THE DAWN OF A VIRTUAL ERA

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1 Mahboobin 4:00 R05 Disclaimer This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on publicly available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose other than these authors partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk. THE DAWN OF A VIRTUAL ERA Perebo Altraide (paa41@pitt.edu) IS VIRTUAL REALITY BECOMING A REALITY? The world that we live in is an ever-advancing place. With technological innovations being discovered every day, the world just keeps moving in that direction. One industry in technology that has recently started to receive a lot of attention is that of virtual reality (VR). Now what exactly is virtual reality? In a nutshell, it is the use of computer technology to block out sensory input from the outside world while using visual and auditory clues to make a virtual world seem real [1]. Due to the many possibilities, achievable by it as well as the incorporation of new forms of technology, I believe that incorporating this kind of virtual technology is the next step we need to take in solving some the world s problems. The applications of Virtual Reality are vast, ranging from areas such as education to others such as entertainment and medical research. Ever since I found out about virtual reality, I have been eager to do some personal research into it to understand exactly what it is. I first found out about virtual reality through various video game blogs. In the entertainment world, virtual reality has already started being implemented into video games with consoles such as the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vibe already hitting stores. HOW VR WORKS Virtual Reality might seem like a hard concept for some people to grasp; understanding how it is humanly possible to be transported into an entirely different world by just looking into a pair of goggles. The truth is, it isn t too complicated. VR is comprised of interactive computer simulation which notes the state of the user and then enhances sensory feedback information, to one or more senses, in a way that gives the user a sense of being immersed in a virtual environment [2]. There are four elements of VR namely: virtual environment, virtual presence, sensory feedback, and interactivity [3]. Virtual Environment: This is a computer-generated environment that presents descriptions of objects in a simulation [4]. It also defines the rules and relationships that govern these objects [5] Virtual Presence: There are two forms of virtual presence; physical and mental [6]. Physical presence is achieved by presenting a synthesis of stimuli the user s senses in response to their position and actions [7]. It generally renders the virtual world through sight, sound, and touch (haptics) [8]. Mental presence considers how mentally involved one is in the virtual world and requires being ignorant to the real world to a certain degree [9]. Both forms of virtual presence work hand in hand. For instance, synthetic stimuli enhance one s physical presence in the virtual environment and drowns out real world stimuli thus increasing mental presence in the virtual environment and decreasing mental presence in the real world [10]. Sensory Feedback: The VR system provides direct sensory feedback to users based on their physical location. Feedback is generally given via visual information; the system then must be capable of automatically measuring the position and orientation of objects in the real environment [11]. Interactivity: For VR is to be realistic, it must respond to the user s actions. The user s ability to affect computer-generated environments shows one form of interaction. Another possibility would be to change the location and angle through which the user views the environment. APPLICATIONS OF VR IN THE REAL WORLD VR IN CHILD EDUCATION Stop for a second and think of the difference between learning about outer space from the picture that you see in a textbook and getting to experience the feeling of being in outer University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering

2 space. With Virtual Reality, the latter of the two is now possible. Immersion has been proven to boost learning ability and since we already have the technology to do so, why don t we [12]? Well, one reason is that some people believe that this idea is farfetched and won t deliver as it promises. This is the debate that is currently ongoing in the Virtual Reality world [13]. As I have made clear in previous sections I am for the use of Virtual Reality in Education, and so are a lot of popular companies. In fact, in March 2014, Facebook paid $2 billion to acquire the Oculus Riff and started working with the Oculus team to try and take it to new levels [14]. Schools around the United States and the world already are increasing their broadband connectivity with the aim of implementing broadband-dependent learning into the education system [15]. This gives way for VR to be used in schools as the resources are readily available. Not everyone is in favor of adopting this new form of technology. One reason against implementing VR in schools is the big transition. By this I mean changing from one form of education which has been primarily used for years to a new form of education which might possibly be better but remains a foreign method. Another reason is the possible side-effects of VR on the brain. Wayee Chu, a partner at Reach Newschools Capital, had this to say about the possible side effects of VR No one really knows the impact or effects of these experiences on the developing brain. Like any new technology, you don t want your kid or adult in front of the screen for extended periods [16]. All the doubts that people have about Virtual Reality can be cast away with time. It is normal for us humans to feel uncertain when treading new waters. VR IN THE MEDICAL WORLD Virtual Reality also has some applications in the medical world. An example of this is in the field of neuroscience research. VR headsets can act as brain monitors to enable researchers to examine more accurately the brain functions that go on during an operation or activity [17]. There are several reasons why VR is used in neuroscience research. One of these is that it allows naturalistic interactive behaviors to take place while brain activity is monitored via imaging or direct recording [18]. VR has value for studying processes such as neuronal connectivity, developmental dynamics and neuromuscular output [19]. VR environments also make it possible for neuroscientists to manipulate multimodal stimulus inputs which makes it more believable to the user that he or she is present in the perceived environment [20] In addition to neuroscience research, researchers have also found VR to be very effective for therapeutic applications. So far, VR has been successfully applied in anxiety disorders, pain disorders and posttraumatic stress disorders [21]. In some cases, VR therapies have an advantage over standard therapies. An example of this would be in precise control over the degree of exposure to therapeutic scenarios (for example, treating a fear of heights without requiring a patient to look over a cliff) [22]. Another would be the ability to create a scenario that caters exactly to the needs of the patient. VR IN ENTERTAINMENT This is perhaps the most understandable and widely known use of VR. A lot of Video game companies have started incorporating VR into their consoles because they see that that is the next step in technological advancement of video games [23]. Some videogaming VR headsets that have gained some popularity over the years include the Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, and the HTC Vive [24]. ADVANCES IN VR TECHNOLOGY One of the major concerns with VR at first was that the technology needed to make virtual simulations look realistic enough to be believable and run at a smooth, steady frame which was not readily available [25]. This could have been a major contributing factor as to why people didn t have much faith in VR Tech at first. This is changing however due to advancements in VR Technology. VR Researchers are currently working on improving VR by making computer codes and algorithms to optimize the VR experience [26]. This new algorithm that they have come up with helps to triangulate the location of the face while using a VR headset to smoothly change the orientation of the environment the VR user sees within the headset [27]. The function of the algorithm is to predict the next possible move of the user to reconstruct the missing motion between the captured post and the predicted one [28]. This results in very smooth tracking and therefore makes the VR environment seem more realistic [29]. This is only one of the different ways in which Virtual Reality is being advanced. In the next few years we should expect an outburst in VR being used everywhere by everyone. A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR VR The implementation of VR into our everyday lives is starting to seem more like a reality with every passing day. With speedy advances in technology there is no doubt that VR would be ready for us to take full control over it soon. The real question is are we ready for VR to take over us? 2

3 As discussed in the previous sections VR has its many applications ranging from education to entertainment. In education, VR can help provide an immersive environment for children to learn which will help in speeding up the learning process. VR also makes it easier to teach students with disabilities as research has shown [30]. VR also plays a major role in the medical industry where it is sometimes used as a means of recording data in and conducting neuroscience related experiment. It is also used as a form of therapy. VR s most practical use right now is in the entertainment world as this is a place in which it has already started to gain a lot of popularity. Within a few years it won t be a surprise if most media switches to some sort of virtual reality form. SOURCES [1] J. Emspak. What Is Virtual Reality? Live Science [2] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [3] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [4] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [5] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [6] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [7] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [8] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f

4 26%2Fchp%25253A %25252F [9] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [10] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [11] M. Mihelj. Virtual Reality Technology and 007%252F hapter%2f %2f %2fchp%25253a %25252f [12] M. Horn. Virtual reality disruption: will 3-D technology [13] M. Horn. Virtual reality disruption: will 3-D technology [14] M. Horn. Virtual reality disruption: will 3-D technology [15] M. Horn. Virtual reality disruption: will 3-D technology [16] M. Horn. Virtual reality disruption: will 3-D technology [17] C. Bohil. Virtual reality in neuroscience research and therapy [18] C. Bohil. Virtual reality in neuroscience research and therapy [19] C. Bohil. Virtual reality in neuroscience research and therapy [20] C. Bohil. Virtual reality in neuroscience research and therapy [21] N. Uvais. Virtual reality applications in Schizophrenia. Industrial Psychiatry &ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF- 8&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fsummon.serialssolutions.com&rft _val_fmt=info%3aofi%2ffmt%3akev%3amtx%3ajournal &rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=virtual+reality+applications+in +Schizophrenia&rft.jtitle=Industrial+Psychiatry+Journal&rft.au=N+Uvais&rft.date= &rft.pub=Medknow+Publications+%26+Media+Pvt.+Ltd &rft.issn= &rft.eissn=0976-4

5 2795&rft.volume=24&rft.issue=2&rft_id=info:doi/ %2F &rft.externalDocID= &paramdict=e n-us [22] C. Bohil. Virtual reality in neuroscience research and therapy [23] C. Mims. Virtual Reality Isn t Just About Games. The Wall Street Journal [24] C. Mims. Virtual Reality Isn t Just About Games. The Wall Street Journal [25] A. Amamra. Smooth head tracking for virtual reality applications [26] A. Amamra. Smooth head tracking for virtual reality applications [27] A. Amamra. Smooth head tracking for virtual reality applications [28] A. Amamra. Smooth head tracking for virtual reality applications [29] A. Amamra. Smooth head tracking for virtual reality applications [30] M. Horn. Virtual reality disruption: will 3-D technology ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge my sister Chidera Altraide for helping me understand my topic and for giving me the encouragement to finish this paper. 5