential, as well as a gentle critique of what he sees as a failure of imagination when it comes to the medium’s current proponents ... interspersing the general ideas, principles and promise of VR with intimate autobiography ... aided by the fact that Lanier's childhood was preposterously unusual … combin[ing] tragedy, whimsy and peril in ways that might seem far-fetched for even a David Lynch film * Observer *Lanier is a visionary who sees a world suffused with the possibility of good ... As with William Blake, you might first be repelled by the strangeness of it all, the sense of teetering on the edge of madness, but, on looking closer, you realise you are in the presence of a gifted truth-teller -- Brian Appleyard * Sunday Times *Fascinating as life itself … a modern history of the industry that changed the world -- Hugo Rifkind * The Times *

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Book SynopsisVirtual and Augmented Reality have existed for a long time but were stuck to the research world or to some large manufacturing companies. With the appearance of low-cost devices, it is expected a number of new applications, including for the general audience. This book aims at making a statement about those novelties as well as distinguishing them from the complexes challenges they raise by proposing real use cases, replacing those recent evolutions through the VR/AR dynamic and by providing some perspective for the years to come.Table of ContentsPreface xi Introduction xvBruno ARNALDI, Pascal GUITTON and Guillaume MOREAU Chapter 1. New Applications 1Bruno ARNALDI, Stéphane COTIN, Nadine COUTURE, Jean-Louis DAUTIN, Valérie GOURANTON, François GRUSON and Domitile LOURDEAUX 1.1. New industrial applications 1 1.1.1. Virtual reality in industry 1 1.1.2. Augmented reality and industrial applications 3 1.1.3. VR-AR for industrial renewal 4 1.1.4. And what about augmented reality? 12 1.2. Computer-assisted surgery 14 1.2.1. Introduction 14 1.2.2. Virtual reality and simulation for learning 16 1.2.3. Augmented reality and intervention planning 21 1.2.4. Augmented reality in surgery 26 1.2.5. Current conditions and future prospects 31 1.3. Sustainable cities 32 1.3.1. Mobility aids in an urban environment 33 1.3.2. Building and architecture 37 1.3.3. Cities and urbanism 41 1.3.4. Towards sustainable urban systems 46 1.4. Innovative, integrative and adaptive societies 48 1.4.1. Education 48 1.4.2. Arts and cultural heritage 54 1.4.3. Conclusion 60 1.5. Bibliography 61 Chapter 2. The Democratization of VR-AR 73Sébastien KUNTZ, Richard KULPA and Jérôme ROYAN 2.1. New equipment 73 2.1.1. Introduction 73 2.1.2. Positioning and orientation devices 74 2.1.3. Restitution devices 82 2.1.4. Technological challenges and perspectives 100 2.1.5. Conclusions on new equipment 109 2.2. New software 111 2.2.1. Introduction 111 2.2.2. Developing 3D applications 113 2.2.3. Managing peripheral devices 116 2.2.4. Dedicated VR-AR software solutions 119 2.2.5. Conclusion 120 2.3. Bibliography 121 Chapter 3. Complexity and Scientific Challenges 123Ferran ARGELAGUET SANZ, Bruno ARNALDI, Jean-Marie BURKHARDT, Géry CASIEZ, Stéphane DONIKIAN, Florian GOSSELIN, Xavier GRANIER, Patrick LE CALLET, Vincent LEPETIT, Maud MARCHAL, Guillaume MOREAU, Jérôme PERRET and Toinon VIGIER 3.1. Introduction: complexity 123 3.1.1. Physical model and detecting collisions 124 3.1.2. Populating 3D environments: single virtual human to a surging crowd 130 3.1.3. The difficulty of making 3D interaction natural 137 3.1.4. The difficulty of synthesizing haptic feedback 141 3.2. The real–virtual relationship in augmented reality 150 3.2.1. Acquisition and restitution equipment 151 3.2.2. Pose computation 152 3.2.3. Realistic rendering 156 3.3. Complexity and scientific challenges of 3D interaction 158 3.3.1. Introduction 158 3.3.2. Complexity and challenges surrounding the 3D interaction loop 158 3.3.3. Challenge 1: sensory-motor actions for interaction 159 3.3.4. Challenge 2: multisensory feedback 163 3.3.5. Challenge 3: users and perception 166 3.3.6. Conclusion 167 3.4. Visual perception 168 3.4.1. A glossary of terms related to unease, fatigue and physical discomfort 168 3.4.2. Display factors 173 3.4.3. Conclusion 179 3.5. Evaluation 179 3.5.1. Objectives and scope of this section 179 3.5.2. Evaluation: a complex problem 180 3.5.3. Evaluation using studies with human subjects 184 3.5.4. Drawbacks to overcome 193 3.5.5. Evolutions in measuring performance and behavior, characterizing participants 195 3.5.6. Conclusion and perspectives 200 3.6. Bibliography 201 Chapter 4. Towards VE that are More Closely Related to the Real World 217Géry CASIEZ, Xavier GRANIER, Martin HACHET, Vincent LEPETIT, Guillaume MOREAU and Olivier NANNIPIERI 4.1. “Tough” scientific challenges for AR 218 4.1.1. Choosing a display device . 218 4.1.2. Spatial localization 221 4.2. Topics in AR that are rarely or never approached 223 4.2.1. Introduction 223 4.2.2. Hybridization through a screen or HMD 224 4.3. Spatial augmented reality 227 4.3.1. Hybridization of the real world and the virtual world 227 4.3.2. Current evolutions 228 4.4. Presence in augmented reality . 229 4.4.1. Is presence in reality the model for presence in virtual environments? 229 4.4.2. Mixed reality: an end to the real versus virtual binary? 231 4.4.3. From mixed reality to mixed presence 231 4.4.4. Augmented reality: a total environment 232 4.5. 3D interaction on tactile surfaces 233 4.5.1. 3D interaction 234 4.5.2. 3D interaction on tactile surfaces 236 4.6. Bibliography 240 Chapter 5. Scientific and Technical Prospects 247Caroline BAILLARD, Philippe GUILLOTEL, Anatole LÉCUYER, Fabien LOTTE, Nicolas MOLLET, Jean-Marie NORMAND and Gaël SEYDOUX 5.1. The promised revolution in the field of entertainment 247 5.1.1. Introduction 247 5.1.2. Defining a new, polymorphic immersive medium 248 5.1.3. Promised experiences 251 5.1.4. Prospects 255 5.2. Brain-computer interfaces 258 5.2.1. Brain-computer interfaces: introduction and definitions 258 5.2.2. What BCIs cannot do 260 5.2.3. Working principle of BCIs . 261 5.2.4. Current applications of BCIs 263 5.2.5. The future of BCIs 268 5.3. Alternative perceptions in virtual reality 269 5.3.1. Introduction 269 5.3.2. Pseudo-sensory feedback 271 5.3.3. Alternative perception of movement 275 5.3.4. Altered perception of one’s body 278 5.3.5. Conclusion 283 5.4. Bibliography 284 Chapter 6. The Challenges and Risks of Democratization of VR-AR 289Philippe FUCHS 6.1. Introduction 289 6.2. Health and comfort problems 292 6.2.1. The different problems 292 6.2.2. Sensorimotor incoherences . 293 6.3. Solutions to avoid discomfort and unease 297 6.3.1. Presentation of the process . 297 6.3.2. Mitigation of the impact on visuo-vestibular incoherence 297 6.3.3. Removing visuo-vestibular incoherence by modifying the functioning of the interaction paradigm 298 6.3.4. Removing visuo-vestibular incoherence by modifying interfaces 299 6.3.5. Levels of difficulty in adapting 299 6.4. Conclusion 300 6.5. Bibliography 301 Conclusion 303Bruno ARNALDI, Pascal GUITTON and Guillaume MOREAU Postface 309Bruno ARNALDI, Pascal GUITTON and Guillaume MOREAU Glossary 315 List of Authors 317 Index 321

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Book SynopsisThe book addresses themes such as visual perception, perception of 3-D and stereo. With the event of the stereoscope and the theatre, dioramas and panoramas before it, vision and perception in the eighteenth and nineteenth century is seen to be marketed to a mass audience. As such the spectacle of the stereoscope and other optical devices can be seen as a precursor to mass media dissemination today. Yet artists use the stereoscope and VR to signify the spectacle, clairvoyance, vision and the mechanism of vision as well as a symbol for the act of looking, being looked at while looking and the gaze within an art new media practice. Other artists have used 3-D and virtual reality to address themes such as theories of consciousness or embodied consciousness, the human – machine relationship and the idea of mapping reality, alternative networked realities. The book includes an introduction and summary of chapters, 86 anaglyphic 3-D images and presents a survey of artists working in 3-D and virtual reality, VR art. The convergence of other fields such as new media art, video art and early virtual reality art is described through many examples within the scope of the book. Artists discussed include Mert Akbal, Zoe Beloff , Geoffrey Berliner, Lygia Clark, Dan Graham, Salvador Dali, Marcel Duchamp, Scott S. Fisher, Rebecca Hackemann, Perry Hoberman, Daniel Iglesia, Ken Jacobs, William Kentridge, Susan MacWilliam, Patrick Meagher, Rosa Menkman, Jim Naughten, Tony Ousler, Alfons Schilling, Joel Schlemowitz, Christopher Schneberger, Judith Sönniken, Ethan Turpin, Aga Ousseinov, Colleen Woolpert. 3-D glasses included with hardback book. Trade ReviewRebecca Hackemann's new book is a superb and indispensable account of the creative and critical exploration of stereoscopy, 3-D and VR by a wide range of artists since the early twentieth century. Especially now, at a moment when powerful technology corporations are massively commodifying and routinizing VR and 3-D products, Hackemann's study provides a crucial resource for sustaining oppositional and counter-practices of visuality and perceptual experience. -- Jonathan K. Crary, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Modern Art and Theory, Columbia UniversityTable of ContentsList of Artists List of Plates Introduction 1. The Double-Lensed Camera Eye: Attention and the Nature of Stereoscopy 2. The Artists and Their Ideas 3. Image Worlds: From Diorama to Virtual Reality Art Conclusion Contributor Biographies Appendix: A Brief Obligatory Note on 3-D Technique Notes Bibliography Index 3-D Plates

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Book SynopsisThe book addresses themes such as visual perception, perception of 3-D and stereo. With the event of the stereoscope and the theatre, dioramas and panoramas before it, vision and perception in the eighteenth and nineteenth century is seen to be marketed to a mass audience. As such the spectacle of the stereoscope and other optical devices can be seen as a precursor to mass media dissemination today. Yet artists use the stereoscope and VR to signify the spectacle, clairvoyance, vision and the mechanism of vision as well as a symbol for the act of looking, being looked at while looking and the gaze within an art new media practice. Other artists have used 3-D and virtual reality to address themes such as theories of consciousness or embodied consciousness, the human – machine relationship and the idea of mapping reality, alternative networked realities. The book includes an introduction and summary of chapters, 86 anaglyphic 3-D images and presents a survey of artists working in 3-D and virtual reality, VR art. The convergence of other fields such as new media art, video art and early virtual reality art is described through many examples within the scope of the book. Artists discussed include Mert Akbal, Zoe Beloff , Geoffrey Berliner, Lygia Clark, Dan Graham, Salvador Dali, Marcel Duchamp, Scott S. Fisher, Rebecca Hackemann, Perry Hoberman, Daniel Iglesia, Ken Jacobs, William Kentridge, Susan MacWilliam, Patrick Meagher, Rosa Menkman, Jim Naughten, Tony Ousler, Alfons Schilling, Joel Schlemowitz, Christopher Schneberger, Judith Sönniken, Ethan Turpin, Aga Ousseinov, Colleen Woolpert. 3-D glasses included with hardback book. Trade ReviewRebecca Hackemann's new book is a superb and indispensable account of the creative and critical exploration of stereoscopy, 3-D and VR by a wide range of artists since the early twentieth century. Especially now, at a moment when powerful technology corporations are massively commodifying and routinizing VR and 3-D products, Hackemann's study provides a crucial resource for sustaining oppositional and counter-practices of visuality and perceptual experience. -- Jonathan K. Crary, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Modern Art and Theory, Columbia UniversityTable of ContentsList of Artists List of Plates Introduction 1. The Double-Lensed Camera Eye: Attention and the Nature of Stereoscopy 2. The Artists and Their Ideas 3. Image Worlds: From Diorama to Virtual Reality Art Conclusion Contributor Biographies Appendix: A Brief Obligatory Note on 3-D Technique Notes Bibliography Index 3-D Plates

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Book SynopsisThe long-standing cultural imperative of augmenting human intellect continues to move ever closer to its full manifestation, described by Marshall McLuhan as an extension of the human nervous system. The escalating blending of immersive technologies with advanced computation has created an emerging domain which increasingly allows socio-technical system makers to produce not only human-computer interactions, but advanced, multi-minded human+computer (H+C) systems. The critical shift toward user immersion within systems of digital information and simulation makes the scale of immersive media's potential impact on human life, culture and well-being unlike that of any previous medium. In Designing XR, Peter (Zak) Zakrzewski presents H+C immersion as a multi-dimensional design problem - a Research Through Design (RTD) zone which addresses the question of: How can transformative design-thinking-based knowledge system complement the existing human-computer interaction (HCI) invention model to contribute to the creation of more participatory, socially viable, and humane immersive media environments? The book lays out a proposal for ushering the creation of ecologically sound augmented mind based on two essential tasks. The first involves a framework for the design, implementation, and iteration of purposeful, multi-minded, participatory immersive H+C systems. The second focuses on the extended reality experience (XRX) design practice that rhetorically invites users to actively engage with immersive systems while fully exercising their autonomy and agency based on informed choice.Table of ContentsChapter 1. What is Mind? Chapter 2. Probing the Frame: Immersion is not Interaction Chapter 3. Designing the Artificial: Balancing the Ego-Logical and Ecological Thinking Chapter 4. The Ecology of the Augmented Mind: Designing Immersive Human+Computer Systems Chapter 5. Extended Reality Experience (XRX) Design: The Multimodal Rhetorical Framework for Creating Persuasive Immersion

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