Research essay - Investigate
the definition of Virtual Reality and the design of Virtual spaces.
Introduction
This section of the report
will investigate an overview of 'virtual reality' as commonly referred
to in the context of digital technologies, and the design of digital spaces.
What is virtual reality? A seemingly elementary question, that may lead one to think of it as too simple a question on its own. An exploration in search for a definition or answer quickly discovers that the question itself seeks deeper clarification and research. Any answer to the question posed will vary depending on the interpretation within professions, revealing even deeper layers of complexity. Defining virtual reality begs further questions, which commence with the realisation, that rather than being a single entity, it relates widely to a body of ideas about nature, existence, the future of mankind's experiences within it. The expanse of possibilities posed by virtual reality, are restricted in theory, only by the individual mind that queries it. Loosely it appears as a multiplicity of endeavors, whose practises and outcomes depend on the vocation, profession or area to which you wish to apply an answer.
Virtual Reality
When analysing the term’s
virtual and reality in a lexicological fashion, several ideas about the
definition are exposed. Firstly the word reality, which implies "all that
exists", a term applied to existence, here the wide ranging implications
or ramifications for virtual reality are hinted at. It is here that the
emphasis is directed towards the word virtual, to resolve it’s relationship
with reality. The word virtual, is defined as "being such in power, force,
or effect, although not actually or expressly such"1.
It is linked with virtuality, which has synonyms of almost, absent, theoretical,
invisible, abstract, unhistorical, and metepirics. These synonyms hint
at the relationship of the word virtual to reality2.
To simply extract from the dictionary definition, it is defined as something
that effects or is about reality, but not as we commonly think. Virtual
reality as the dictionary would indicate is about some reality, but not
the 'reality', it is about almost reality, absent reality, theoretical
reality, invisible reality, abstract reality or even unhistorical reality.
All of which is true, but it still doesn't point to a virtual reality,
who uses it and for what purposes. It does, however shed some light and
provide some direction enabling a search for answers, with some ideas about
what to look for.
When investigating specific articles written by theoreticians and professionals within the field of virtual reality, it is discussed along with testing, experimenting or generally improving our life or real reality. The common thread for all research within virtual reality, is that they remove reality from their equations or experiments. This is done so they are better able to understand the idea they are exploring singularly, which in turn is re-applied to our uses in reality and subsequently in the improvement of man's interaction with reality. As Michael Heim suggests "the ultimate promise of virtual reality may be to transform, to redeem our awareness of reality"3.
Or alternatively, if virtual reality is considered not as a research tool, but as an alternative to reality, then as Zeltzer suggests "true virtual reality may not be attainable with any technology we create. The holodeck may forever remain fiction. None the less, virtual reality serves as the holy grail of research,"4 which would indicate that it is a mythical image to be searched for and explored as part of a quest for a better world. Then there is the idea that virtual reality is "a way for humans to visualise, manipulate and interact with computers and extremely complex data,"5 which tends to limit the application of the ideas. Another way of looking at virtual reality is to imagine it as "a cartoon world you can get into,"6 which suggests that you would be more at home visiting Bugs Bunny or shooting spaceships in virtual reality. The ideas put forward should be considered in regards to what makes virtual reality possible, which is computers and their function. Whilst computer can simulate cyclones, provide micro or macro-scopic views and create virtual spaces, the broader concept of computing is "computer aren't about computer, but about living".7 As Michael Heim would suggest "virtual reality can be applied to any human endeavor,"8 but it is about the human endeavor and human benefit, not the computers as an end in themselves.
| Image 2 Dace Campbell, design of hall, where priority is to give organsiation to abstract space. | |
The most commonly understood example of virtual reality is the flight simulator. Today most airlines employ them as training devices for pilots and cockpit crew. Flight simulators can place any crew member in any situation encountered in reality, with some situations being created that haven't existed or can not exist.
"Examples used can give pilots more experience than reality, posing all sorts of problems".9 This experience is gained with no loss of craft, life, crew, cargo or materials, which demonstrates the effectiveness in creating virtual conditions for teaching. Pilots or crew can experience reality through virtual reality, enabling a better understanding of reality by being removed from it. In this instance, virtual reality is a means to, as Rheingold suggests, “ to expand human perception".
Virtual reality is broadly used within the realm of enhancing any experience or exploration. Within this primary purpose there are several applications such as exploration, creation, recreation, training and simulation. "Virtual reality can make the artificial as realistic, and even more realistic than, the real".10
The aeroplanes cockpit machine demonstrates some of the key characteristics within virtual reality, demonstrating the ability of virtual reality programmes to examine and reproduce reality accurately, able to give users experience without actually doing a task in reality. This can give users new experiences altogether and is able to create particular conditions that provide opportunities for experience whilst removing the danger normally associated with those real life experiences. Virtual reality is now able to demonstrate that by creating simulations where the user passes the barrier of animation and moves into full user interaction, virtual spaces become 'real'. Further investigation of virtual reality within this idea, demonstrates the notion of ideas that in effect, the experience of man within existence is effected without interaction with it. "Virtual reality is an event or entity that is real in effect but not in fact".11 11 Virtual reality then is seen as the means by which we can experience the new or past without actually traveling there.
Further exploration exposes virtual reality as existing within most peoples daily life, for example, a computers 'mouse', used daily is a virtual reality tool. Here we see some type of pointing device represented on a computer screen, which doesn't actually exist. Although an actual 'mouse', on a 'mouse-mat' does exist in the palm of your hand. When the real mouse is moved, the virtual one corresponds in the same direction in proportion on the computer screen. Understanding this simple concept is greatly explanatory, people who first encounter the mouse struggle first to find fluid motion and the range of pointing, then the use of the buttons. The user having found some control sets about using the tool for operations. The virtual has been comprehended and is now acting as an extension of the real, some call these "mind amplifiers"12 to the extent that users forget the mouse exists at all, only the virtual representation exists on the computer screen.
| Image 3 & 4 Tron, Futuristic motorcycles, a human morph from man to machine and machine back to man as desired. A movie where people are placed in a virtual environment, shortly forgetting the virtual aspect of the space and treating their 'world' as being reality. |   |
New Horizons
Science uses virtual reality to explore the ideas of micro and macro environments, here the use of virtual reality is to expand human experience and assist for example in the performance of operations on people and to the processes of combining molecules for experimentation. Virtual surgeons’ travel through blood vessels seeking an infected tumor, the tumor is then removed via virtual laser technologies. The doctor, ten thousand kilometers away from the patient has performed another successful operation.13 The science student is exploring the method by which molecules are fused together, but rather than by analysing text, the student is actually pushing the molecules around by hand. Feeling the pressures of molecular biology at a micro-level, to understand by exploration the complexities of forcing together molecules and their trajectory of intersection. Here these mind amplifiers work to enhance the work performed and the future performances of work by inexperienced professionals.
Now we are immersed in virtual reality, as a new form of human experience. A concept often thought of as a metaphor. The influence of technology on how we see ourselves has fundamentally increased since the capacity to write and record was invented. Expanding knowledge over lifetimes is often forgotten. New discoveries made within the virtual reality medium allow it to be seen as an open place where ideas are formed, tested and practiced. It provides a base of knowledge and experience, for new ways of arranging molecules into a new order for users to experience. virtual reality is about evolving, testing, designing, exploring new processes, means, methods, for new results or outcomes which will transform the way in which we appreciate the universe. Here virtual reality is being used to scientifically "craft the world out of programming code",14 where the world is tomorrow.
Here we can see how virtual reality does two primary things of significance, firstly it introduces technology to help us achieve our existing goals faster with a greater understanding of them and the processes used to achieve them. Secondly it helps people work toward new goals altogether, by opening new ways to experience the same problems, new solutions or methods of analysis and practise may be identified. For example new virtual communities are combining to create within "often obscure fascinations," endeavoring to extend experience to "the full potential of possible lives"15, to experience the whole as Marshall Mcluhan would suggest. In these communities details considered private to some, are discussed and explored with other inhabitants of these specific interest groups, providing new opportunities for the solutions to unsolved problems.
People such as Bill Mitchell, Nicholas Negroponte, Kevin Kelly and Howard Rheingold, suggest that all disciplines including architecture will be transformed into a new order, which will in turn transform society from how we currently perceive it. They suggest virtual reality will change all facets of existence, from those who design, to those who use the designed things. A new movement has been born, and pioneers already exist on the new frontier, waiting for settlers to arrive. Given that there seems to be no new place where the pioneers have traveled to, it appears have they re-invented their own cities and the communities. Those who are left in them have become displaced, now having to search for, understand, re-locate and re-settle in this new frontier which might have existed all this time in their front garden. It also suggests that there may be more to this frontier, has it now arrived, or does it keep moving, evolving or pushing the boundary directing society from ten paces ahead.
There are two common methods of analysis within science, from small to big or from big to small. Traditional science has started from the universe, then broken into small to analyse; computers can also work that way. At the same time a computer can also analyse by providing large examples which demonstrate the whole. Scientists are confronted with the ability to view all that happens in our universe simultaneously or any universe in virtual reality for the purposes of research, enjoyment, communication etc. Viewing large models within computers opens the way for users to view the whole library, from which they can find the answer which already exists, waiting to be realised. Now it is demonstrated that the possible new worlds already exist in potentiality, but not in actuality. This is the virtual reality definition, and it demonstrates that cyberspace for architects exists in the mind, not as random fleeting ideas, but a scientific means of idea making and problem solving.
| Image 5 Novak image of one 'cyberspace' design. |  |
According to most, the method by which virtual reality is experienced is through cyberspace. The term 'Cyberspace' was first coined by William Gibson in the movie Neuromancer, as "a consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts... A graphical representation of data abstracted from the banks of every computer in the human system in unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the non-space of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding..." If virtual reality is a set of ideas that can be used to enhance our experiences through immersion, then cyberspace is one manifestation of that idea. Cyberspace is the content, whilst virtual reality is the enabling technology.16 Cyberspace is the part of virtual reality, which creates places, it is described as 'worldmaking.' "Worldmaking is, in my estimation, the key metaphor of the new arts."17 World making describes vividly the potential of cyberspace, which includes the possibility that there may even be multiple worlds all existing simultaneously, created by various cyberarchitects. Cyberspace is the idea that we create worlds that are inhabited virtually, for any purpose at any time, even simultaneously. "At the far end of the continuum (Virtual Reality) are the worlds of cyberspace. These are the 'possible worlds,' the worlds of our invention. For now, envisioning these worlds is enough; we are at the beginning of a long journey, and these spaces are to what will come as biplanes are to space stations."18
Marcos Novak, who is considered one of the leaders in architecture and cyberspace, presents his ideas about Cyberspace in an untraditional fashion, describing the end of 'urbanism', 'Vitruvius' and 'Learning from Las Vegas'19 as already an event from the past. He suggests cyberspace introduces a new dimension of thought to the minds of architects, ones interested in the future interaction of society and technology. The introduction of cyberspace is instrumental in re-appreciation of music and architecture. Novak envisages cyberspace as a place where time and movement are important factors in the experience of space. This idea then develops into one where the time and movement or music that generate cyberspace are seen not a merely linear, but choreographed like a piece of ballet. Then the environment changes moves and transforms as "archimusic is cast into the wind not like a stone, but like a bird."20
| Image 6 Marcos Novak, Archimusic composition of 'liquid architecture' and 'navigable music'. |  |
The idea “library of forms” by Jorge Luis Borges and the idea of “liquid architecture of perpetual change” by Marcos Novak is linked in a theoretical diversion. Consideration may be given to a synthesis of these ideas where you have formulae for perpetual change that doesn't necessarily erase its past entirely. These ideas then move from one being without pre-text or context, to one that is still orientated towards the design of the new with a context of historical prediction. If all the forms that could be manifest from Novak's architectural formulae exist within the library of forms and are viewable via a statistical problem, could a method of erasing random generations from formulae be applied, one which would increase the means by which liquid architecture could be produced? Could the desired forms of the users be clarified prior to a user beginning, to prevent them from creating unusable places or spaces, in other words by removing the jumbled text leaving only readable words you can refine the design before it is designed? This would take the idea of liquid and introduce rigour to outcomes and hence increase the ability of the user to utilise the potentiality of the formulae.
Cyberspace introduces various future possibilities for architects and architecture and whilst the movement is steadfastly orientated towards the future it seems to constantly reference the past. This historical reference is however not traditional, with the references used not literal and not necessarily applied laterally. Historical references seem restricted to the use of types, which are then re-assessed before being applied into Cyberspace.
| Image 7 Marcos Novak, Architectures Beyond Inscription, where the architecture is erasable and in a flux. |  |
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