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Quite simply, virtual reality is the simulation of a world – whether real or imagined. This concept is nothing new. The concept of a simulated world has been explored by movies of decades past such as Star Trek or the more recent The Matrix. However, virtual reality is not limited to science fiction – it has indeed permeated our real world and providing a host of beneficial uses beyond just mere entertainment.
Applications of current virtual reality technology are mostly limited to stimulating two senses – sight and hearing. Most virtual reality environments are limited to creating visual simulations of a real or imagined world projected through a computer screen, special displays or in another similar medium. Additional sensory stimulations could be in the form of sound, easily achieved with plug-ins such as speakers or headphones. Sound has even moved into the realm of the three-dimensional, which is quite easily achieved with the addition of speakers above and below the user. Latest developments, however, have successfully simulated the tactile sense through force feedback. This has proven to be not only very entertaining for computer gamers, but also very useful in the medical field. Simulating the sense of touch through a wired glove or a multi-directional treadmill allows users to interact more deeply with a virtual environment. This has proven to be very helpful in the flight simulation of pilots or combat training of army men.
With the concurrent simulations of the three senses of sight, sound and touch, one gets easily immersed into a simulated environment without much effort or imagination required. The development of advanced computer software, head mounted displays, accelerated hardware and enhanced graphics have made virtual worlds more real, thus opening doors for a wider variety of applications. Perhaps in the not so far future, full body immersion and telepresence could very well be a part of our reality.
Next up for virtual reality: simulating smell and taste. To lend a simulation of the best quality, all five senses have to be replicated. However, smell and taste is proving to be quite a challenge. There have been some recent attempts to stimulating the olfactory sense, as it was found out to be useful in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder particularly in war veterans. In fact, strong fumes such as burning rubber and gasoline fumes have been replicated very realistically. However, copying delicate and complex aromas such as flowers or food products could be restrictively expensive. Thus, the use of virtual reality in fields such as the perfume or food industry has limited viability.
Though we still do not know the full potentials and limits of this amazing technology, one thing is for sure: virtual reality aims to duplicate reality as close as possible. Could the line between the real and the simulated be blurred? Could people not want to live their homes anymore as they have become so caught up in their perfect virtual worlds? These are the questions some critics are posing regarding the possible negative societal impacts of virtual reality. But whether these predictions will come true in the future remains to be seen.
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