Potential Impacts of VR

Introduction

Commonly abbreviated as VR, Virtual Reality is an interactive computer-generated experience that takes place within a simulated environment or three-dimensional image (Burdea & Coiffet, 2003). The experience is generated by a blend of interactive software and hardware, and is then presented in a realistic fashion such that the user interacts with and accepts the simulated environment as if it were real. The immersive environment can either be real or artificial, and is typically produced in 3D modeling software before being fed into the VR system.

Current VR technologies utilize multi-projected environments, VR headsets, or a combination of props to generate realistic sounds, images, and sensations that simulate physical presence in a virtual environment (Burdea & Coiffet, 2003). A VR user can not only look around the simulated world but also move and interact with the objects within it. At present, VR systems are used in various industries like gaming, medical, military, aviation, education, entertainment, architecture, and tourism.

VR Technology

VR technology exists in three main categories: fully-immersive, semi-immersive, and non-immersive simulations (Castronovo, Nikolic, Liu, & Messner, 2013, October). Each of these categories represents a distinct level of immersion. As the name implies, fully-immersive simulations provide the highest level of immersion (Meiling & Zhengyong, 2015). A fully-immersive VR system utilizes head-mounted displays and motion detection devices to simulate all senses of the user. As a result, the user can have very real experiences delivered through increased update rates, a wide field of view, high resolutions, and high levels of contrast. Semi-immersive simulations provide a less immersive experience than fully-immersive systems. These systems resemble and use technologies such as those used in flight simulation, where users receive experiences through a high-performance graphical computing system coupled with multiple television systems or large screen projector systems. Non-immersive simulations provide the least immersive experiences. In a typical non-immersive VR simulation, only several of the user's senses are stimulated. This allows for the awareness of peripherals outside the VR simulation. Users of a non-immersive simulation can access the system via a portal or window using high-resolution monitors powered by a conventional desktop application.

Potential Impacts of VR

The ability of VR to simulate environments, while allowing interactive, immersive, and multi-story capabilities, makes it a potentially useful technology in many industries. Notably, VR bypasses barriers between computers and humans by allowing users to experience a computer-generated stereoscopic environment (Lipschultz, 2004). For this reason, VR will become a part of daily life and will be utilized in multiple ways, influencing human behavior, cognition, and even interpersonal communication. It may cause migration into the "virtual space," leading to a myriad of other transitions such as a change in worldview, culture, economics, and socio-political beliefs. Areas that have experienced changes due to VR include but are not limited to heritage and archeology, fiction books, mass media, motion pictures, television, games, music videos, fine arts, healthcare, marketing, real estate, education, tourism, and aviation, among others.

The potential impact of VR by the year 2015 will be immense. Given that smartphones, computers, and "internet of things" devices have already led to a shift in social life, and that every new technology version is readily embraced by society, VR technologies may create a new virtual world where people do not need to meet physically to interact. Brands such as PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift have already demonstrated the practicality of such a world by giving demos and experiences ranging from office simulators, to jump-scare horror, to space exploration. This shows that a giant immersive VR experience is possible, and inevitable, in the near future (Blascovich & Bailenson, 2011). Some technology experts have also developed other minor versions of VR like augmented reality and mixed reality, allowing users to experience simulations and the physical world simultaneously (Burdea & Coiffet, 2003). Looking ahead, it seems there are no boundaries to where VR can be applied. It may be used in the military and medicine for training personnel, in real estate and business for simulating meetings and 3D tours, or even for attending celebrity events personally.

Conclusion

Evidently, virtual reality has many potential implications for future societies. One of the greatest advantages of VR as a form of emerging technology is its ability to bridge the gap between computing devices and humans. With VR technologies, humans can visualize, manipulate, and interact with information in virtual environments. This capability can be utilized in almost any industry and is especially interesting when applied in educational settings where students are curious about exploring practical information and situations, or where the real environments pose risks to students and instructors. Such risks could include anti-terrorism training, firefighting, nuclear decommissioning, aircraft inspection, and crane driving, among others. Potential downsides of using VR include high costs, eye strain, dizziness, distortion, and addictiveness. The social impact of addictive virtual environments could be particularly severe, as some people may prefer the virtual world to the real one.

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