[TurboOnTarmac]

An interesting and thought provoking comment from a fellow bhp'an (Thank you, lejhoom) in my earlier 'travelogue on Odisha trip' got me thinking...

I always felt, a virtual world probably can inform us, entertain us for a while but it will never be able to replace the hard physical world experience. The more I think about it, I feel there are exceptions here and could differ from person to person.

Drive: For me, no matter how good are the VR drive games or VR experience pods, while they definitely entertain and are fun, they cannot match the Joy of driving on the real tarmac behind that steering which gives you control on joy, life and danger.

I would also extend this to different cars or bikes as when I see a new bike or car in the market, I always wish that I could lay my hands on it for a while so I could experience that drive. Any VR drive option of same car or bike would not satisfy me. But I am seeing now that some may think differently.

Iconic/historical buildings and constructions:, The advanced VFX infused VR can literally awe us with the sheer experience of going through these temples, buildings and sites as if its real. Here I believe they have an edge provided the VR is really made well closer to the reality. However, for me, it would probably an augmentation to a physical visit as opposed to never visiting that place at all. I now see there could be a few who would feel otherwise.

Travel into Nature or experiencing wildlife - In my earlier visits into mountains, valleys, jungles, I always felt the photos and videos never do justice to what we feel physically experience when you are there. The advancements in VR, multi dimension studios and games, fast creating these worlds in our drawing room or in a neighbourhood mall or in VR set. However, for me, it can not really replace the physical experience. But for some, it seems, it could or at least may reduce the desire for physical experience as they have seen it in virtual world.

Erotica, It can be addictive and with VR it can be surreal but still its not real. For many, the real world experience where the human physical senses come into play with strong emotions that gets entangled is still the supreme but for vast many it is still a temporary substitution. Can this replace the real ever?

Prototyping and Modelling - This is where VR is super useful and in fact contributing so much in every field of science, engineering and technology. The dependency on physically creating a prototype or a formula and testing it in real are reducing (not fully replaceable, yet) with these advancements and is helping to speed up the innovation.

The speed at which the technology advancing and the way newer generations getting hooked up to VR, a life in an avatar, virtual world platforms like metaverse, real world like games, making me think that may be there are many who would give up a physical experience if an equivalent VR is out there?

There are many wonderful Sci-Fi movies (I am also a movie buff) that touch up on each of the above and much more. 'Ready Player One', 'Ex Machina', 'The tomorrow war'...etc are a recent few and of course the The matrix trilogy, Jurassic series, Minority report...etc were trend predicting ones from yester years.

I only listed a few areas but there are many more domains and direction that this VR is changing our worldly behaviours'.

Very much curious to know what the Bhp'ans think about this.

[Thermodynamics]

I think these are extremely unhealthy trends albeit useful applications exist. I feel our "living" is lost in the virtual world. It may not necessarily refer to virtual reality but in general every online space that consumes our time is basically invading our living. It has become a breeding ground for depression, stress, psycological disorders, sleep depriviation, spine related issues etc., it is sedentary living just like a sloth.

I badly want to go back to the olden ways. Cut off all online stuff, step out of home, walk in to a friendly saloon, climb up a hillock with friends, play gully cricket, chit chat at a road side tea stall while listening to the Radio. We have lost our living to the virtual world which in real sense is only but dreaming with eyes wide open.

[deep_bang]

Thinking along the needs of humans (Maslov's hierarchy of needs):
1. Basic needs - roti, kapda aur makan - this is always going to be physical
2. Safety/security - also likely to be always physical
3. Physiological needs like love, friendships, belonging, etc start with the physical world but extend to the virtual world. In these cases the physical world can be occasional (Ex . You may meet your kids only once a year, but talk to them more frequently on phone/video calls). This part is already true.
4. Sense of accomplishment: can be completely virtual. Imagine the kind of kick we get when a post on tbhp helps someone else. Completely virtual.
5. Self-realization: This is more a mental state beyond both physical and virtual worlds.


So my point is, as you go higher in the Maslov's hierarchy, the more irrelevant is the exact world (whether physical or virtual). So, there is more likelyhood of us embracing virtual worlds as we move up the hierarchy.

[antz.bin]

My 1st and only experience with a VR was when I sat on a virtual roller coaster tour at Umrao Mall in Lucknow. It had primitive graphics similar to the games we played in the early 2000s. But that was like the only con.

It was the closest I could get to experience a roller coaster in something like an Essel World while still being about 1400km away. Even though I knew all along that I was experiencing a VR and whenever I wanted to bail out, I just had to close my eyes, it was still an exhilarating experience.

This IMHO was just a POC of what is actually possible. We have started out with pre-recorded VRs. Want to visit the Eiffel tower, the Louvre museum, the L'arc de Triomphe? Want to visit Disneyland on a hoverboard with a priority pass? Its much more cost effective on a VR! Why not use this for education? The best teachers can teach all the students and not just a few lucky ones, don't the less fortunate ones deserve the best?

In the future, we can make it interactive! Love driving but have a boring commute? Why not do a couple of laps on the Buddh International in a Ferrari Enzo on the way! Still haven't reached yet? A lap of the Nürburgring on board an AMG perhaps? That should be enough time while your boring electric car hypermiles itself through traffic to your place of work. Reach your place of work energized instead of mentally exhausted. The controls are all already there, you only need the visuals. The experiences we crave for and wait for years, spend tons of money to experience once in a lifetime, can be accessible for practically anyone!

The metaverse is the final frontier. The holy grail of VR. A lot needs to be figured out before we make that practically possible. The early use case could be virtual meetings. Initially starting with Board meetings for permanent WFH companies, this can be used for friends and family gatherings as the technology trickles down. Us modern professionals have made enough sacrifices. Not able to stay with family since job is in a different city. Missing family gatherings due to work commitments, not meeting friends for years. Finding the time to attend live sports events at the venue! All this can be addressed through the metaverse!

The possibilities are infinite and not everything is evil. It is just helping make the world smaller and bringing everyone closer. The companies want user generated content, not everything can be pre-recorded or vetted. There is all the incentive to swiftly move to a metaverse setting whether it is ready or not. The real question is, are we ready for it?

[ninjatalli]

I'm not sure if I'm answering the main question right, but I see a lot of potential for VR in games. I'm a hardcore FPS gamer and I see VRs as the logical extension of this going forward. Think of using mobile as a controller and a VR headset; that's all one might need in the near future (one of the possibilities).

[aargee]

Love it or hate it, VR's & AR's are here to stay & are the future. This is a 4 year old new from Stanford experimenting to teach Oceanology through VR.

Here's a list of colleges that are already into it

I'm dreaming of a future, where teachers & children across the globe convene to learn in a school simulated through VR sitting conveniently at their homes having access to global education. Where the system evaluates the students & teachers having independence of learning any subject (and ancillaries) with a Teacher/Professor of their choice in a subscription model.

It's about time to revisit the time wasted in traveling to school, seated there for over 8 hours, consuming a year to complete a single grade!!

[TurboOnTarmac]

Originally Posted by Thermodynamics

I think these are extremely unhealthy trends albeit useful applications exist. I feel our "living" is lost in the virtual world.

We have lost our living to the virtual world which in real sense is only but dreaming with eyes wide open.

Thanks, Thermodynamics

Btw...I like your 'tag line' at the bottom of the post. Really make sense and something I feel a lot now a days.

Originally Posted by deep_bang

Thinking along the needs of humans (Maslov's hierarchy of needs):

So my point is, as you go higher in the Maslov's hierarchy, the more irrelevant is the exact world (whether physical or virtual). So, there is more likelyhood of us embracing virtual worlds as we move up the hierarchy.

Very interesting take on Maslov's hierarchy and your conclusive take about 'exact world becoming irrelevant when you go up' sounds very reasonable. Thanks, deep_bang

[Samegoodkid]

Totally in agreement with Thermodynamics.

I think, we as a society don't know where to draw the line.

Every technology, at its inception had its own reasoning and necessity but I think just because we, as humans don't know when to stop the indulgence, it has created more problems to solve for us.

One of the important aspects of a sustainable living is to consume only to the extent that is required and not go overboard.

I have a slightly different take on deep_bang's point on Maslov's hierarchy. I feel, the higher I go up the hierarchy, the more virtual doesn't make sense. I guess Self realization is more for "physical" me.

But that i just me, I guess.

[sukhbirST]

Extremely relevant thread which is equally thought provoking. The subject is vast and growing with the advent of new technology. From my experience in defence, can say it varies from utility to usage. The real firing can never create feeling in simulators. Also, VR sets cannot be used for long time and can create motion sickness for some. While for many, it may be real thing which matters but for few who are restricted in movement, it may be a boon. Thanks for sharing, as I was thinking of buying a good VR set for movies. May someone please give good choices, keeping moderate budget in mind.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by TurboOnTarmac

I always felt, a virtual world probably can inform us, entertain us for a while but it will never be able to replace the hard physical world experience.

One way to think about this is; how does one experience real world. It can be argued that, this experience comes from :

1. Sensing and
2. Interacting

With the World.

Current technology cannot :

1. Simulate all senses (For example, senses like smell , touch, acceleration )
2. Model all interactions (For example; how do Human hand and car door behave if someone lands a punch on door)

Point 1 is a matter of time. Current tech is "crude". It depends on actual motion to simulate acceleration (E.g.: Flight simulators). Once brain-link matures; it should be possible to directly transmit such senses to brain.

In my opinion, such tech in 20 - 30 years away.

Point 2 : There is no tech on Horizon that can solve this problem in generalised manner.