US Army to Use Second Life to Aid Amputee Veterans

The US Army is making plans to purchase space in Second Life for the purpose of helping veteran amputees back into society. Named the Amputee Virtual Environment Support Space project, the virtual space is to be used by the wounded soldiers after they leave treatment centers.

“The avatar will be able to interact with other registered avatar beings – fellow amputees, caregivers, even friends and loved ones – in a virtual world that's unencumbered by the restrictions of time, distance or disability.” One program manager noted amputee soldiers once out of treatment faculties found themselves alone. The virtual world would help provide them with a group of peers for support.

“As AVESS develops, users also may be able to check in with their professional caregivers, asking questions, getting information updates, and even seeing online demonstrations of the best way to do a physical therapy exercise or adjust a prosthetic device.”

The contract was awarded in fall 2009 to ADL Co, "We tasked them with coming up with a roadmap, letting us know what was possible in developing a virtual world for amputee veterans, and letting us know what issues there are in terms of privacy, access, authenticating who was coming into the environment, all those types of issues," program manager Ashley Fisher explained.

The first phase involved a normal Second Life region, to see what they could do there. Their experiences also led to the conclusion they needed a secure area from unauthorized avatars, especially griefers whom would harass the wounded veterans.

"We wanted to avoid that, because we really did want the veterans to be able to go in and express the issues they are having with the people they know are going through the same thing," Fisher detailed, "And also, we needed it to be secure, because we want to try to bring families, and possibly even children, into the world, and we can't really do that on the regular Second Life platform." The area is being set up in a private, and secure, space in Second Life Enterprise , a region for private spaces marketed to corporations.

Fisher made comparisons to the movie “Avatar,” in which a former marine who lost his legs is able to go about in a new body through the use of a machine. She explained she saw “tremendous therapeutic value” in the amputees’ ability to “define their avatars as they choose, and to immerse themselves in those characteristics as they interact with other avatars.”

Fisher expected some to depict their amputations on their avatars with prosthetic limbs, though a number would do so only as they became more at ease with the virtual environment and the others in it. The “transformation” where they would come to “accept themselves and their new appearance” was hard enough when surrounded by their peers in a hospital, but harder when trying to fit back into society.

"For individuals with disabilities, virtual worlds are a powerful way to connect with others, to access peer support and to participate in activities that might not otherwise be possible," Fisher explained. "This project will establish the best way to adopt this technology for the unique needs of the military amputee community."

Source: The Official Website of the National Guard

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day

The “Crazy Tinies” - Loco Poco Avatars

The subject for this week's avatar article is a new brand of tiny av: Loco Pocos. Created by Damien Fate, these tinies were first available earlier this summer. Considering the uber-cutness of the avatar and the variety of facial expressions and emotes, the Loco Poco can only be called first-class, possibly *the* best tiny avatar in Second Life.

Tiny avatars I’ve seen are designed for a cute-factor in mind. Loco Pocos excel at it. The avatars are also designed to be easily customizable, the avatar able to change it’s coat and eye color, as well as able to wear wings and other attachments.

But what sets them apart from others is the ease of use of their animations, coming right with the avatar. The HUD unit allows the player to express a number of facial expressions and full body emotes. The facial features are not static, but change to reflect emotions. Plus they often make sound when emoting. With a press of the button, the avatar can look angry and “grrr,” to laying on the floor and snoring, to crying a shower of tears, to throwing a kiss with a “mwaah,” to a hearty belly laugh, and more.

The name Loco Poco translates to “crazy tiny” in Spanish, appropriately enough. The instructions are also in several languages. It’s also noteworthy that Torley Linden was among the beta testers of these tinies. The store is just in front of the main porting entrance. Avatars are sold in the center, accessories on the edge to the right of the door when entering. Their avatars cost 350L each, most of the accessories 100L. They also advertise an Avatar Rendering Cost (how much computer power it takes to make your avie appear) of 640.

After some thought, I decided to try out the Loco Poco fox. Showing it around to my freinds, they were amused by the versatile tiny, going “Awww” at the sight of it’s emotes. One told me he was thinking of getting one.

Besides Loco Pocos Island, you can also get the avatars at SLExchange.

Loco Poco also has an adventure-filled island, made with these avatars in mind. One that can provide hours of fun. Look for a detailed article of the island in the near future.

A charming little avatar.

Bixyl Shuftan

Dana Vanmoer: September 8, 2008 at 3:30 PM

such a cute avatar even when crying

Michi Lumin: New Luskwood Avatars In Development

Dropping by Luskwood the other day, I found a couple of changes to the place. One was that the rest poseball rug at one side of the platform had been replaced by a few beanbags and a couple couches. Next to them was a vertical chess game. On another side, a small bar had been set up, with two inside acting as bartenders.

After a while, Michi Lumin, one of the four Luskwood founders, showed up. She was not in her Lusk purple dragon avatar, but a skunkgirl avie in a top hat and a dark tomboyish outfit, "... not sure if I want to show anyone ... but, I also want to let people know that 'we're not dead, only resting.' " Michi then rezzed a picture of two avatar heads: hyenas.

Although Luskwood has made some avatars this year, they have been all of the "Bunkies" line. The older "Luskwood Creatures" company's last products were the fruit and vampire bats. Michi commented the "peanut gallery" was saying Luskwood had stopped making avatars, "we're not intending to comply with it. ... This av, the hyena, is also not the only one we're working on."

Of claims by some that the crowd at Lusk could be a little dead, Michi answered there were some upcoming changes that should help the social scene at the Luskwood tree.

Bixyl Shuftan

A Couple Humorous Stories

 
Second Life has been full of funny moments. Here's a couple that stick out.

The first relates to my avie. I had started out with the ringtail foxfolk, partly to stand out, and partly as a reflection of my love of science-fiction. A friend gave me some cash to upgrade, but I postponed it for a while, giving some thought on what to upgrade to.

While in a store looking over options, I got the attention of a couple others, "I don't see too many still in their original skin," spoke one. I explained I was thinking over my options. "Well, I'd make a decision soon. The way you are now, people are going to think you're new. With a new avatar, it's going to change how people look at you."

A friend of mine had recently joined Second Life, so the next day I made my decision. I decided to stay a foxfolk, but with my family part redneck, and one of the online sci-fi comics I read it's red foxfolk were traditionally laborers, I got a Luskwood Red Fox avatar.

So did the way people saw me change? Well, the next day while exploring around, a woman walked up to me, and propositioned me! She was a cyberhooker looking for a few bucks.

I've never "paid for it" in real life, sour love life or no, so I politely declined. I guess since I was out of my "baby coat," she assumed I had cash.

A couple coworkers of mine had plenty of tattoos, piercings, odd hair, filed teeth, etc., and managed to find women to marry them. So perhaps it's not hard to imagine that some girls would go for a "foxy guy." ;-)
 
*****

 

My second story had something of a somber beginning. It was Tuesday, September 11, the sixth year anniversary of that dreadful day. In SL, I stopped by a memorial to pay my respects. I was going to teleport out for the evening, but recalled a recreation of the Twin Towers next to the "New York City Block" area. So I teleported there to see if there was any memorial there, and landed in the middle of a conversation between two ladies, "Hey, there's a fox on your head." ;-)
 
I greeted them, and they welcomed me into the conversation. It turned out they were both New Yorkers, from Brooklin, and they were in on the design of the place, basing it on their home turf. We discussed 9-11, the ceremonies that day, and a third lady soon joined in.

In the middle of the talk, a guy ported in, and walked up to a couple of the girls. It took a few moments for him to rez, so we thought nothing of it at first. Then below his belt, a certain obviously male extremity appeared.

I wasn't sure what was going on. Was this guy last at a nude beach or somewhere and he forgot? So I typed the first think that came to mind:

"Excuse me, your fly is down."

And the girls burst out laughing. I wasn't sure how the guy would react. He reacted by porting away almost immediately. One girl spoke, "What happened? I didn't see (him fully rez)." We explained to her, and concluded it was some creep who was trying to get his jollies by shocking the girls. But instead got humiliated by my one-liner.

One of the girls and I exchanged friendships, and we've continued to keep in touch.

Guess my cheesy puns are good for something after all.

Bixyl

* * * * *

Addition: This was my very first article about Second Life, sent as a Reader Submission to Second Life Newspaper in October 2007. The picture is from September 17, 2007, possibly from New York City Block. The stories are a rather amusing incident just after I got my red Luskwood Fox avatar, and another when I dropped in on the New York area.

The first story I continued to look back with chuckles. As it turns out, lots of girls in human avs don't mind a little hair on the chest when it comes to dating. Of the second, It was the owner of New York City Block Cheri Bing I became friends with. And we kept in touch for years until real life would force her off Second Life. As for me, this would be the first of many, many articles I would be writing about Second Life.