Digitising heritage: Tuvalu preserves history online as rising seas threaten existence
Tuvalu is among nations digitising heritage in the face of climate impacts, but there are concerns around cost, access and control. RINA CHANDRAN and MD TAHMID ZAMI, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports…
Virtual reality games offer visceral taste of a climate-changed future
London, UK Thomson Reuters Foundation It’s 2040 in Miami, and a powerful hurricane has swamped the low-lying city. You stand alone under a dark, foreboding sky, chest-high waves sloshing around you, an abandoned car floating nearby one of the few objects visible in the expanse of water. A ball-shaped robot then hovers into view, urging […]
Essay: Five ways the metaverse could be revolutionary for people with disabilities
In an article first published on The Conversation, researchers VANJA GARAJ, JOHN DUDLEY and PER OLA KRISTENSSON, look at the potential of the metaverse to introduce life-changing benefits for disabled and older people, as well as developing solutions to improve its accessibility and inclusivity…
Exploring sacred sites: How virtual reality technology is opening up access from the comfort of home
LUIS ANDRES HENAO, of Associated Press, reports on how virtual reality technology is providing new access to sacred sites around the world…
Helpdesk: What is the metaverse, and what can we do there?
ADRIAN MA, assistant professor of journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University, explains – in an article first published on The Conversation, the metaverse basics…
Seoul, Barbados check into metaverse as governments eye virtual presence
Thomson Reuters Foundation The metaverse will soon be a place to not just buy virtual goods and meet avatars, but to also get essential public services, as governments prepare to enter the rapidly expanding digital world despite concerns about privacy and other rights. The city of Seoul and the island nation of Barbados earlier this month […]
The Long Read: Virtual reality and livestreams – Why online church will continue post-pandemic
Zoom is just the beginning. JILLIAN CHENEY, in an article first published on Religion Unplugged, reports on how some US churches have embraced the use of virtual reality technology…
VR inspires guide to city design through eyes of a child
Johannesberg, South Africa Thomson Reuters Foundation Inspired by a virtual reality tool that allows users to experience cities from the height of a three-year-old, a new set of guidelines aims to show how urban design can improve the health and security of vulnerable children. Bringing together practical tools and examples for urban planners and governments, […]
Essay: 2021’s tech innovation boom
Writing from London, MAL FLETCHER looks at what technologies may garner attention in the coming year…
Virtual reality helps scare residents to flee looming storms, research says
New York City, US Thomson Reuters Foundation Virtual reality simulations work better than traditional alerts in motivating people to evacuate ahead of hurricanes, researchers said last week, part of efforts to improve alert methods as the risk of extreme weather increases. Typically utilising headsets for viewers to look into, dramatic simulations can create a heightened […]