Virtual Reality Films to Combat Compassion Fatigue

Waves of Grace and Clouds Over Sidra are two virtual reality films aimed at combatting compassion fatigue. Waves of Grace was created to call attention to the formidable obstacles that Ebola survivors in Liberia still face. Clouds Over Sidra was unveiled at Davos at the beginning of the year and is currently being used all over the world to raise money by the UN. Click talks to Aaron Koblin from Vrse.works, one of the key people behind the films.

Virtual Reality Bus Driving
Bus drivers in New Zealand are using a virtual reality driving simulator to prepare them for using the new Christchurch Bus Interchange. Wearing a virtual reality headset provides drivers with a full peripheral view as if they were actually within the interchange. With the addition of a steering wheel and pedals, the virtual reality driving simulator allows bus drivers to control and practise how to manoeuvre. Simon Morton reports from Christchurch.

Cyberphobia
Cyberphobia is new and controversial book by Edward Lucas which looks at the future of the internet. Click talks to Lucas about the ideas in his book which highlights that ‘our dependence on computers is growing faster than our ability to forestall attackers’ and argues that hacking will become increasingly common.

Exploding Batteries
Is it safe to carry batteries on aeroplanes? A full report on an incident that occurred at Heathrow Airport July 2013, when a battery in the Emergency Locator Transmitter device failed on a parked Boeing 787 has recently been published. China has just implemented new standards for lithium-ion batteries. And Boeing and Airbus have announced that lithium batteries will not be carried in passenger aircraft as cargo. Yasmin Ali reports.

(Photo caption: Virtual reality at TED – used with the kind permission of Vrse.works)

Producer: Colin Grant