The Virtual World Merging into Reality
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| Credit: https://www.quora.com/Will-virtual-reality-games-exist |
As technology continues to advance, one of the main
focuses has become merging the virtual world into reality, or making it appear
real. Virtual
reality (VR) is one way of making this happen, by providing the
user with a headset, and
often controllers, to look and move around in the simulation. The focus is on
altering what our brain perceives to basically trick it into thinking we are
somewhere else other than where we physically are. This allows the user to have
unique experiences that may not have otherwise been possible in our real world.
I tried a version of virtual reality a couple months back
that was extremely immersive and interactive at a place called “Mirage VR” located in Kitchener,
Ontario. It used the technology of motion capture to provide a full body
experience, where every motion we did in the real world was transferred into
the game in real time. Therefore, not only were we immersed in an alternate
world, but even how we viewed ourselves and how we interacted with others was
brought into the game. This even allowed us to look down at our arms and they
appeared to have on the same armour that our player in the game was
wearing.
Virtual reality is also currently being used for educational and training purposes. Such
as for providing pilots with simulation training for flying an aircraft, and
providing students with interactive
environments where they can experience what it would be like to work
in a lab or for learning the anatomy of the human body.
Augmented reality (AR)
is another way of merging the virtual world with reality.
Augmented reality can also be used for informational or
educational purposes, such as in marketing, by allowing the user to hold their
phone over a product, which further provides them with information on the
product and services offered by that company. Another example mentioned in the “Augmented
reality” video above, is that companies such as IKEA are providing customers
with the ability to view their products in 3D, and manipulate them on their
smartphone or tablet.
It’s quite astounding to witness the progress that have been
made in allowing us to interact with, and manipulate the world around us. I would love to hear if you use any of these technologies in your everyday life, or if you have any other examples that I should check out!
References-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHkBBV7ccsc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09vxKN1zLNI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHkBBV7ccsc
https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_bodekaer_this_virtual_lab_will_revolutionize_science_class/up-next#t-666744
https://www.quora.com/Will-virtual-reality-games-exist
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R04u9E5INTI
Hi Lauren!
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about fake becoming the new reality in this light, I find that it is amazingly helpful because it allows people to take on a new perspective and try out something before doing it physically. An example is with VR, it becomes beneficial for medical students and doctors because they can try out a surgery or fixing a limb before doing it in real life, which is a great advancement in technology for our world as it adds to saving lives.
Conversely, the idea of VR and AR is a little nerve wracking in that we as humans have the capability to create a false would that we can place ourselves in. I also find that it influences children's minds in that it messes with their reality. An example of that is "Grand Theft Auto" in VR where people can steal people's cars and hurt them.
Overall, the idea of VR and AR is a little worrisome if it is not monitored but I think that it contributes to our world greatly.
Thanks for your post!
Kayleigh Mascarenhas
Hello Lauren,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the topic of discussion that you have presented for this week’s blog post. I have mixed emotions in regards to this type of technological advancements that are available to consumers. My first thought is “Wow that is amazing!”, on the other hand it is downright scary. As a society, we have already disconnected from the real world by being glued to our devices and relying on technology as a way to feel connected. I feel that video games need to be played on regular game consult instead of buying VR games. By using VR games consumers are simply disconnecting to the real world even more than they were before. There are many consumers out there that are addicted to gaming and this will give them a new device to abuse. However, I feel that VR will be useful for educational purposes as it can target all learning styles. On another note, I remember when Pokémon Go was released and the world went bananas for the app. Everyone was meeting in different parts of St. Catharines to duel or to catch the next Pokémon. I realized the dangers of downloading this app on my phone as I knew it required my location and data settings to be turned on. I know being a student it is scary to see a large phone bill, and I did not feel comfortable having people seeing my location. There were many incidents where young kids were getting hit by cars because they were glued to their phones, and knocking on stranger’s doors because the next Pokémon was in their backyard. When consumers are willing to put their lives at risk for a game, corporations need to step up and shut the game down or put restrictions to keep everyone safe. I remember being on Facebook and coming across a picture of Mario Kart Go. My initial reaction was to pray for corporations to not release a Mario Kart Go because I would not feel safe on the road. Even the thought of that game being released scares me; no matter what, we have lost complete control in our ability to have life balance when it comes to technology.
I don’t know if you have heard about Google Assistant; the latest technology that is going to released. Consumers can use the app to have the voice call to make dinner reservations, or appointments. My aunt is on the radio, and when she played the audio tape; I thought we have become so lazy. We are too busy to take the time to call and talk to another human being ourselves. Instead, we need to have “what seems to be a human voice” make the call on our behalf. It is scary how quickly technology has advanced and we all need to open our eyes and realize that we are missing out on living our lives to the fullest.
Thank you,
Ioana
I remember when Oculus Rift was first announced and subsequently released, there were so many problems with it such as pricing, lack of content, and worries that it would turn out to be nothing more than a gimmick, that most people wrote VR as a whole off. Now, we've gone through multiple iterations of the Oculus, we have the Vive, and we have a fairly large number of games that are exclusively for VR.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to think about how it can expand beyond games, such as for educational purposes (like you said), or even military training.
It's also interesting how similar it can seem to many imagined dystopian universes.
Interesting post, Lauren. You do well to situate you own thoughts and experiences within a bigger issue. With the blog title, I wonder if a stronger position and critical reading might help to pull these posts together. They are implicitly linked, but is this part of a trend? If so how are these different cultural expressions linked and speaking to something bigger?
ReplyDeleteVirtual reality is a very interesting concept. I haven't experienced it but I have heard about different applications for it. I recently heard about an experience you can take virtually that allows you to experience flying in an airplane. This might be a way for novice flyers or children to experience flying before actually taking a flight. The ability to understand what to expect may help nervous flyers prepare themselves for an actual flight. I just hope that virtual reality doesn't take the place of actual real-life experiences. I would hate to see children playing outdoors in a virtual playground......
ReplyDelete