Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagVirtual Reality (VR)

dissolving metaverse
introduction to the metaverse universe. Man wearing augmented reality glasses for future technology. transition to the virtual world.

More Bad News for the Metaverse

Virtual reality projects are losing steam across the tech industry in the wake of layoffs and investor skepticism

Big tech companies across the spectrum, including Meta, Microsoft, and Apple, are scaling back on virtual reality research and development. The technological demands of the metaverse are more advanced than CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg have anticipated, and employees are feeling the impact. Microsoft recently laid off 10,000 workers, cutting funding from the lab responsible for the production of its mixed-reality “HoloLens.” The army was originally in the works to use the Microsoft lens for aids in combat and training, but the technology has since been labeled as “dangerous and poorly designed.” Meta laid off 11,000 employees last November and continues to struggle to gain interest and traction for its ambitious metaverse project. A report from Insider notes that a combination Read More ›

man-and-woman-shooting-with-gamepads-while-playing-in-virtual-reality-using-vr-headsets-in-the-playing-room-stockpack-adobe-stock
Man and woman shooting with gamepads while playing in virtual reality using VR headsets in the playing room

Take Control of Your Tech Before Metaverse Hits

Soon you will be enticed on all sides by a host of virtual worlds. They will look and feel very real and very cool

This story originally appeared at Newsmax. (February 17, 2022) Facebook’s recent name change to Meta has ushered in the Age of the Metaverse. Big Tech’s focus is shifting to a new frontier, the untamed wilds of the virtual world. Or is it worlds? Interestingly, the Germanic word world has a literal meaning of “age of man.” Which sounds quite fitting. But will the metaverse be an age that will see us grow and be nourished, as the root of age suggests? Or will we give in to our modern tendency toward laziness, entitlement and poor judgment? Before someone dares you to slip on a VR headset to get your first taste of the metaverse, get one thing straight — who is the boss of your tech? By Read More ›

augmented-reality-application-for-retail-business-concept-hand-holding-smart-phone-with-ar-application-on-screen-to-finding-interested-product-in-the-store-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Augmented reality application for retail business concept. Hand holding smart phone with A/R application on screen to finding interested product in the store.

The Amazing Things We Can Do with Virtual and Augmented Reality

The “father of virtual reality,” Thomas Furness, talks to Robert J. Marks about his vision for the future

In a recent podcast, “Robert J. Marks and Thomas Furness on VR and AR,” Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks continued his discussion with the “grandfather of virtual reality,” Thomas Furness. They focused on the cutting edge of virtual reality today. https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Mind-Matters-094-Thomas-Furness.mp3 Transcript. Partial transcript: Robert J. Marks: So, Dr. Furness, we have been talking about a number of fascinating things, but there’s still some things that I’d like to talk to you about. Another one is ARToolworks. Now, AR stands for augmented reality. Thomas Furness: Now, the difference really is between the VRs generally, where you are completely immersed in a computer-generated environment. That’s all you see is the computer generation of images. AR, on the other hand, Read More ›

person-playing-pokemon-go-during-daytime-stockpack-unsplash.jpg
person playing Pokemon Go during daytime

Dr. Thomas Furness and Applications of Augmented Reality

How is augmented reality different from virtual reality? What are the applications of augmented reality? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss augmented reality, virtual reality, and peripheral vision. Show Notes Additional Resources

senior-man-in-a-wheelchair-using-a-virtual-reality-device-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Senior man in a wheelchair using a virtual reality device

VR Pioneer Founded Off-Campus Lab to Work On Practical Uses

RATLab, founded in 2005, gave unlikely students a chance to work on serious virtual reality projects

In a recent podcast, “Rats in the Technology lab” Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks continued his discussion with the “grandfather of virtual reality” Thomas Furness. Furness shares his tribulations and triumphs with RATLab (Rats in the Technology lab), which is an “incubator” for innovative ideas in technology. All the employees are RATs (Rocking and Thinking). Furness is, of course, King Rat. So how did it get started and what happened then? https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Mind-Matters-092-Thomas-Furness.mp3 Transcript. Partial transcript: Thomas Furness (right): Well, I was enjoying my activity at the university, certainly a wonderful place to do research. But it is a bureaucracy, and I’ve found that sometimes having worked for the Air Force for the Department of Defense for 23 years, Read More ›

animal-laboratory-rat-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Animal Laboratory, Rat

RATs in the Technology Lab

Dr. Thomas Furness started the RATLAB, which was designed to explore innovative ideas in technology. All the employees are RATs (Rocking and Thinking). Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss the uses of virtual reality and other exciting new ideas in technology. Show Notes Additional Resources

dentist-examine-female-patient-with-dental-tools-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Dentist examines female patient with dental tools

Distracted by Virtual Reality

Experimenting with virtual reality led to the discovery of some unintended, but beneficial uses of VR. Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss applications of virtual reality — including for pain management, medical training, and vision problems. Show Notes Additional Resources

hud-futuristic-screen-design-element-virtual-reality-aerial-view-escort-security-technology-ui-information-interface-in-cyberspace-scanning-landscape-geometric-wireframe-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
HUD Futuristic Screen Design Element Virtual Reality Aerial View Escort Security Technology. UI Information Interface In Cyberspace Scanning Landscape Geometric Wireframe..

VR Was Invented by an Air Force Engineer

Real world concerns drove his inventions, long before Comic Con

In a recent Mind Matters podcast, “Thomas Furness and the invention of virtual reality,” Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks interviewed Thomas Furness, an engineer who wanted American fighter pilots to be able to see what was really happening around them in the air. It seemed that they needed virtual reality to do it. And that’s how the technology that powers so many computer games today got started. The transcript can be downloaded at the bottom of the page here. https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Mind-Matters-085-Thomas-Furness.mp3 Here is is a partial transcript of highlights from the interview: Virtual reality was pioneered by Thomas Furness during his Air Force service in 1966 when he served as a Second Lieutenant at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Much Read More ›

fa-18a-hornet-stockpack-unsplash.jpg
F/A-18A Hornet

Thomas Furness and the Invention of Virtual Reality

The United States military had a major impact of the development of  virtual reality. How did virtual reality even come to be invented? Robert J. Marks and Dr. Thomas Furness discuss tactile displays, sensors, and the history of virtual reality. Show Notes Additional Resources

Introvert concept. The man sitting inside box with glasses of virtual reality. Future technology concept

Is Deep Virtual Reality the Next Big Market Disrupter?

When media moves from capturing attention by being different to capturing ever smaller slices of users' time, the market is ripe for disruption

How can internet-based media consume more user time? First, they will move away from a screen interface to a voice- and face-recognition interface. But the next logical step is probably deeply immersive virtual reality seeping into everyday life.

Read More ›