We've heard the news, we've seen the demos. Now we're wondering how is VR going to affect our lives. Here is an in depth analysis on how the human spirit could cope in a virtual environment... vastly based on our human nature and common psychology rather than scientific predictions.
Some see VR as an ominous reality, recalling images of the Matrix or the Lawnmower man; admittedly mostly non-technical people. At the same time, the tech community is celebrating the innovation and breakthrough technology. No one is even considering the consequences of this technology in our everyday lives, only how it will be applied; a mental blindness much like during the Manhattan Project, making the realization beyond the technical achievement a late afterthought.
Virtual reality by definition is a different reality. It is allowing the person to transition from one realm to another, instantaneously with no friction. This is not like physical reality; pretty much the opposite. This fact gives valid reason to point out that Virtual reality is not the same as Augmented reality. From a technology standpoint there is considerable overlap as the same technology may be used for both "types" of reality, but from a practical standpoint the latter has different uses, applications and offers different lifestyle choices. With that in mind, we'll focus on the former...
There is no question that VR will become part of our lives, following Murphy's law as someone might sarcastically add... The reasons why VR took so long are greatly due to its prohibitive expense, till now. Cost consideration has always been a major factor for technology adoption and it should be our guide for making predictions. The question is not if something can be achieved but if it can be achieved with minimal cost.
Most of us already have a device capable for VR in our pockets: the smartphone. Smartphones have high resolution screens, audio output, voice recognition and back facing cameras, for hand tracking. Using smartphones as VR headsets is not only more economical, it's actually more practical. Why have a separate device sitting around, only used for one purpose?
The appeal of connecting, configuring and using devices is limited to a small group of people, the hardware geeks. Everyone else just wants automation and flexibility. VR headsets will ultimately follow the steps of many specialized devices that became obsolete as their functionality got integrated in multi-purpose devices; much like the GPS, the MP3 player and the watch. The smartphone offers a simplified path to VR, plus it is decoupled from any other peripherals. A wireless experience of VR will provide that level of freedom most people desire. Like they say: Mo' cables, mo' problems.
Having the same mindset, some predict that the sunglasses will in fact adopt VR technology; although in that case the technological gap is far greater. The open deadline when such technology will be feasible and affordable leaves much to be desired. In contrast, you can use your smartphone for VR today. And if current specs are not ideal, that can easily be adjusted with subsequent (smartphone) generations.
The freedom wireless provides implies the same level of freedom over the content delivery. Why would you want to be able to use VR anywhere if the content doesn't follow you? And there has been no greater content delivery platform other than the Web. The Web is in fact built with the same principles of automation and flexibility.
Like any other reality, Virtual Reality will be empty if not filled with human activities: sharing, talking, collaborating, fighting... Online communication is practically required for any interaction and a network-first platform for 3D would be far superior than any other 3D platform with ad hoc network capabilities. Thankfully we already have WebGL. As the tooling is maturing and the experience using a rendering engine on the browser is being recorded we can rest assured that WebGL can and will power any VR, in an open and distributable manner.
Those were just a few assessments on what will work from the available technology, based on human needs and preferences. This of course doesn't mean that VR won't exist in any other medium, beyond smartphones and the Web. It merely highlights what is most accessible for the mainstream audience. More importantly, there are questions to be answered where and why we will use VR...
This is an obvious area to look into, since any enterprise software is a more stable business model for service providers. Although it makes sense on financial terms, why would it make sense on pure humanistic terms?
Lets admit that desk jobs can easily become repetitive and boring, especially in a corporate environment. Most people wear headphones to disconnect, especially developers who need to focus on logic problems. Wearing a headset and completely separating yourself from the working environment seems the natural progression. This is in addition to any positive effects a 3D environment may offer towards someone's productivity, work enjoyment and ultimately self-esteem.
Imagine cubicles becoming VR workstations, à la Johnny Mnemonic. Specialized VR headsets for enterprise may be a new product category for electronics manufacturers.
People are social beings. And the living room is where they gather. Wearing a VR headset in the living room breaks fundamental rules of our social interaction:
- A couple wants quality face time when sitting on the sofa. There is no substitute for real world connection, and we shouldn't be thinking that way regardless.
- Kids are looking for an excuse to disharmonize their environment — a guardian that chooses to distance themselves by wearing a VR headset seems almost like a challenge to them.
- Friends and family that visit want everyone in the room to be "present". We can all imagine how discomforting it is when someone is sleeping in the same room.
TV is like an extra person in the living room and the assumption that more immersive entertainment is desirable may be wrong. Thus, it's safe to predict that VR will not be present in the living room, or where people meet in general.
Instead, if we consider where people try to "disconnect", in many cases that's the bedroom. We already use our tablets on a daily basis in bed, it's a natural step to use VR interfaces. Using VR in the bedroom means we have the required solitude and relaxed body state a VR session requires.
Combining our previous thoughts on wireless VR using smartphones, we can easily imagine plastic cases on your bedside table that simply hold your phone and enable you to use your hands for interfacing. The cost for this lifestyle transition from a consumer standpoint is negligible, and more surprisingly there is not much more tech involved to enable VR on a broad scale.
This may seem peculiar, but nursing homes already have a deficit that can be addressed by VR. Toddlers and the elderly alike need attention and have a lot of time to spare, time that is now spent mostly watching TV. The efficiency of TV in its babysitting duties is debatable and if VR can offer a more effective service it will surely replace it.
Being preoccupied in VR can create a more engaging experience and even be more beneficial for the human brain, rather than passively being bombarded with images. Anyone that creates VR directed for people being placed in care, which extends to patients in hospitals and other institutions, is carving for themselves a sure niche.
If kids spend a considerable amount of time during their pre-school years playing with VR headsets, that familiarity could be utilized for education. A VR environment requires less infrastructure and offers better time efficiency considering transit and evaluation speeds. This agrees with our previous consideration of cost-effectiveness. Plus, VR adds more possibilities for the teacher while at the same time doesn't diminish their role.
The Internet has already become a main source in our learning process. Young people can teach themselves faster and better using online resources. Traditional school has trouble keeping up, and maybe in the future a drastic reform should be expected, utilizing VR and the Web. And although school might change its face, education will continue to thrive.
The variables might be different for higher level education. Considering that they are gateways to the professional world, there are other reasons why having central locations would be still desirable. If the aforementioned VR workstations become commonplace, the familiarity and training should start early on...
Technology that stands the test of time finds a way of improving aspects in our lives that can be improved. Like any other innovation, VR will find its place in those areas where it can aid the most. It won't make us reinvent everything and certainly won't take over our lives. We should treat it as another tool to make us better, smarter, faster, stronger.
VR: Very Real, indeed...