A user's experience with the Apple Vision Pro reveals the emotional impact of the immersive technology, as they found themselves crying during movies and experiencing numbness in their face while using the device. Despite the emotional intensity, the user expressed a growing fondness for the headset, which offers a range of features including virtual movie theater experiences and interactive communication. However, the user also encountered issues with tears affecting the device's inner lenses and discovered that the headset is not water resistant, prompting caution from Apple.
Listening to one's favorite music can reduce the perception of pain as much as taking an Advil, according to a study conducted by researchers at McGill University. Participants in the study reported feeling happier and more carefree while listening to their favorite songs, which provided a sense of relief from pain. The researchers are now studying brain activity to understand how music affects emotions and pain perception. Other studies have also shown that music can help relieve stress and pain, even in babies.
An AI safety engineer at OpenAI, Lilian Weng, shared her emotional experience after having a therapy session with OpenAI's chatbot, ChatGPT, in voice mode. While Weng's positive experience highlights the company's efforts to make AI appear more human, it also raises concerns about the potential dangers of relying on AI for mental health support. Previous attempts at AI therapy, such as Koko Bot and NEDA's chatbot Tessa, have faced criticism for being sterile or providing harmful information. The phenomenon of users becoming emotionally attached to AI programs, known as the Eliza Effect, has been observed since the early days of AI development.
A TikToker named Candi Davis, who was gifted a Volkswagen by Oprah Winfrey during one of her "Favorite Things" giveaways in 2010, has shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the emotionally-charged experience. Davis said that after the taping, audience members were emotional and some felt undeserving of the haul. Oprah then delivered an inspirational monologue, telling them they were worthy of the gifts. The episode also featured audience members being gifted iPads, diamond earrings, UGG boots, Coach purses, Le Creuset cookware, cashmere sweaters, and a Nordstrom gift card for a bra fitting.
Succession star Dagmara Domińczyk revealed that her father died while she was filming the series’ major death scene, which made shooting it and eventually watching the scene even more emotional. The actress said that it made “a very strange season for me” having to film Logan’s funeral around the time of her father’s as she was miles apart from him in New Jersey. Despite the initial difficulty, she found the episode therapeutic and praised the show for capturing the shock and grief of sudden deaths.
