BOSTON, MA - June 28, 2010 - The Immersive Education Initiative's Psychology of Immersive Environments Technology Working Group (PIE.TWG) today issued an open call for psychologically beneficial immersive environments. The results of this call and related PIE.TWG activities will establish a searchable repository of psychologically beneficial virtual worlds, simulations, video games, mixed/augmented reality applications in addition to leading papers, case studies, and research in the field. The purpose of the repository is to 1) provide examples of best practices to promote psychologically beneficial effects of immersive environments, 2) showcase state-of-the-art applications of immersive technologies and platforms in the field of psychology, and 3) provide a functional sub-set of the Education Grid dedicated specifically to psychology.

Submissions in response to this call may be based on any immersive technology platform, and may include commercial (for-profit) solutions as well as open and freely available applications. Examples of the types of submissions the group anticipates in response to this call include virtual hallucination simulators, virtual psychological counseling systems, phobia treatment applications, and a range of other psychologically beneficial immersive environments. Submissions in response to this call can be made through this online form.

About PIE.TWG

As an official Immersive Education Initiative activity the Psychology of Immersive Environments Technology Working Group is responsible for 1) advancing basic and applied research on the psychology of immersive environments, 2) promoting immersive experiences and programs that are psychologically beneficial, including psychological counseling conducted in immersive settings, 3) defining best practices for the early identification and assistance of at-risk users of immersive environments and the treatment of individuals currently manifesting symptoms of immersive disorder, and 4) collecting and disseminating scientific and professional information on the psychology of immersive environments.

Complete details, including details on how to join, are available through the PIE.TWG charter page.

Thousands of Members Worldwide

The Immersive Education Initiative is a non-profit international collaboration of universities, colleges, research institutes, consortia and companies that are working together to define and develop open standards, best practices, platforms, and communities of support for virtual reality and game-based learning and training systems. Thousands of faculty, researchers, staff, administrators and students are members of the Immersive Education Initiative, which is growing at the rate of approximately 100 new members every month.

About Immersive Education
Immersive Education (ImmersiveEducation.org) combines interactive 3D graphics, commercial game and simulation technology, virtual reality, voice chat (Voice over IP/VoIP), Web cameras (webcams) and rich digital media with collaborative online course environments and classrooms. Immersive Education gives participants a sense of "being there" even when attending a class or training session in person isn't possible, practical, or desirable, which in turn provides educators and students with the ability to connect and communicate in a way that greatly enhances the learning experience. Unlike traditional computer-based learning systems, Immersive Education is designed to immerse and engage students in the same way that today's best video games grab and keep the attention of players. Immersive Education supports self-directed learning as well as collaborative group-based learning environments that can be delivered over the Internet or using fixed-media such as CD-ROM and DVD. Shorter mini-games and interactive lessons can be injected into larger bodies of course material to further heighten and enrich the Immersive Education experience.

About the Media Grid
The Media Grid is a public utility for digital media. Based on new and emerging distributed computational grid technologies, the Media Grid builds upon existing Internet and Web standards to create a unique network optimized for digital media delivery, storage, and processing. As an on-demand public computing utility, a range of software programs and Web sites can use the Media Grid for delivery and storage of rich media content, media processing, and computing power. The Media Grid is an open and extensible platform that enables a wide range of applications not possible with the traditional Internet alone, including: Massive Media on Demand (MMoD); Interactive digital cinema on demand; Immersive Education and distance learning; Truly immersive multiplayer games and Virtual Reality (VR); Hollywood movie and film rendering, special effects, and composition; Real-time rendering of high resolution graphics; Real-time visualization of complex weather patterns; Real-time protein modeling and drug design; Telepresence, telemedicine, and telesurgery; Vehicle and aircraft design and simulation; Visualization of scientific and medical data.

The Grid Institute leads the design and development of the global Media Grid through the MediaGrid.org open standards organization in collaboration with industry, academia, and governments from around the world.

To learn more about the Media Grid, Immersive Education or the Education Grid visit:
MediaGrid.org, ImmersiveEducation.org and TheEducationGrid.org