29 The Rise of the Virtual World
Anthony Surdich
29.1 Introduction
Keywords
- Metaverse: An interconnected digital realm that can be accessed by millions of users at once.
- Virtual reality: A totally artificial environment that allows users to interact as if they were in the real world.
- Augmented reality: The concept of combining the physical and virtual world through the implementation of virtual objects in the physical world.
- Mixed reality: A combination between virtual reality and augmented reality with a heavy emphasis on the virtual realm.
- Omnidirectional treadmill: A physical treadmill that revolves at your own pace, allowing you to move realistically in the virtual world.
- Depth Perception: The ability to perceive objects from a certain distance in three dimensions.
Learning Objectives
- By the end of this chapter, students should be able to
- Define virtual reality and the history behind its creation
- Visualize the impact virtual reality technology has outside the gaming realm
- List the advantages and consequences of virtual reality
- Predict how virtual reality will transcend in the future
When speaking about groups of people playing video games, the general population that comes to mind are those born in Gen Z. According to Talmon (2019), Gen Z children spend at least an hour each day playing video games. Tremendous strides have been made in the gaming realm over the past couple decades, and nobody from back then would have predicted the state of video games in our current society. Whether it’s swimming with the dolphins, batting against your favorite pitcher, or experiencing a haunted house in your living room, virtual reality (VR) has been a game changer in the gaming industry.
Despite being mainly known for its use in video games, virtual reality extends far beyond. VR technologies can be used for live events, educational purposes, and medical purposes. The far-reaching nature of virtual reality is the main reason why software developers across the globe are fascinated by it. As a result, there have been serious talks of an emerging metaverse, an interconnected digital realm that can be accessed by millions of users at once (Mystakidis, 2022). All in all, the future of virtual reality is going to be intriguing to watch unfold.
29.2 Welcome to a New World!
Key Takeaway(s)
Virtual reality is an artificial environment that allows users to interact as if they were in the real world (Mystakidis, 2022). The platform is typically used for gaming and can require headsets, omnidirectional treadmills, and other equipment that can make the experience even more realistic (Mystakidis, 2022). Furthermore, it is possible to experience all five senses within the virtual world. Along with virtual reality, other extended realities include augmented reality and mixed reality. Augmented reality acts to combine the physical and virtual world through the implementation of virtual objects in the physical world (Mystakidis, 2022). Mixed reality is a combination between virtual reality and augmented reality. The physical world is present, but the focus is placed more on the virtual realm (Mystakidis, 2022).
“Virtual reality treadmill” by National Institutes of Health (NIH) is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
The equipment which it takes to engulf oneself in the virtual world can often be quite expensive. That is the primary reason why our world has not gone completely virtual just yet (Mystakidis, 2022). Furthermore, the technology should certainly be used with caution. The virtual world can be hard to differentiate with the physical world as graphics continue to improve, and one wrong turn could cause a traumatic experience (Mystakidis, 2022). This is one minor risk associated with virtual reality, but as long as you play with caution, your time within your game should be enjoyable. There is absolutely no physical correlation between both worlds, so the ability to injure oneself is almost impossible unless done purposefully.
29.3 History of Virtual Reality Technology
Key Takeaways
Virtual reality systems and technologies have been on the come-up for a while now. Oculus and other companies are working tirelessly to perfect virtual gaming, and their hard work is truly on display. The industry has made tremendous strides over the past years.
The development of virtual reality dates back to as early as the 1980s. In a 1988 interview between Adam Heilbrun and famous computer scientist Jaron Lainer, the two discuss the concept of an alternate realm. At this point in time, there had been no technology developed that would allow an individual to access virtual reality. Lainer (1988) mentions equipment such as glasses and gloves that would be necessary in order to interact in the virtual world. In terms of his hopes for the future, Lainer (1988) hoped that future generations would not reject the idea of virtual reality. Instead, he believed they would view it as a place of comfort to escape into when real life isn’t going your way. A medium will eventually form between both worlds, and you will have the ability to live two lives.
Decades later, we have not yet completely fulfilled the hopes of Mr. Lainer, but we are trending on the right path. Oculus, the leading company behind virtual gaming development, released the Oculus Rift in 2016. Immediately, it took Gen Z gamers by storm. At the time, it was the first virtual reality headset available to the public. Furthermore, the public was fascinated by the advanced depth perception, the ability to see objects three dimensionally, that the headset offered (Donovan, 2017, p.8). Developers essentially had to configure the headset so that both eye pieces could render a 3D object simultaneously (Donovan, 2017, p.9). Additionally, the Oculus Rift was able to track head movements within milliseconds of motion being detected (Goradia, Doshi, & Kurup, 2014). Overall, the Oculus Rift did more than offer entertainment to Generation Z. It opened the population’s eyes that humans may be living in a virtual world in the future.
“File:Oculus-Rift-CV1-Headset-Front with transparent background” by Nmndlr is in the Public Domain, CC0
Today, Oculus’ most recent release is the Oculus Quest 3 which is levels above the Oculus Rift. Nonetheless, the progress in virtual technology since 1988 has been substantial. The metaverse is what software developers have their eyes on for 2022 with Oculus being one of the main companies behind the push for this alternate reality. The massive multiplayer world is what this world is moving towards, and it is what Lainer had in mind when discussing the possibility of being able to live two lives at once (Mystakidis, 2022).
29.4 Impact of Virtual Reality on Society
Key Takeaways
The VR gaming system is entertaining both children and adults around the world, but it does come with some negative side effects. The virtual world will leave you with the false perception that the virtual world is much better than your real life.
29.4.1 Advantages of the Virtual World
Along with being a modern day entertainment system, virtual reality has heavily influenced other aspects of our modern world. In the medical field, virtual reality technology is being used to assist neurosurgeons. The use of “intraoperative navigation” and virtual “presurgical planning” can be credited to the advanced technology (Paro, Hersh, & Bulsara, 2022). Furthermore, virtual reality allows students studying neurosurgery and neurosurgeons to practice their craft without the risk of a human life (Paro, Hersh, & Bulsara, 2022).
Education is another topic that virtual reality developers wish to address, and the metaverse offers a great opportunity for this. With millions of people in the same reality at once, world-wide news can be broadcasted to everyone (Mystakidis, 2022). The metaverse will allow students to attend school in a three dimensional world which would break the barriers of the two dimensional forms of virtual education offered by zoom and other interactive platforms (Mystakidis, 2022). It would also allow every student to experience world-class professors and a “personalized curricula” that they are responsible for creating (Mystakidis, 2022).
29.4.2 Consequences behind the Virtual World
At the end of the day, one of the biggest threats to the survival of humanity is the evolution of technology. If we continue pursuing advances in virtual reality and the metaverse, virtual reality might become our new reality. Living two lives seems very difficult, so most people will obviously gravitate towards the life that is more appealing. In most cases, it would be the virtual world (Lavoie, Main, King, C., & King, D., 2021). In a 2021 research study, researchers evaluated concerns individuals had with virtual reality (Lavoie, Main, King, C., & King, D.). The most common answers included physical consequences, such as motion sickness, dizziness, and nausea (Lavoie, Main, King, C., & King, D., 2021). Through their findings it can be inferred that humanity is far more concerned with physical consequences than the psychological consequences that could come along with the improving technology. Nonetheless, software developers do not have the goal of ending our presence in the real world since they are held at such a high standard, but technology is far more intelligent than man (Lavoie, Main, King, C., & King, D.).
29.5 What the Future holds…
Key Takeaways
The rate at which virtual reality has been growing over the past years does not seem like slowing down anytime soon. Ongoing rumors of the metaverse are what we may see in the near future, but after that, it could be anyone’s guess.
A few years after his interview with Adam Heilbrun, Jaron Lainer did an interview with Frank Biocca in which he dove even deeper into the future possibilities of VR. Lainer is confident that the emergence of virtual reality will push the world in the right direction (Biocca & Lanier, 1992). To this point, he is fully aware of the scary possibility of humanity becoming enslaved to technology through virtual reality. However, he mentioned several other dangers that could come along with virtual reality in the future. Lainer identified children as a great risk for getting groomed by virtual reality (Biocca & Lanier, 1992). The violent nature of many virtual reality games has the ability to trigger the aggressive nature of children (Biocca & Lanier, 1992). Lainer speaks about virtual reality in a nonchalant way which should not cause anyone to raise eyebrows about the future.
With the current pace at which developments in the virtual reality field are moving, the world will become virtual very shortly. It’s difficult to accept, but the metaverse is the future (Mystakidis, 2022). If software engineers are successful in developing an education system in the metaverse, there are even more possibilities which can be created in the digital realm (Mystakidis, 2022). Furthermore, you will have the ability to edit your physical appearance in the metaverse, so essentially, you can have two separate identities (Mystakidis, 2022). “Change” is the proper word to describe the near future, and “change” is something that will need to be embraced.
“VWBPE17. Day 4” by lmockford is in the Public Domain, CC0
Case Study: 5 Second Trip to Santorini
Ever since he was a young child, Nikolas and his family would go on an annual trip to Greece to visit family and friends. George, Nikolas’ father, grew up on the island of Santorini, so he enjoys going back there every year. Unfortunately, the trip to Greece has not occurred for the past few years due to the impact COVID has had on the family. The family business took a hit financially, and Nikolas’ mother who has a terminal illness is not fit to travel at such a high risk.
Luckily, Nikolas was given the chance to travel to Santorini through his virtual headset and omnidirectional treadmill he was given for Christmas. The “Travel Simulator” game allows him to visit a bunch of designated locations throughout the world with a highly realistic simulation. He was opposed to the idea at first because obviously it wouldn’t be the same, but after walking along the beaches of Santorini, he instantly fell in love with his new gift. Now, everyone in the family has VR equipment of their own, and they go on new vacations daily. Tonight, they are traveling to Breckenridge Mountain to enjoy some nighttime skiing.
The “Travel Simulator” game with the virtual setup is a much cheaper alternative than actually traveling. It gives those who cannot travel the ability to travel across the globe in the comfort of their living room.
Chapter Summary
The impact that virtual reality has on today’s society is just a preview of what it will be for the future. There is no definite time frame for when the transition will occur, but it won’t be long until you’re paying rent on a virtual property. The only thing humanity can do at this point in time is educate themselves on virtual reality and make themselves aware of the positives and negatives. It’s going to be interesting to watch how things play out.
Review Questions
- What are two devices that are usually used to enter the virtual world
- Television and Remote
- Headset and Omnidirectional treadmill
- Gaming microphone and Controller
- We have not yet discovered how to enter the virtual world
2. What is one of the main benefits offered by the prospective metaverse?
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- The ability to time-travel and visit past events.
- The metaverse can be visited through just the snap of the fingers
- Improvements in the education system for the younger generation
- The metaverse is a myth, and engineers do not have the ability to create it
3. Which famous computer scientist visualized the future of virtual reality almost exactly?
-
- Ryan Polardi
- Steven Sims
- Ben Posternak
- Jaron Lainer
4. Which of the following is not an example of extended reality?
-
- Interconnected Reality
- Virtual Reality
- Augmented Reality
- Mixed Reality
Answers:
-
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 1
Food For Thought
- Famous novel/movie “Ready Player One” examines a neglected world gone to ruin as the populations begin new lives in their virtual world. Do you believe our world would ever replicate the one displayed in “Ready Player One?”
- If governments begin investing heavily in the virtual world, will this promote more benefits or danger to our world? Will the aggressive nature of humanity ultimately lead to the failure of the newly developed world?
References
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Lanier, J. (1988). A vintage virtual reality interview. http://www.jaronlanier.com/vrint.html
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Mitch R. Paro, David S. Hersh, Ketan R. Bulsara, History of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Neurosurgical Training, World Neurosurgery, Volume 167, 2022, Pages 37-43, ISSN 1878-8750, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2022.08.042.
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Donovan, J. (2017). Mastering oculus rift development : Explore the new frontier of virtual reality with the oculus rift and bring the vr revolution to your own projects. Packt Publishing, Limited.
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Biocca, F., & Lanier, J. (1992). An insider’s view of the future of virtual reality. Journal of communication, 42(2), 156-157.
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Goradia, I., Doshi, J., & Kurup, L. (2014). A review paper on oculus rift & project morpheus. International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, 4(5), 3196-3200.
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Lavoie, R., Main, K., King, C., & King, D. (2021). Virtual experience, real consequences: the potential negative emotional consequences of virtual reality gameplay. Virtual Reality, 25(1), 69-81.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-020-00440-y
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Mystakidis, S. (2022). Metaverse. Encyclopedia, 2(1), 486–497. MDPI AG. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia2010031
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Talmon, G. A. (2019). Generation Z: What’s next?. Medical science educator, 29(1), 9-11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-019-00796-0