Virtual Reality And Augmented Reality: Case Study

Introduction

Virtual reality (VR) is an interactive computer-generated experience taking place within a simulated environment. The simulated environment and everything it contains is created by a designer. This environment is similar to the real world.

Augmented reality systems are considered a form of VR that layers virtual imagery over a live camera feed into a smartphone or tablet device giving the user the ability to view 3D images from any angle. Examples of successful AR systems can be seen in games and apps used today such as the Dominos app and Pokemon Go.

Current VR technology commonly uses virtual reality headsets, in combination with physical environments or props to generate realistic images and sounds. A person using virtual reality equipment is able to explore the virtual world by moving within it and interact with features or items.

VR and AR are forms of artificial intelligence, modelling and simulation.

History

Virtual Reality

In the mid-1950s, cinematographer Morton Heilig developed the first VR system named Sensorama. Sensorama was an arcade-style theatre cabinet that would use all the senses, not just sight and sound. It presented stereo speakers, a stereoscopic 3D display, fans, smell generators and a vibrating chair. The Sensorama was intended to fully immerse the user in the film. Heilig also created six short films for his invention all of which were filmed and edited by him. The Sensorama films were titled, Motorcycle, Belly Dancer, Dune Buggy, helicopter, A date with Sabina and I’m a Coca Cola bottle! The most commonly used VR headsets consist of a head-mounted display with a small screen in front of the eyes. VR systems that include transmission of vibrations to the user through a game controller or other devices are known as haptic systems.

Augmented Reality

In 1968 a Harvard professor and a computer scientist named Ivan Sutherland invented “The Sword of Damocles”, which was the first VR/AR system. The Sword of Damocles featured a head-mounted display that hung from the ceiling. In 1990 a Boeing researcher named Tom Caudell first used the term “Augmented Reality”. An important advancement in the AR technology happened in 2000 when Hirokazu Kato from the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan created and released software called ARToolKit. Through this software one could capture real world actions and combine it with interactions of virtual objects.

Focus Case

Virtual Reality

Mental Health

VR has become a primary method for treating post-traumatic stress. Using VR therapy a person enters a re-enactment of a traumatic event. It has also been used to treat anxiety, phobias and depression. Virtual reality technology can provide a safe environment for users to come into contact with things they fear while remaining in a controlled and safe environment. There are 3 classifications for immersion, these are non-immersive, semi-immersive and fully immersive.

Key features

Some of the key features of VR are the virtual world, immersion, sensory feedback and interactivity. Movies are more immersive than books because the sound and images help pull you in quicker. Virtual worlds are more immersive than movies because you also have the benefit of interactivity and identification with your avatar. Interactivity depends on 3 key points those points are speed, range and mapping. Speed is the rate of a user’s actions that the computer records. Range is the number of possible results or reactions that can come out of the action made by the user. Mapping is the ability of the computer to produce results as good as the real world made by the user.

Augmented Reality

Design & Modelling

From interior design to architecture and construction, AR is helping professionals visualise their products during the creative process. The use of headsets enables architects and engineers to step directly into their buildings and spaces to see how their designs might look from the inside and outside. Urban planners can even model how entire city layouts might look using AR headset visualisation.

Analysis

Virtual Reality – Impact on individuals

Virtual reality has impacted many fields including the area of mental health. Individuals have been mainly positively impacted some examples of this can be with surgeons they make use of virtual artificial to check through a patient’s body so that they can determine exactly where tumours are located and they can also determine how the best way to extract them. Every big healthcare provider now works with a VR company to develop different medical VR apps.

Virtual Reality – Impact on society

Virtual reality has affected communities in a positive way by it allowing training in difficult jobs. An example of some of these jobs includes medical, defense forces, and architects. These jobs help the community by making the training courses more realistic and immersive. Besides from training you can also use VR to simulate natural disasters teaching users how to react for example and earthquake. Besides from all the serious uses for VR you will also be able to use it for entertainment purposes. You will be able to watch a movie while feeling like you are actually there. The only downside the VR besides some people having nausea is that it will be very expensive to own or use restricting VR only to people who are wealthy.

Augmented Reality – Impact on individuals

One major field in which augmented reality will have a huge impact in is the medical field. It is already being used for surgeries. In 2013 a surgery was performed using Google Glass and VIPAAR a virtual AR app. The capabilities of this technology will allow for surgeries to be more simple offering a safe environment and experience to patients and reducing the chances of medical problems appearing after surgery is performed. There is an app called EyeDecide that will educate users on eye health. Doctors can use a skin cancer app that will inspect moles with real-time vision and receive feedback. There are also glasses and devices that are being used to locate veins allowing for blood work to be performed quickly.

Augmented Reality – Impact on society

Augmented reality will have a strong impact on society. The marketing and advertisement fields will explode with augmented reality devices. The mobile applications that are being developed will offer facial recognition software that will mainstream quickly. For everyday driver navigation devices will be built into the cars and mobile devices. This is already in the works with some car manufacturers working to implement augmented reality windshields that will help drivers navigate without taking their eyes off the road. With all of the positive impacts of augmented reality, we must also consider the negative impacts as well. Just as viruses will attack software the same will happen with AR software. AR heads-up displayed can offer criminals a huge advantage on ways to develop scams and robberies that will negatively impact users. This is why it will be essential for law enforcement to be involved and work with users to minimise any potential harms that could be unleashed.

Conclusion

With reference to the history and analysis of technology. Should the emerging technology become mainstream? Which is better and will stay around in the future

Bibliography

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5. Thomas Urbaniak | Year 10 IST 2 – Mr Grant 7