The reach of UD stretches far and wide, and thanks to initiatives like the partnership with Beijing Normal University and the Study Abroad Program, its academic contributions go far beyond the Mid-Atlantic region. UD is now colonizing two virtual islands; and if the boom of construction continues, the offshore outposts might soon become another campus.

One of the first members of the building team assembled in July 2007 for the purpose of sounding out interest on campus for the educational possibilities offered by virtual world technology, Jeffers, in her enthusiasm for Second Life–the software that makes such virtual worlds possible–has been a tidal wave of ideas, and has spent much of her time canvassing for input and giving tutorials in island navigation and avatar mobility techniques. (more…)

Paramedic students will be taught how to deal with emergency situations using Second Life before they apply for graduate jobs in London, it has been reported. The use of Second Life to provide students with a chance to work in a small team to treat a virtual patient is being introduced at the Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, which is a partnership between St George’s, the University of London and Kingston University, according to e-Health Europe.

Using their own paramedic avatar, students will be able to respond to a 999 call and treat a person slumped outside a nightclub and after accessing the patient the virtual paramedics can place the patient into the back of an ambulance, the news provider states. (more…)

Years back, I had a discussion with some friends about what defines adultery. If one fantasizes or thinks about committing adultery but never acts on it, is that still a cardinal sin? Some believe the mere thought of adultery is no different from the act itself. I personally prefer to deem only the act itself, not the thought of it, adulterous–after all, who hasn’t daydreamed about frolicking in the sun with the likes of Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Keanu Reeves?

That said, though, if a married man spends most of his time playing up fantasies about having adulterated affairs with other women, there’re probably already problems in his marriage that need to be fixed. And with the emergence of technology, alongside the Internet, the definition of what constitutes as mere fantasy has been stretched to the limit–so much so that I wonder now whether only the physical act itself defines a wrongdoing. (more…)

Diabetes UK has taken its Silent Assassin campaign into Second Life. Virtual posters have been put up around the 3D virtual world to inform its 15 million “residents” about the campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of how diabetes can cause a range of other conditions that leading a healthier lifestyle can help to control.

The posters allow user avatars to teleport themselves to the Diabetes UK virtual building; a new “headquarters” on Manchester Island. The use of Second Life supports a “real life” advertising campaign, information on the charity’s website and pages on social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Bebo. (more…)

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, the University of Cincinnati has recreated the Galapagos Islands, where Darwin conducted some of his famous research, in Second Life. The project is part of the university’s 2009 Darwin Sesquicentennial Celebration.

By January 2009, all avatars will be able to retrace Darwin’s steps — from his 1832 journey to South America aboard the Beagle to his tours of the islands — with the help of a wind-surfing tour guide. Archived audio and video clips, as well as live events, will be available in the Darwin Celebration Theater and Gallery. (more…)

Al Hathboor Informatics has announced the launch of a new consultancy to help companies in the Middle East to create a presence in the virtual world Second Life.

The consultancy, which has been established in association with Anantara Solutions, will provide assistance to companies in setting up a presence in the virtual world, and understanding how best to market themselves.

Many companies have established a presence in Second Life, using virtual real estate for a range of roles such as a promotional venue, or online meeting space. The site had some 900,000 active users in September.
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Gaming rivals Sony will soon be locking horns in cyberspace after both firms announced virtual worlds for their game consoles at the Tokyo Game Show on Thursday.

The two vendors are looking to offer gamers virtual worlds similar to Linden Lab’s Second Life, which currently boasts more than 15 million users. Sony’s Home virtual world will be available sometime later this year for the Playstation 3, according to AP, while Microsoft confirmed plans to launch its New Xbox Experience on Nov. 19. (more…)