Transcript Professional Issues. Virtual Reality.

Professional Issues.
Virtual Reality.
Blay Whitby
Virtual Reality.
The Technology.
Despite all the hype, VR is an extension of previous
technologies

The reality of VR's virtual roots
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Flight simulation
Stereo image pairs
Computer graphics
Arcade/computer games
Interactive and multimedia systems
Virtual Reality.
The Technology.
VR (at least at present) does not live up (virtually) to its
press/public image (electronic LSD).
 Many of VR's real applications are more mundane:1. Arcade games

2. Architectural 'walkthroughs'
3. Flight simulators
4. Training
Virtual Reality.
The Technology.
Technical Elements
1. VR Head Mounted Display (HMD) or helmet

Small screens mounted immediately in front of eyes.

Tracking device monitors head/eye movement.

Together this can give the appearance of 'moving' through a 'virtual
world'.
2. Dataglove

Sensors track hand position and flexing movements.

As with the HMD there is a large number of connections to a
computer.

Devices such as air sacs in the glove can provide tactile feedback.
Applications of VR
3 Main headings:1. Training
2. Advertising
3. Entertainment
Applications of VR
Training












1. Extension of previous techniques and technologies:Flight simulation.
Battlefield simulation.
Industrial process training.
Emergency services training.
Surgical training.
2. In schools:Virtual laboratories.
Giving realism (virtually) to subjects such as history.
3. For experiments:with dangerous technology
relaxing normal physical laws
Applications of VR
Advertising






For advertisers VR is too good to miss.
VR offers new ways to tailor advertisements to individual
psychology.
Is there a danger of 'VR junkmail'?
What can be made of existing advertising standards in this
new area?
Is VR more effective than previous methods of advertising?
Do we need controls, if so, what and when?
Applications of VR
Entertainment





Given the success of computer and arcade games, we can expect
a large market.
Just good safe fun?.
Similar problems and dangers to those with computer
games?
'Teledildonics' should society impose any controls?
What about 'virtual crime', 'virtual rape', 'virtual murder'?
Some Ethical Objections to VR





1. They might do it for real.
'Catharsis'.
Difficulties in getting reliable evidence.
2. People will prefer the virtual to the real.
Do people believe in soap operas?
Some Ethical Objections to VR



3. You just can't do that (even virtually).
What, if any, are the limits?
4.;''VR designers can (and should) signal what is and is not
acceptable by what they allow or encourage in their
systems.;''
Virtual crime




They might do it for real.
Some things are not even virtually acceptable.
People will prefer the virtual to the real.
We should be careful about what signals we send
out of approval or disapproval.