Invention may send sensory information into the brain

[salm]

Everytime something like this is invented and you just know that it won´t be available to the public within reasonable time i wish i was born in 400 years when technology is even cooler.

We might have destroyed ourselves through nuclear war, or some more devastating weapon i can't think of by then. Or maybe, humans will no longer reside in their real bodies, but will be little more than human brains floating in mechanical bodies.

Or maybe aliens will have conquered us by then. Be careful what you wish for.

I still say I'm hesitant to accept this. I've read about stuff like stagnation of public will to advance in novels like Foundation, and while they're only novels, I still worry.

Yeah. No risk, no fun. Sucks, doesn´t it?
We might also have achieved world peace (or at least half world peace) conquered some pinko commi alien planet and will be able to choose if and when we want to reside in our real bodies and when in mechanical bodies.
I´d risk it, just to find out.

[FireNexus]

Though I seriously doubt that what will come of this will ever be true virtual reality, I can't help but being interested in the idea. Imagine a star wars game where you can actually feel and use the force the way the jedi do, instead of it being a bunch of abilities you choose from.

It would be cool, but it won't ever happen, more than likely.

[Dooey Jo]

Though I seriously doubt that what will come of this will ever be true virtual reality, I can't help but being interested in the idea. Imagine a star wars game where you can actually feel and use the force the way the jedi do, instead of it being a bunch of abilities you choose from.

It would be cool, but it won't ever happen, more than likely.

Nah, it'll happen. It'll be when the last remaining person of this board someday in the far future reads his electronic newspaper and finds out that they have just implemented the technology and that it will be released soon. He then gets so excited about it that he suffers a massive heart attack.

My concern would be the rise of a 'Why bother with the hassle of relationships when you can get a virtual fuck any time you want' attitude.

I suppose that's possible, but I think virtual sex would only be fun for so long, and then it'd suck (edit: That wasn't intentional). Of course, if they'd mix it with a really good virutal relationship game/sim, then it might become a bit concerning (like the Sims, only you can be a sim yourself). Though I guess it could be used to improve one's real-world social skills. But there would certainly be a larger risk of getting addicted.

Besides, you can practically do that today anyway via prostitutes. Getting around the hassle of relationships, that is, not the virtual fucking part (unless you have cyber sex with... cyber prostitutes... O_o). And as I've understood it, sex with a hooker is not in the same league as sex with someone you're in love with (I wouldn't know though, haven't tried either...).

[2000AD]

Screw the FTL, screw the brilliant AI and screw the nasty weapons. Once we have this we can stop trying to get up to the level of The Culture.

[salm]

I suppose that's possible, but I think virtual sex would only be fun for so long, and then it'd suck (edit: That wasn't intentional). Of course, if they'd mix it with a really good virutal relationship game/sim, then it might become a bit concerning (like the Sims, only you can be a sim yourself). Though I guess it could be used to improve one's real-world social skills. But there would certainly be a larger risk of getting addicted.

Besides, you can practically do that today anyway via prostitutes. Getting around the hassle of relationships, that is, not the virtual fucking part (unless you have cyber sex with... cyber prostitutes... O_o). And as I've understood it, sex with a hooker is not in the same league as sex with someone you're in love with (I wouldn't know though, haven't tried either...).

Bah, fuck sex. You can get that the normal way. The advantage of this is that you can do stuff that you normally can not. like tying yourself to the outer hull of an F16 in combat (or a stardestroyer), experiencing different strengths of gravity or enjoying the effect of heroine without the damaging side effects.

[FireNexus]

Bah, fuck sex. You can get that the normal way. The advantage of this is that you can do stuff that you normally can not. like tying yourself to the outer hull of an F16 in combat (or a stardestroyer), experiencing different strengths of gravity or enjoying the effect of heroine without the damaging side effects.

Actually, that's not true, salm. If you overstimulate the opiod receptors, the brain will stop producing endorphins, just like if you use heroin a lot. You would still end up with withdrawal symptoms. You just wouldn't have to shoot up.

It would be hilarious to see the black market for this kind of stuff, though. Imagine walking down a back alley in order to get a drug program from a shady street dealer.

[WyrdNyrd]

This is not a "think of all the good/bad consequences" story.

This is a "Just how fucked-up is the patent system?" story!

Sony hasn't made any prototype. They haven't even done any basic research that shows that this is even vaguely possible. This is pure sci-fi wank, that they have nonetheless patented! It's all quite ludicrous.

See The Register for a more rational, less starry-eyed analysis of this story.

[Petrosjko]

My concern would be the rise of a 'Why bother with the hassle of relationships when you can get a virtual fuck any time you want' attitude.

I suppose that's possible, but I think virtual sex would only be fun for so long, and then it'd suck (edit: That wasn't intentional). Of course, if they'd mix it with a really good virutal relationship game/sim, then it might become a bit concerning (like the Sims, only you can be a sim yourself). Though I guess it could be used to improve one's real-world social skills. But there would certainly be a larger risk of getting addicted.

Besides, you can practically do that today anyway via prostitutes. Getting around the hassle of relationships, that is, not the virtual fucking part (unless you have cyber sex with... cyber prostitutes... O_o). And as I've understood it, sex with a hooker is not in the same league as sex with someone you're in love with (I wouldn't know though, haven't tried either...).

This is highly speculative, but based on human nature and behaviorial patterns.

Okay, for the average member of western culture, relationship patterns are first established in adolescence. By and large, these are not pleasant experiences. There are the usual crushes, heartbreaks, betrayals, pettiness and shallowness, balanced somewhat by the moments of euphoria and moments of blessed hormonal release.

It's all part of the learning process.

Then you throw something like this into the mix, and voila, why go through all the hassle?

Now, yes, a virtua-relationship would not be a satisfying affair for many, but the work vs. reward ratio is also vastly skewed, if all you have to do is plug in. Furthermore, it may deprive a lot of people of the practice they need to make real relationships work.

On the business of prostitutes, the major difference is that with this technology, the costs would likely get down to where plugging in is a hell of a lot cheaper than a prostitute. Also it spares one the risk of legal problems in areas where prostitution is illegal, as well as potential social stigma and risk of venereal disease. This tech overwhelms traditional prostitution by leagues.

Am I say it's inherently wrong? Nah, it's simply a discovery. But I could see how this could cause societal difficulties until such time as civilization advances enough to develop compensating measures for dealing with the technology.

[wolveraptor]

i really can't think of any equivalent advance in history...of course, that's a bit premature, since this advance hasn't even been made yet.