This article is adapted from my research recently published in Postcolonial Theory and Crisis, titled “Post-Humanitarianism and the Crisis of Empathy.” For a more detailed account of my research, see here. This article is also in conversation with two previous pieces published in CAVRN: Exploring āproper distanceā in virtual reality for humanitarian practice and Virtual…
While the Syrian refugee crisis has elicited varying responses from different nations, the American perspective remains critically understudied, even in the light of evidence suggesting that the U.S. public opinion toward refugees is less favorable than in other countries (Carlier, 2016). Studies have pointed out that quality information sharing in the context of a refugee…
Emerging technologies are increasingly being incorporated into humanitarian practice by non-governmental organizations, governments, and leading institutions. Such new technologies include digital mapping systems, GPS technologies, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), satellite imagery, and virtual reality deployed in the service of humanitarian rescue and aid efforts. Among all of these, virtual reality (VR) seems to occupy a…
This article is derived from our research recently published in Computers and Human Behavior. For a more detailed account of our research, you can find our full article here. Awe, emotion, and virtual reality Growing empirical evidence has implicitly shown that virtual reality (VR) is an effective means to provide various virtual environments that depict…
Play has always been at the centre of the metaverse. Gaming technology has a clear place in the history of virtual reality and worlds. From Oculus Riftās role in reinvigorating interest in virtual reality (Evans, 2018), to persistent virtual worlds like Second Life shaping our perception of virtual worlds (Boellstorff, 2015), games and gaming technology…
The performer Sarah Nicolls sits poised at a piano at a darkened concert hall in London. This is no ordinary recitalāstrapped around her arms are Myo Armbands that track her arm movements, allowing her to generate curious and unnerving sounds through gesture as she plays Atau Tanakaās (2019) biometric piano piece Suspensions. In Madrid, Marco…
The governance of the āmetaverseā, underpinned by extended reality (XR) technology, has garnered increasing attention from policymakers, industry, and regulators. Despite highly productive critiques of industrial governance practices and initiatives – such as those focused on responsible innovation and diversity, equity, and inclusion within XR – there has been limited comprehensive examination of XR governance…
Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Extended Reality (XR) are mediating technologies uniquely positioned to explore and experience death and where death might be rehearsed. Like an illusionistās suitcase of magic tricks, what you see may not be real, but imagination of the intangibility of death is possible with āartificialā design propositions through technological…
What is Apple’s spatial computing getting us into? Appleās first mixed reality headset combines and relates digital visual and auditory information with your surroundings launched this week. Despite despite critics questioning its actual use cases, desire for the device has seemingly blown through pre-order availability with deliveries now tracking more than a month out from…
According to Evans (2019), the re-emergence of virtual reality (VR) began in 2015. A few years earlier, in 2012, multiple large technology companies (such as Google, Samsung and Sony) announced new extended reality (XR) products that would be released in subsequent months/years. In particular, 2016 was a key year for the industry as multiple dedicated…