Virtual reality has generated countless headlines and news stories over the past two or three years. In fact, if you rewind back past all of the speculation and excitement that preceded the public unveiling of devices like the Oculus Rift, VR has been making headlines for longer than that. Even so however, the overarching focus tends to be relatively narrow. … Read More
Can VR induce empathy? Behind our work with the Tow Center at Columbia Journalism School
Can new technologies like virtual and augmented reality and 360 video induce empathy in users? That is what Empathetic Media founder Dan Archer is studying in collaboration with Columbia University’s Tow Center for Digital Journalism. A first of its kind project, this research will result in an analysis of empathy and whether users can more closely relate to characters and situations in a VR … Read More
Welcoming our second student producer team
This semester we welcome a new crop of students to the Empathetic Media production team: Samantha Rohn, George DuMontier, Dresa Cockrell, and Taylor Kasper. Brittany will be staying on as an assistant producer from last semester.
Mapping hysteria: the Ebola pan(dem)ic
Although a few cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the United States, a more aggressive pandemic is taking root: hypochondria. News stories are being published from all over the United States about people who either think they have the disease, or think someone else does, and then spring into action. The media then entered a frenzy of coverage, not … Read More