In this day and age technology is a big part of our world. Every day people are almost blind to the fact that technology is all around us. Computers are probably the greatest invention of all time. They help people every day do things (that to us seem every day and ordinary) that people would not be capable to do without them. A lot of the discussion is always: "What will be the next big thing to hit the technology market that will change the world?" The answer that many people are giving is that virtual reality will be the next huge thing in technology (not only in the video game world but also for practical purposes). Virtual reality is a technology which allows users to interact with a computer-stimulated environment. Most of the virtual reality that is being used currently use a head set that is placed over the eyes and even headphones that help produce sound to make the experience more real (seen in the picture above). Virtual reality is being used both for training and entertainment purposes. In the picture about a member of the U.S. Navy is using a virtual reality simulator to help train for parachuting for a rescue mission. Virtual reality has also been used for surgeons to simulate performing surgeries and practicing operations. Virtual reality machines can also be used for fun. In this video it demonstrates the use of virtual reality. It shows how people are able to use the virtual reality sphere to navigate around a virtual world and uses a computer to change the virtual environments. Many people in the computer field believe that in a few years when virtual reality is better developed we will have total access into almost an imaginary world that will be easily accessible to every one. Thinking about this possible new technology brings up a few questions about the ethics of virtual reality and the actual possibility of it. If you could go into any "world" of virtual reality where would you go and why? Do you think that professionals like doctors and even lawyers should use virtual reality as a tool to help them or not? If you play a virtual reality game in which you are actually shooting someone with a fake gun is that morally wrong since you are actually pulling the trigger? Thinking of the possibilities of the future programmers are talking about huge virtual reality worlds that are almost endless. Could you imagine a world almost like The Sims or Second Life that actually allow you not only to communicate with other people but also walk around on your own two feet and actually be able to almost reach out and touch someone? Could you possibly see virtual reality taking it to far and actually becoming some what creepy?
3 comments:
This is kind of amazing if you really think about it. I mean, you could go into any world you'd like and move yourself around. You could visit the streets of a city in Grand Theft Auto or Link's fantasy world in Zelda.
On the down side, there is the idea that you'd physically (in a sense - bodily at any rate) be killing people, say in a violent video game. Like I said in my comment about the Wii games for killing - that just changes everything when you're really acting out stabbing somebody.
On an entirely different note, with these virtual reality games would we really be walking around with these visors over our eyes? Because I don't know about you, but I'd like walk into my living room wall or something. Physically moving around when in a virtual reatlity game sounds kind of painful in the real world - running into the coffee table is just no fun.
I think virtual reality is pretty cool. I do think it has it's downsides as well, such as people mistaking virtual reality for reality. You absorb and process images all day and to be given such an intense image could be slightly misleading. I think if used properly amazing things could be done with it and proffesionals could be able to use in their jobs and for research. Most likely though it will be used for some type of game for kids. Technology isn't a problem, it is how it is used. I dont think that we as a nation are progressing as fast technologically as we could be, because we are too distracted by making money.
Dreams are kinda like Virtual Reality, your running jumping or walking to class naked anyway... point is your body doesnt move around or start walking to class which is a good thing and that's because it goes into a temp. paralysis. So as soon as Microsoft can harvest such chemical or nerve signal we can have safe Virtual Reality where we don't walk into walls! YEAH :D
On the other hand it is downright creepy. Imagine identity fraud in a virtual world. You already see people on myspace pretending to be pretty girls just by copy pasting their pictures for some unknown self loathing reason. What was i talking about.
O right Virtual Reality. Cool stuff.
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