When we either think about or talk
about Virtual Worlds, our thoughts sometimes envision Virtual Reality or
Augmented Reality and though they can all be tied mutually together, they each also have
some differences between them. I had decided to explore the three forms of
technology so that I can better connect them with some aspects of the
class readings. It’s also important to remember that this type of
technology can also get mislabeled and confused with most multiplayer video game technology, since modern
games also employ many elements of VR, AR or VW technology, but they are not the same because video
games are mostly based on challenges, achieving an objective within the game or scoring
points in order to win and most games also have an end to them, meaning that
after you reach the conclusion of the game it stops.
Virtual Reality
In the article ‘What is Virtual
Reality? Definition and Examples’ by Joe Bardi (2019) he explained that Virtual
Reality or VR is the use of computer technology for the creation of a computer-generated
environment that actually puts the user inside a simulated 3D experience (para.
1). Rather than a user viewing a screen in front of them, users are immersed into
a generated experience in which they are able to interact as though they are in the
real world, while the computer is transformed into the gatekeeper for the
artificial environment (Bardi, 2019 para. 1). Furthermore, VR attempts to simulate as
many real senses as possible, such as vision, hearing, touch, and sometimes
even smell. However, one component of the VR technology that sets it apart is the use of the
head-mounted display which is also one of the most immediately recognizable aspects of the technology, plus the only limits to near-real VR experiences are the
availability of content and low-cost computing power (Bardi, 2019 para. 1).
Augmented Reality
On the other hand, unlike Virtual
Reality, Augmented Reality or AR simulates artificial objects in the real
environment, while Virtual Reality creates an artificial environment to inhabit,
in other words, AR has one foot in the real world and one in the virtual system (Bardi, 2019 para. 2).
Moreover, the AR technology uses visual overlays, buzzy haptic feedback, or other sensory
projection and algorithms to determine the position
and orientation of a camera which then utilize the technology to render a 3D
graphic as it would appear from the viewpoint of the camera, while
superimposing the computer-generated visual images over a user’s view of the real
world which they can manipulate (Bardi, 2019 para. 3).
Virtual Worlds
In the website Techopedia, on a webpage titled
‘Definition - What does Virtual World mean?’ by the editorial staff (n.d.) they
had defined virtual worlds as;
“a computer-based online community
environment that is designed and shared by individuals so that they can
interact in a custom-built, simulated world. Users interact with each other in
this simulated world using text-based, two-dimensional or three-dimensional
graphical models called avatars. Avatars are graphically rendered using
computer graphics imaging (CGI) or any other rendering technology. Individuals
control their avatars using input devices like the keyboard, mouse and other
specially designed command and simulation gadgets. Today's virtual worlds are
purpose-built for entertainment, social, educational, training and various
other purposes.” (para. 1)
They further said that Virtual Worlds are sometimes referred
to as Digital Worlds (Techopedia, n.d. para. 3). Moreover, per capita
expenditures on Virtual Worlds goods has contributed to a robust economy that
is mostly driven by avatar-to-avatar transactions and is estimated to be worth
between $1 billion to $2 billion a year in real dollars (Ferla, 2009, para. 6).
However, one of the most popular and well-known Virtual Worlds is Second Life
which like most Virtual Worlds is a multiuser virtual environment in which a
computer program lets online users construct settings and hang out in them,
using video-game-like characters or avatars (Knafo, 2009, para. 4).
Furthermore, Virtual Worlds can even help individuals with
disabilities such as those who suffering from multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy
to freely interact with other people in a safe environment that they create
and where their disabilities are no longer an issue for them. In the article,
‘iReport: 'Naughty Auties' battle autism with virtual interaction’ by Nicole
Saidi (2008) she had mentioned that a Virtual World user by the name of David
Savill, who has Asperger's syndrome, created an area within the virtual world
of Second Life called Naughty Auties because he wanted a place that would serve
those with autism spectrum disorders plus their friends and family (Saidi,
2008). Additionally, he had said that a benefit of the space is that visitors
can practice social interaction and find information about the condition and
also, the graphical representations of real people can create a comfort zone
that will coax users out of their shells and get them communicating with others
(Saidi, 2008).
Virtual worlds are also becoming a great tool for fostering
creativity and collaboration, especially among artists, designers, engineers, manufactures and businesses. In the
article ‘Going to the virtual office in Second Life’ By Mark Tutton (2009) he
has stated “According to Linden Lab, creators of Second Life, more than 1,400
organizations– including large companies, educational institutions, government
agencies and even the U.S. military – use Second Life to hold meetings, conduct
training and prototype new technologies more efficiently” (para. 5). Moreover, Virtual
Worlds like Second Life are creating new tools that will allow businesses to
have virtual meetings on their own computer networks and which would let
employees to meet, cooperate and collaborate from the privacy of a company's secure network, rather than the
public networks used in the standard Second Life, with this extra security it can encourage
more companies to utilize the technology as part of their presentation and communication tools (Tutton, 2009). Furthermore, companies are seeking innovative ways to bring employees together for not just
remote meetings but also for conferences in virtual environments and connecting virtual teams located in international offices. Furthermore, the technology that powers Virtual Worlds has allowed for the ability to collaborate effectively by using virtual tools that
are becoming an increasingly important skill for the future as Virtual Worlds start to offer more application options (Tutton, 2009).
However, as with most new forms of technology, there can be negative
consequence, especially within Virtual Worlds. In the article titled ‘Virtual
world may impact real-world behaviour’ by health24 (2014), the publisher had
indicated that according to new research published in Psychological Science, a
journal of the Association for Psychological Science, they have said that how users
represent themselves in the virtual world can have an effect on how they
behave toward other people in the real world (para. 1). The lead researcher
Gunwoo Yoon of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign had stated that
“Our results indicate that just five minutes of role-playing in virtual
environments as either a hero or villain can easily cause people to reward or
punish anonymous strangers," (health24, 2014, para. 2). This occurs when
people put on virtual masks and become someone else in a world where others
don’t know their true identities and they are also given free rein to be whoever they want. Additionally, Virtual Worlds can
further, isolate individuals who are already lonely by keeping them from
interacting with the real world around them and closing them off from family, friends and society when they decide to only live and interact within the confines of a virtual environment. Plus, virtual worlds can have the potential of creating communities of trolls, cyberbully, and hate groups and people can also become
victims of scam and fraud as well, since it's easy for thieves to pretend to be someone else or steal someone's identity to scam others.
In conclusion, the technology does
offer a lot of potential for individuals and companies by adding to current and future communication and interaction technological tools especially when combined with other types of constructive technology such as Artificial intelligence (AI). Virtual Worlds also have the added benefits of allowing people who can’t afford to travel or who suffer from
disabilities to explore the world and become a virtual tourist. Additionally, the technology
can also be used to further enhance collaboration and foster more creativity among different people across
the globe. But, more importantly, it can also be used for endless ideas and options such as educational, training
and medical purposes. I also see the technology become more integrated within
our lives and gadgets such as TV, Laptops, and smartphones as a way to give us deeper and richer entertainment engagement, including more movie theaters offering extra virtual world experiences.
However, I wonder how adding Virtual Worlds with social networking, blogs or Wiki would change the way we interact and communicate in the future.
Bardi, J. (2019, July 3). What is Virtual Reality? VR
Definition and Examples. Retrieved
October 22, 2019, from
https://www.marxentlabs.com/what-is-virtual-reality/.
Ferla, R. L. (2009, October 21). No Budget, No Boundaries:
It's the Real You. Retrieved October
22, 2019, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22Avatar.html.
Health24. What is a Virtual World? - Definition from
Techopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22,
2019, from
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/25604/virtual-world. Virtual world may impact real-world
behaviour. (2014, February 10). Retrieved October 22, 2019, from
https://www.health24.com/Mental-Health/News/Virtual-world-may-impact-real-world-behaviour-20140210.
Knafo, S. (2009, May 2). In Room 100, It's Sid and Nancy All
Over Again. Retrieved October
22, 2019, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/nyregion/thecity/03virt.html.
Mehta, D. (2013, May 1). After Second Life, Can Virtual
Worlds Get a Reboot? Retrieved
October 22, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/dianemehta/2013/04/30/after-second-life-can-virtual-worlds-get-a-reboot/#5487c2a2735a.
Saidi, N. (2008, March 28). iReport: 'Naughty Auties' battle
autism with virtual interaction.
Retrieved October 22, 2019, from
https://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/28/sl.autism.irpt/index.html.
Tutton, M. (2009, November 9). Going to the virtual office
in Second Life. Retrieved October
22, 2019, from
http://www.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/11/05/second.life.virtual.collaboration/.
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