Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!dali.cs.montana.edu!milton!hlab From: dowen@BBN.COM (Dan Owen) Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds Subject: Re: Virtual Reality, Helmets, and Gloves Message-ID: <1991Apr4.171457.17426@milton.u.washington.edu> Date: 4 Apr 91 15:47:47 GMT Sender: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu (Human Int. Technology Lab) Organization: Human Interface Technology Lab, Univ. of Wash., Seattle. Lines: 38 Approved: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu Any definition of virtual reality that limits or defines the senses (i.e.taste, touch sight, smell, etc.) or the devices which are providing those senses with virtual perception seems to me to be someone's or some group's particular narrow definition. Virtual reality fits neatly with sensory deprivation in that the normal function of a particular sense is disrupted. Virtual reality, of course, differs from sensory deprivation in that pseudo sense data are provided to the sensory path in question. The number of senses provided with substitute sensory data and the overall fidelity of the virtual reality which is provided need to pass a threshold to be accepted. This threshold may be defined as that level of fidelity to a plausible reality which allows the virtual participant to temporarily suspend disbelief in the fictitious nature of the experience. Once this important act of perceptive cognition has occurred then for a time the virtual reality is accepted as actual reality. Numerous anecdotes of the fear, anger and nausea experienced by pilots in flight simulators and tank crews in networked simulation training environments attest to this fundamental requirement of virtual reality. Perhaps I am merely stating the obvious so I'll stop here. > >I am wondering whether the concept of virtual reality does, >almost by definition, involve the use of helmets with eyepieces, >together with gloves. > > >[MODERATOR'S NOTE: This is a reasonable topic, and one that often >emerges between designers of conventional workstations and virtual >systems enthusiasts. What does the Group Mind think? -- Bob J.] > -------- Daniel P. Owen dowen@bbn.com Database Modeling Group Leader BBN Systems and Technologies Division BBN Advanced Simulation 1-206-746-6800 FAX 1-206-746-1335 14100 Southeast 36th Street, Bellevue, WA 98006 Home 1-206-723-6304