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A video of a chimpanzee ‘playing in virtual reality’ has garnered mixed reactions across the internet as viewers remain torn on whether it is harmless fun, or if it edges on animal cruelty.

In the video, the chimpanzee named Sugriva can be seen wearing an HTC Vive headset and swatting at the air as he follows objects on the screen – an experience many humans can relate to.

But, VR is known to cause a slew of side effects, from dizziness to disorientation, and experts argue that the chimp doesn’t understand what’s happening, and may keep the headset on even if he is uncomfortable as result of his training in captivity.

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BOSTON (CBS) – It’s expected to be the hot holiday gift of the season: virtual reality headsets. We know it’s a cool new experience but there’s still a lot we don’t know about the technology, especially when it comes to kids.

The headset completely immerses users in a new 3D virtual world. “I felt like I was actually there.” said one first-time user. “There’s no age limit to this,” said another virtual reality fan.

But there actually is an age limit. Many of the top selling brands warn against kids using the device. Oculus Rift and Samsung VR Gear say it’s not for kids under 13. Sony PlayStation is recommended for kids 12 and up. And the HTC Vive is less specific, just saying it’s not for young children.

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In Brief:

  • Computing pioneer, Vinod Khosla, envisions a future where Artificial Intelligence will take over 80 percent of IT jobs.
  • IT guys are not the only white collar professionals who Khosla sees as replaceable by VR they also join doctors, lawyers, and accountants on the growing list.

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Once synbio computing is fully matured then our tech dev work maybe done.


By Frances Van Scoy, West Virginia University.

The first computers cost millions of dollars and were locked inside rooms equipped with special electrical circuits and air conditioning. The only people who could use them had been trained to write programs in that specific computer’s language. Today, gesture-based interactions, using multitouch pads and touchscreens, and exploration of virtual 3D spaces allow us to interact with digital devices in ways very similar to how we interact with physical objects.

This newly immersive world not only is open to more people to experience; it also allows almost anyone to exercise their own creativity and innovative tendencies. No longer are these capabilities dependent on being a math whiz or a coding expert: Mozilla’s “A-Frame” is making the task of building complex virtual reality models much easier for programmers. And Google’s “Tilt Brush” software allows people to build and edit 3D worlds without any programming skills at all.

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“According to the US Department of Veteran’s Affairs about 11 out of every 100 veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom have PTSD in a given year as well as about 12 out of every 100 veterans who served in Desert Storm.”

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What I don’t understand is why haven’t we seen and experienced much media news, radio, etc. enhanced and even in some cases new desk people, etc. replaced by AI technology especially with how we can emulate a person in AI tech not to mention AR/ VR technology. Could we see a Bill O’Riely, or Megan Kelly, or MSNBC, etc. replaced by AI in the coming 3 to 5 years? Most definitely radio should consider.


If you’re reading about the US election, some of that news is likely to come to you from a “bot.”

Automated systems known as “bots” or “robo-journalism” have been around for years, but they are playing a bigger role in coverage this year amid technology advances and stretched media resources.

The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Yahoo News and the non-profit Pro Publica are among using automated technology or messaging bots for coverage in the runup to Tuesday’s vote or on election night.

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