Virtual Reality tech

[Shrykull]

I wonder if they'll ever be one so good it'll be exactly like the matrix, and it would stimulate all 5 of your senses.

See these links http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 234252.htm.

http://www.iastate.edu/news/releases/02 ... tips.shtml


Could it even stimulate your sense of touch? The part of your brain that is stimulated when you are touched, or feel heat, cold, whatever is called the post central gyrus. So, in this "virtual reality" you could even have sex, go for a swim/jacuzzi, sauna, skydive, or anything else that requires tactile sensation.

Would it even be possible for you to have a different shape in the virtual world? You could be a dragon, or Goro from Mortal Kombat, or an alien/different gender, whatever else.

[Zablorg]

Would it even be possible for you to have a different shape in the virtual world? You could be a dragon, or Goro from Mortal Kombat, or an alien/different gender, whatever else.

I don't know about that. While the five senses involve stimulating the brain, wouldn't it be impossible to stimulate "nerves" that don't exist, specifically the touch? If you were being simulated as something a great deal larger than yourself, for instance, the area of your skin would increase greatly which the brain, being grounded in reality, would probably not be able to cope with.

[Samuel]

If it works as well as predicted, why would you ever leave? Of course, I have no doubt that production will be problematic- look at how screwy current games and programs are.

[Solauren]

Adding extra appendages wouldn't be that hard. However, there would be a massive learning curve.

Case in point, I remember reading on here about scientists having hooked a monkey up to a robotic arm (without amputating), and the monkey did eventually learn to operate the robo-arm independent of it's organic limbs.

I can imagine, however, that there could be problems once you have that skill, outside of the VR environment, in real life.

I mean, can you imagine the effect of say, while driving, something sudden happens, and your first reaction is to swing your extra limb to the brakes, and not your feet?

[Oskuro]

Besides, we all know the first thing we'll do is not to become a dragon, or a multi-limb machine, but the opposite gender.

[Shrykull]

If it works as well as predicted, why would you ever leave? Of course, I have no doubt that production will be problematic- look at how screwy current games and programs are.

I'd leave because it wouldn't be real, I couldn't really ever accept it as such, just like if you knew you were in the matrix and the world around you was an elaborate illusion, a lie. Like Shinova said once.

[Shrykull]

Would it even be possible for you to have a different shape in the virtual world? You could be a dragon, or Goro from Mortal Kombat, or an alien/different gender, whatever else.

I don't know about that. While the five senses involve stimulating the brain, wouldn't it be impossible to stimulate "nerves" that don't exist, specifically the touch? If you were being simulated as something a great deal larger than yourself, for instance, the area of your skin would increase greatly which the brain, being grounded in reality, would probably not be able to cope with.

You're probably right. As each place on your skin body, has a corresponding place in the post central gyrus that it stimulates when you are touched/burned/feel cold there, which wouldn't exist if you were something bigger, or even maybe smaller than yourself.

[Forum Troll]

As each place on your skin body, has a corresponding place in the post central gyrus that it stimulates when you are touched/burned/feel cold there, which wouldn't exist if you were something bigger, or even maybe smaller than yourself.

If you were possessing a body of non-humanoid shape, then the result might be weird. Example: Lacking a direct place to map touch, heat, or pain experienced by a tail, the closest that could be done easily might be an indirect method like making one's butt feel each respectively if the tail experienced it.

(Nevertheless, I do recall reading about the monkey with basic motor control of a simple artificial "third limb," and the brain could learn and "remap" itself given enough time, yet that would be harder and awkward when one left VR or switched back to a regular body, as Solauren pointed out).

Yet if you were possessing a body of the same humanoid shape, size is irrelevant in itself. Example: If you tap into a nerve going to your right thumb, the nerve for touch on the tip of it can be stimulated whenever the corresponding part of the avatar's thumb touches something, whether the avatar's body is 10x smaller or 10x bigger in the virtual world.

There are three ways to simulate touch in virtual reality:

1. The easiest near-term method, done by experimental and specialized equipment today:

A glove (or even a bodysuit in principle) uses mechanical actuators pressing against or resisting the movement of fingers to provide some force feedback. Obviously, this doesn't fully replicate touch but just provides some sensations.

2. Stimulating nerves away from the brain such as in the hands.

Early on, you might be less inclined to mess with the brain directly in humans if avoidable, perhaps safer and simpler with early technology to tap into nerves in the hands or in the arm rather than do microsurgery implantation messing around with the brain itself yet.

3. Stimulating neurons in the brain directly.

The most advanced technology.

For #2 and #3, it would first be done for prosthetics like replacement limbs for amputees, up to one day being able to help somebody paralyzed from the neck down by good enough neural interfacing for them to control their body once modified, or a robotic exoskeleton, or an android body.

[Forum Troll]

Part of the question actually is what kind of non-human bodies would people often want in a virtual world at times when they weren't going for the standard humanoid avatars?

My guess:

1. Humans with wings, angel-like, or other flying creatures like dragons.

Technically, in a virtual world, people could fly around without wings (not that even wings realistically help for a human in terrestrial gravity and atmosphere), but it is likely thematically desired, such as in a fantasy setting.

2. Cats

Ever seen players just enjoying running around in cat form in World of Warcraft?

While they might not want to be in a similar form all the time, it'd likely be popular part-time.

3. ???

[Molyneux]

Besides, we all know the first thing we'll do is not to become a dragon, or a multi-limb machine, but the opposite gender.

...Yeah, you're probably right. I'm still hoping we'll figure out some relatively-genuine way to do that (preferably reversibly) in the real world in my lifetime.

Honestly, all you really need to do is take Second Life and add force-feedback and you've got the beginnings of what everyone here is talking about.