Background Information on Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) got its beginning in the 1950's and 1960's when computer science and engineers were experimenting with displaying digital information on screens. Originally known as "Silicon Mirage," what is called Virtual Reality today is refered to by many names including: synthetic environment, simulator technology, cyberspace and
artificial reality. VR was first used by aerospace engineers who simulated space travel
and ground communication to facilitate space travel. The first industry to capitalize on
the potential finacial benefits of the new technology, was the video game companies, (the
first sucessful being Ninetendo who offered affordable high speed processors). The next
breakthrough was the development of the Cd Rom which has the ability to storage large
amounts of information, giving rise to the enhancements such as, data gloves, head
mounted display units and multi-user systems such as CAVE. In 1996 VisionDome, the
first affordable, multi-user, fully interactive virtual reality display was created and thus
making large strides for the advancement of VR.
Essentially creates the illusion of a three dementional space were there isn't one
TYPES OF VR SYSTEMS
Virtual reality has the potential to eliminate travel and allow virtual conference to take place. In conjunction with the internet, the world is made into a much smaller place where information and people's thoughts can travel extremely rapidly. The medical industry can save money, time and lives through virtual surgery and likewise science and astronomy can advance without leaving earth or the classroom. The imagination is made more vivid through use of a more "hands-on" technique.
In addition to the obvious benefits incurred through virtual reality we must ask ourselves several questions. Will people opt to spend the majority of their lives in a fantasy or contrived world? Will they take on identities that are not their own? If they do create alternate identities do they cease to exist leaving only a comic book-like world? And lastly will humans become desensitized living in a mechanized world?
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