Virtual Reality Technologies

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the benefits of virtual reality technologies. It describes how virtual reality can be used to design buildings, cities and elaborate interactive entertainments. It looks at how virtual reality technologies offer the architect greater freedom, both physically and mentally and discusses how the introduction of a new technology into society is strongly tied to the cultural context in which it is introduced.

From the Paper:

"Virtual reality is also used to design buildings, cities, and elaborate interactive entertainments. The architect and client go inside the model and make changes they desire. Virtual reality is the most physical computer interface, because it puts your body inside the simulation. Virtual reality provides architects another tool; with it we can directly create experiences for each other to share in imagination, something that could lead to extraordinary outcomes. Jaron Lanier uses the terms "post-symbolic communication" and "reality conversation" to talk about this new potential for communication by building a world together instead of just sharing talk about building the world (picture 6). With virtual reality, architects can directly create experiences for and share experiences with each other. Design is now a more active process for the architect, one that allows freedom from physical and greater reliance on active, intuitive engagement with the designs themselves. Changes do not have to wait for a new model partition or addition. Colors, shapes, details and other design aspects are immediate, providing immediacy and active engagement where before the process was drawn out, costly and far from active or immediate, "Rather than wade through a complex series of menu options or wait for glue to dry, architects can simply reach out and manipulate the virtual world" (Architectural 1)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Architectural Design in Immersive Virtual Reality." ISPACE Gallery, (Leaflet). Chicago, ILL, Jan 2, 2003: 1-2.
• "Bop Through the Blueprint." U.S. News & World Report, Nov 6, 2000: 74-76.
• Campbell, Dace A. "A Critique of Virtual Reality in the Architectural Design Process." Technical Report: R-94-3. Human Interface Technology Laboratory, 1994: 1-8.
• Gates, Charlie. "Treasures Face Cyber Scrapheap." Building Design, Mar 24, 2005: 1-2.
• Goslin, Mike. "The Panda 3DE Graphics Engine." Computer, Oct 2004: 112-114.

More papers on Virtual Reality Technologies:

• Essay # 20172 : "Virtual Reality Technology"
• Argumentative Essay # 2773 : "Technological Utopianism and Virtual Reality"
• Research Paper # 120347 : "Virtual Reality and Metaphysics"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: