question whether VR is generally a good idea based on how our brains learn and do things.
I think the main problem with VR in general is the same problem we see mirrored in the rest of the tech world. Most people in silicon valley fundamentally do not understand the way the central nervous system works.
Because of sci-fi and other media, people tend to perceive the brain and the body as two different things. That the body is just the vehicle of the brain, and that we will someday be able to rid ourselves of these mortal vehicles.
In reality there are no clear delineations that separate the central nervous system from the rest of body in this manor. The more we learn about the brain, the more we discover that it doesn’t function like the command center we like to describe it as. That a lot of reactive motions aren’t signaled by the brain, but from the spinal cord.
Because of this relation between body and mind, screens will never be as effective as buttons. Things like NueroLinks will never be able to provide the ease of use as a mouse. And VR will never be a pleasurable experience for the vast majority of the population. We simply aren’t suited for an environment where our only stimuli is just the visual and audible spectrum.
Yeah, even just something like movement involves the whole body. The inner ear and stomach are a couple of obvious movement feedback areas, but real movement affects every cell in your body. When they don’t agree, it’s easy to get disoriented plus there can be nausea.
I feel very lucky that I can move around in a VR game with a controller and not feel sick, but I’d love to be able to feel the acceleration in Gran Turismo. I think not feeling the movement is why I can’t go into autopilot in the game like I can while driving for real. I have to pay attention at every corner and need the gear indicator (or memorization) to know how much to slow down. I never have to check my speed on corners when driving a real car, though manual transmission might help with that (but if I drive an auto, I’m still not checking the speedometer on corners).
I think the main problem with VR in general is the same problem we see mirrored in the rest of the tech world. Most people in silicon valley fundamentally do not understand the way the central nervous system works.
Because of sci-fi and other media, people tend to perceive the brain and the body as two different things. That the body is just the vehicle of the brain, and that we will someday be able to rid ourselves of these mortal vehicles.
In reality there are no clear delineations that separate the central nervous system from the rest of body in this manor. The more we learn about the brain, the more we discover that it doesn’t function like the command center we like to describe it as. That a lot of reactive motions aren’t signaled by the brain, but from the spinal cord.
Because of this relation between body and mind, screens will never be as effective as buttons. Things like NueroLinks will never be able to provide the ease of use as a mouse. And VR will never be a pleasurable experience for the vast majority of the population. We simply aren’t suited for an environment where our only stimuli is just the visual and audible spectrum.
Yeah, even just something like movement involves the whole body. The inner ear and stomach are a couple of obvious movement feedback areas, but real movement affects every cell in your body. When they don’t agree, it’s easy to get disoriented plus there can be nausea.
I feel very lucky that I can move around in a VR game with a controller and not feel sick, but I’d love to be able to feel the acceleration in Gran Turismo. I think not feeling the movement is why I can’t go into autopilot in the game like I can while driving for real. I have to pay attention at every corner and need the gear indicator (or memorization) to know how much to slow down. I never have to check my speed on corners when driving a real car, though manual transmission might help with that (but if I drive an auto, I’m still not checking the speedometer on corners).