(Hint, you can listen to this story on the New Yorker site – the guys has an amazing voice)
Going off of my previous VR theme, I thought of this article I had read in the New Yorker (it’s literally so cheap for students). This article examines Out of Body Experiences (O.B.E.) and likens them to virtual reality. The magazine has been very much into this topic recently, with another article on fugue states in this week’s issue.
Although VR has a ways to go, it is amazing that it’s already tricking human minds so well. “I have tricked my body into thinking the virtual limb were mine… when I leaned into the mirror to make eye contact with myself, my face was cartoonish.”
The most applicable portion of this article applies the the “virtual reality code of ethics.” I wonder if this code of ethics, will soon become law. I would absolutely not be surprised, as we need statutes covering the needs of new VR technology.
This article describes an interaction with a virtual therapist, which is interesting as well. What do we do about privacy concerns with virtual therapists, doctors, real estate agents, clerks? The question surrounding store clerks is an applicable one, as we know actually do have virtual clerks being tested. Japan is a hub for VR at the moment, not just for video games, with therapeutic, educational and travel experiences being offered to those in need.