Limitations
One of the limits to virtual reality technology is immersion and latency. Latency is the term used to refer to the lag time between when a user acts and when the virtual environment reflects. The time between a user turning their head or moving their eyes and the change in the point of view is an example of latency. Latency can also take place in sound. Studies conducted have shown that humans are able to detect latency of more than fifty milliseconds. If a human detects latency while in the virtual environment, it causes them to become aware that what they see isn't real and it destroys the sense of immersion that virtual reality devices strive to achieve. Newer systems have supposedly solved this problem, but immersion can still be a problem. Immersive experiences suffer if the user becomes aware of the real world around them in any way. That being said, most systems would need new input methods that are more natural for users to get a truly immersive experience. Right now, most devices require a controller or something similar for users to move in the virtual world. As long as a user is aware of the interaction device, they will not truly be immersed.
Latency is also one of the causes for motion sickness, one of the biggest problems virtual reality has faced. Until the Oculus Rift, every system struggled to not make people sick. If the user notices that the change in point of view isn't instantaneous (in other words, the user can notice the lag), that's called swimming. Swimming is distracting, and the main cause of motion sickness.
Advancements in virtual reality technology can also be limited due to demand. Some virtual reality systems use a small room for the user to walk around in while wearing the gear. The user is tracked via tracking systems that analyze the orientation of the user's point of view, so the computer system sends the right images to the visual display. However, tracker technology developments lag significantly behind other virtual reality technologies because there is no other market for it. The only people who use tracking systems use it for virtual reality, and that's such a niche market that there isn't much interest in developing the technology further. Sound and graphic capabilities, on the other hand, advance much faster because there are so many other uses for them.
There are concerns that could limit further development of virtual reality technology. Some psychologists are concerned about how immersion in virtual environments could psychologically affect a user. They suggest that virtual environments can place a user in violent situations, more specifically, as a perpetrator of violence, and this could result in the user becoming desensitized. Essentially, there is fear that virtual environments could breed a generation of sociopaths. Other psychologists aren't concerned with desensitization, but do warn that convincing virtual environment experiences could lead to a kind of cyber addiction. Already there is fear that gamers neglect their real lives for their online/in-game presence. Virtual environments could be much more addicting. Another emerging concern involves criminal acts. In the virtual environment, defining acts such as murder or sex crimes has been problematic. Is there a point where authorities charge a person with a real crime within a virtual environment? Studies have indicated that people can have real physical and emotional reaction to stimuli within a virtual environment, so it is possible that a victim of a virtual attack could feel real emotional trauma. Then can the attacker be punished for causing real-life distress? This question, and others like it, go unanswered right now.
Sources
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/virtual-reality.htm
This page is by Anastasia
Latency is also one of the causes for motion sickness, one of the biggest problems virtual reality has faced. Until the Oculus Rift, every system struggled to not make people sick. If the user notices that the change in point of view isn't instantaneous (in other words, the user can notice the lag), that's called swimming. Swimming is distracting, and the main cause of motion sickness.
Advancements in virtual reality technology can also be limited due to demand. Some virtual reality systems use a small room for the user to walk around in while wearing the gear. The user is tracked via tracking systems that analyze the orientation of the user's point of view, so the computer system sends the right images to the visual display. However, tracker technology developments lag significantly behind other virtual reality technologies because there is no other market for it. The only people who use tracking systems use it for virtual reality, and that's such a niche market that there isn't much interest in developing the technology further. Sound and graphic capabilities, on the other hand, advance much faster because there are so many other uses for them.
There are concerns that could limit further development of virtual reality technology. Some psychologists are concerned about how immersion in virtual environments could psychologically affect a user. They suggest that virtual environments can place a user in violent situations, more specifically, as a perpetrator of violence, and this could result in the user becoming desensitized. Essentially, there is fear that virtual environments could breed a generation of sociopaths. Other psychologists aren't concerned with desensitization, but do warn that convincing virtual environment experiences could lead to a kind of cyber addiction. Already there is fear that gamers neglect their real lives for their online/in-game presence. Virtual environments could be much more addicting. Another emerging concern involves criminal acts. In the virtual environment, defining acts such as murder or sex crimes has been problematic. Is there a point where authorities charge a person with a real crime within a virtual environment? Studies have indicated that people can have real physical and emotional reaction to stimuli within a virtual environment, so it is possible that a victim of a virtual attack could feel real emotional trauma. Then can the attacker be punished for causing real-life distress? This question, and others like it, go unanswered right now.
Sources
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/virtual-reality.htm
This page is by Anastasia
