Blog Activity 1: Melissa von Berg 25087194
According to Heim (1998:4) “Virtual reality is not a state of consciousness or a simulated drug trip. VR is an emerging field of applied science”.
Older technologies such as film, telephone or written letter compared to newer technologies can simply be differentiated by the advancement in technology. In relation to VR this is important because according to Heim (1998:12) “the ultimate promise of VR may be to transform, to redeem our awareness of reality-something that the highest art has attempted to do and something hinted at in the very label virtual reality… a label that sums up a century of technological innovation”. Without the invention of film and telephone the progression towards a virtual reality would not have been possible therefore to say one (film, telephone and written letter) is more important than the other would be false.
However there are numerous differences associated between older and newer technologies. Watching a film in my opinion is a kind of virtual reality yet not completely because the rectangular frame the film is projected on, furthermore the crunching of popcorn and sucking of empty drinks further reminds the viewer he or she is watching a film and not a part of it. However “real” VR encompasses the use of data suits, head-mounted displays, data gloves and eyephones which immerses the user into a virtual environment created by 3D environments and sound. According to McKenzie (1994:85) “this reality… is constructed”.
The user in mind and body is part of the “reality” but not in fact. Yes the user can see, touch, feel and hear the 3D environment however the reality is constructed and not “real”. Whereas a telephone conversation is “real” because the user is emotionally and psychologically connected to the telephone conversation and what is said is real whereas in a VR, flying a Boeing 747’s in the game Flight Simulator is not real as it is a constructed reality.
VR incorporates the three “Is”, namely immersion (where the body is immersed by technology), interactivity (interaction between human and computer) and information intensity. VR is so exceptional because it incorporates the “real” with the fantasy. The line between VR and real is getting harder to make because of its “realness”. VR plays a very important role in society, especially in military training and medical surgeries, none of which could have been done without the advancement of VR.
Older technologies such as film, telephone or written letter compared to newer technologies can simply be differentiated by the advancement in technology. In relation to VR this is important because according to Heim (1998:12) “the ultimate promise of VR may be to transform, to redeem our awareness of reality-something that the highest art has attempted to do and something hinted at in the very label virtual reality… a label that sums up a century of technological innovation”. Without the invention of film and telephone the progression towards a virtual reality would not have been possible therefore to say one (film, telephone and written letter) is more important than the other would be false.
However there are numerous differences associated between older and newer technologies. Watching a film in my opinion is a kind of virtual reality yet not completely because the rectangular frame the film is projected on, furthermore the crunching of popcorn and sucking of empty drinks further reminds the viewer he or she is watching a film and not a part of it. However “real” VR encompasses the use of data suits, head-mounted displays, data gloves and eyephones which immerses the user into a virtual environment created by 3D environments and sound. According to McKenzie (1994:85) “this reality… is constructed”.
The user in mind and body is part of the “reality” but not in fact. Yes the user can see, touch, feel and hear the 3D environment however the reality is constructed and not “real”. Whereas a telephone conversation is “real” because the user is emotionally and psychologically connected to the telephone conversation and what is said is real whereas in a VR, flying a Boeing 747’s in the game Flight Simulator is not real as it is a constructed reality.
VR incorporates the three “Is”, namely immersion (where the body is immersed by technology), interactivity (interaction between human and computer) and information intensity. VR is so exceptional because it incorporates the “real” with the fantasy. The line between VR and real is getting harder to make because of its “realness”. VR plays a very important role in society, especially in military training and medical surgeries, none of which could have been done without the advancement of VR.
Melissa von Berg
25087194
posted by Virtual Culture @ 12:10 PM
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