VIRTUAL REALITY ENVIRONMENT (WXGE 6310) Future of Virtual Reality

Future of VR 3 different duration : The near future In the next few years Far in the future (fact or fantasy?)

1. The near future Many new developments at all levels of VR : Desktop Large-scale simulation Mobile computing

Desktop developments Further developments in VRML

Large-scale simulations In multi-processor SGI machines Support industrial simulations Car design Factory design Molecular chemistry Supported by new display technologies CAVES Hemispherical display screens

Also includes force-feedback so user can feel bump into objects & move over textured surfaces Multiple users can supported with speech & integrated video

Mobile VR With mobile VR, a small computer is worn by the user together with a monocular head set, headphone & microphone Paramedics collecting information at an accident site Soldiers & technicians following maintenance schedules for equipment

2. The next few years (Technical challenge) Hardware will get faster Supports : High-quality images Interaction support (more complete) – allow gasping of objects, sense of touch, etc Realistic 3D sound More complex texture mapping will be supported with shades & bump-mapping

System will become more reliable Permanently available virtual world Faster network access Artificial Intelligent (AI) live in VR

The next few years (Human challenge) VR does not fully use all human senses Images are still cartoon-like & have limited smooth shading 3D sound & the use of different qualities of sound are not fully exploited The sense of touch is only now being researched The sense of smell Position sensors are still not sensitive enough

The next few years (Social challenge) Experimental Multi-user VR spaces have some mechanisms for exploiting human social abilities Allowing small groups to be performed Limiting the scope of communication Spaces for crowds The design of spaces is also being consider from the architectural perspective

3. Far in the future (10-20 years) Within the next 2 decades will electronic computers be replaced by quantum & molecular computers? Thousand times mode powerful & support highly parallel computation They might support VR scenes that are true to life Self-aware spaces – using ideas of the conscious computer Brain-to-computer interface

Disadvantages of VR in future Addicted Cannot tell – is it real situation or VR? Insult others in multi-user VR