Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality – The benefits of hacking our consciousness

Posted on by chrisbpowell

In my previous post Virtual Reality – Experiencing the infinite, I explored the prevailing technology of Virtual Reality and some of the implications it may have. Not only am I excited about the form of the technology, but also how it is used, as like any new tool this is key to its success. Despite still being relatively young in it’s current form, there are already some uses and trends which I have found really interesting, which achieve much more than just simple entertainment.

As far back as we can see we have always found ways to hack our senses and natural systems. How we experience the world today ultimately became that way due to survival. At some point each sense or response served a purpose by merely facilitating the avoidance of immediate threat. In our more recent history we have found ways to hack these systems to feel the rush or bodily effect, without actually experiencing the danger itself. A simple example of this is a roller coaster or sky diving. These both lead the body to kick in natural systems to a heightened state of awareness, releasing chemicals into our body that have a variety of effects.

Chris 095

Despite the adrenaline inducing examples above, there are other ways we can create immersive experiences and involve our thought in the here and now. Throughout history there are examples such as grand architecture like cathedrals that create a feeling of awe, psychedelic drugs used for dreamtime, complex musical arrangements, theatre, and forward to the cinema experience of today. They are all finding new and greater ways to change our frame of mind, experience something new and communicate complex thought and experience to one another. Read More

Virtual Reality – Experiencing the infinite

Posted on by chrisbpowell

Virtual recently captured my attention when using it as part of a solution on a project I recently worked on in financial services. In a seemingly unlikely place to use virtual reality as a solution, I began to see the benefits and implications this technology does, can and will have on society and on how we perceive the world. The more I researched, the more engaged I became in this area and the more exciting the future of it seemed to me.

VR

If you have not yet been able to experience (basic levels of) virtual reality, I encourage you to do so. It is not until you really experience it yourself you begin to understand these experiences are much less than a simple gimmick. This technology is here now, already in very accessible ways such as Youtube. If you filter Youtube video results for 360° you will find videos recorded in 360 that you can navigate by the arrows on your keyboard or by clicking and dragging (such as this video). Better yet, observe these on your mobile phone through the Youtube app and you will be able to look around by moving your body, which is detected by the accelerometers in your phone.

This technology for the first time is allowing our consciousness to be separated from our physical environment. We are hacking our senses to have experiences that may not have been possible otherwise. The experience doesn’t just stop at our vision though, there are many developments which are allowing these experiences to involve many or all of our senses which are used to construct our perception of reality. Some examples of this are soon to be virtual reality theme parks such as The Void which create complete multisensory virtually enhanced environments using a variety of technologies.

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