Cyber Generation Unknown
In the span of a couple generations, advances in technology have drastically altered our society. A whole generation of children has already been raised as ‘digital natives’ who can’t remember a time before iPads, let alone a family computer. Since the birth of smartphones, and the spread of social media, we’ve rapidly experienced the best, and worst that this new era has to offer.
Although they have many benefits, this unprecedented degree of connectivity has made us deeply vulnerable. There are several consequences that we’re only comprehending now; years after we blindly embraced this new tech. They range anywhere from low self-esteem, to democracies being shaken by malicious Tweets. As the lines of reality are blurred, the digital world has gone from being a mere portion of our lives, to a form of ‘virtual reality’ in its own right.
The History and Evolution of Virtual Reality
You might think that virtual reality (VR) is a relatively new phenomenon, sparked by the success of the Oculus Rift. But actually, VR has been around in some form or another since the early 1960s. Since research into VR has always been decades ahead of general release, unfortunately a lot of its history has fallen to the wayside. We’ll explore these fascinating advances in technology, starting with VR’s inception in the 1960s. We’ll look at the many strides forward in the 70s and 80s, like the mother of Google Maps. We’ll even discuss what’s best forgotten; the VR gaffes in the 90s that almost killed public appetite for the technology! Then, we’ll look to the state of VR today, and examine public response. Lastly, we’ll look to the future, and consider how VR will grow; at home, and in the workplace. This is a truly exciting time for VR, with promising new technology right around the corner.