Virtual Reality: How Technology is on the Brink of Taking Us to Virtual Worlds

Four people stared intently at their computer screens as they studied the green, flickering display of navigations and weapons systems. Every so often, one would glance up at the landscape of stars in front of them, changing constantly as their ship traveled through space. Behind them, a man walked to and fro, giving pointers to the pilot as the simulation continued.

This wasn't some elaborate flight simulation for astronauts. This was a game--a game, called Starship Horizons, that involved players working together as a team to fly a ship. Touchscreens allowed them control of a spaceship's systems while a projector put the landscape of space in front of them. Flashing lights around them flickered when an enemy ship hit them with lasers.  

The game itself is fun--after all, who wouldn't like taking a turn essentially being on the bridge of the Enterprise or the Gallactica?--but what's truly interesting is what the game implies. Developers are dipping their toes into virtual reality, a tool that has implications for gaming, medicine, space and even the military.

Virtual reality (VR) has been around for quite some time. In fact, you could argue that arcade games where you sit in a driver's seat to drive a virtual car is a VR experience. But it's only now that the technology has become refined enough in order to create entire worlds within the space of a small screen. Back in 1965, military engineer Thomas Furness designed a new generation of light simulators, eventually creating a program known as the Super Cockpit. Yet VR hasn't been all that viable until today.

Now, technology has advanced enough and price has dropped enough to make VR actually viable for both specialty fields and consumers. Gaming conventions in particular are getting in on the action where both developers and fans are debuting games that give you a break from reality. At GenCon, a convention for gamers, you could pay to step inside a virtual "mech suit" pod and fight against other competitors.

There are other examples, as well. The film industry is also getting in on the action. For example, the Oculus Rift, a simulator that allows game designers to take their players into the world of their choosing, was actually used to promote a television show. HBO used the system in order to take people to "The Wall" in Game of Thrones during an exhibition.

VR doesn't only apply to gaming, though. NASA's astronauts are actually testing Microsoft's HoloLens in space. After putting on the headset, astronauts will be able to see illustrated actions and instructions over objects that they happen to be looking at. For example, the device will be able to point out switches and dials and remind the astronaut of any missed steps in a process.

Not surprisingly, this same process could, in theory, be used for medical procedures and other technical applications. Someone could potentially put on a headset in a remote area and receive instructions on how to save someone's life. As an example, a scientist working in the remote Antarctic who needs an emergency operation could have a colleague put on a headset and perform that operation.

Of course, the most popular use for VR-and possibly what has received the most attention-is for entertainment. Already, there are apps for Android that have been released so that you can watch shows in VR. There are also video games where you can do anything from spaceship dogfights to riding a dragon.

The real issue is making the environment seem realistic for the user. In Starship Horizons, players were surrounded by an environment where they experienced flickering lights and surround sound to make the experience more immersive. Even in HBO's VR experience of "The Wall," users actually stepped inside a cage to give them the sensation of moving upward while wearing a headset. In Battletech's simulation, you entered a pod of your own to pilot your robot in the game.

What can we expect to see on the horizon for VR? There are several devices that essentially overlay images on actual, physical objects that are present in a room. It's possible that you could simply put on your headset and journey into an interactive world where the mundane is transformed into something fantastic. For example, there could be "arcades" you could visit with VR headsets that can transform a seemingly ordinary room with mishapen objects into a fantasy realm with rocks, plants and crumbling walls.

Of course, this possibility is still far to the future. Currently, VR is still being tested and refined. Over just the next few years, though, we should expect to see it used more and more as graphics improve, prices drop, and it becomes more accepted. 

Related Stories

Hologram of a Fairy Created with Lasers Can be Felt and Touched (VIDEO)

Quantum Computing: How Computers Can Surpass Their Limits with Light

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).