Bob Cooney is embarking on a thrilling new season of his acclaimed Deep Dive webinars, promising an engaging series of live interviews that illuminate the forefront of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality. This season, Cooney pledges to return to his roots, engaging weekly with the pioneers and visionaries who are shaping the future of immersive technologies. From the deck of the Celebrity Constellation, sailing across the Mediterranean and powered by Starlink satellite internet, Cooney's unique broadcast location underscores the global and boundary-pushing spirit of the series.
This season's opener sets a high bar, featuring Lisa Messeri, an anthropologist of science and technology and author of the newly released book In the Land of the Unreal. Messeri's work delves into the sociotechnical landscape of virtual reality (VR), exploring its implications on society, governance, and everyday life. Her anthropological lens reveals the paradoxes of VR as both a potential utopia and dystopia maker, a topic ripe for deep dive discussions.
Messeri's research in the VR community of Los Angeles during the mid-2010s is particularly illuminating. She chronicles a group of media artists, storytellers, and tech innovators who viewed VR as an "empathy machine" capable of addressing societal issues. Through ethnographic exploration, Messeri examines how VR, championed by women and marginalized voices, was positioned as a tool for societal improvement against the backdrop of significant social and political upheaval.
The upcoming Deep Dive session with Lisa Messeri, set to air live this Wednesday, promises to be a compelling exploration of VR's dual nature and its potential to drive social change. Viewers can expect an in-depth conversation on the promises and pitfalls of virtual reality and the metaverse, topics that are more relevant than ever in today's digital age.
The webinar will be streamed live across multiple platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Twitch, allowing viewers from around the world to participate and engage with Cooney and his guest. For those eager to be part of this fascinating discussion, reminders can be set up through the registration page or by following the provided social media links.
Bob Cooney's Deep Dive webinars continue to be a must-watch for anyone interested in the cutting-edge developments of VR and immersive technologies. This season, through insightful interviews and discussions, Cooney aims to uncover the transformative potential of these tools and the challenges they pose, inviting viewers to think critically about the role of technology in shaping our future.
