Virtual Reality Expert Group

Today in class the expert group that presented was the group doing virtual reality. This was a really well done presentation and I was very impressed with how they presented all their information. They began by explaining the difference in virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual reality is defined by google as, “the computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional image or environment that can be interacted with in a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment, such as a helmet with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors.” Augmented reality is a technology that superimposes a computed generated image on a user’s view of the real-world. The example of augmented reality that the group mentioned is the Google Glass. These allow you to see the real world while also interacting with the technology.

The group then went to talk about the history of virtual reality which was very interesting to hear about because there seemed to have been multiple failures in this area before getting to where we are today. The group talked about flight simulators, Weinbaum’s “Pygmalion Spectacle”, and Heilig’s Senorama in 1962. They also discusses Jaron Lanier who popularized the term “virtual reality” and founded the company Visual Programming Languages (VPL) Research. This also led to arcade games going 3D in the 1980s. And finally in the 1990s Jonathan Walker demonstrates “Virtuality.” None of these were apparently very successful in the beginning.

Talking about the current state of virtual reality was more interesting. They discusses Palmer Luckey. They also discussed the Oculus DK2 and CVI. These are said to have very slow adaption and will not be in everyone’s hand yet but the technology looks very promising. This was where we got to see the Oculus used in class and it was very interesting. I wish I could have been one of the people to try it out but there simply wasn’t enough time in class. From what I saw the uses for the Oculus look really promising. We talked about how it can have effects on tourism where you can virtually go anywhere and experience it almost as if you’re really there. This would be particularly good for educational purposes. Classes could visit famous museums in virtual manner and get in depth perspective rather than just reading about something out of a textbook.

Some of the possible downsides of this that were discusses were that if this were to try and be incorporated in an entertaining film, it would be difficult to know where the viewer is looking and they could be missing things without knowing it. Another possible downside is if the simulation had a more motion active screen it could cause possible motion sickness to the view. But those things seem to be small hurtles.

The possibilities for this technology seem endless, for now it is just marketed as something to add to the development of games but this could be great for the health industry, film, tourism, education, and so much more.