From: wketelh@andy.bgsu.edu (William R. Ketelhut)
Subject: STUDENT REQUEST: Looking for thoughts and facts on VR
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 18:37:43 GMT
Organization: Bowling Green State University B.G., Oh.


    Hello, I'm a masters student in Mass Communication at Bowling
Green St.  University in NW Ohio and I am currently working on a short
paper on the subject of virtual reality and I was hoping to get some
of the thoughts and knowledge of the readers of this newsgroup to help
be organize my paper.
   
    For the last two weeks, I have read a lot of articles on VR from a
variety of magazines from Mechanical Engineering to Playboy, and I
have developed a real fascination of the technology.  My major problem
is that most articles are not that indepth, and I have been unable to
locate any books on the subject (either checked out of area libraries
or not enough time to get themon interlibrary loan).
   
   I would appreciate it if you would read my list and respond to any
of the areas you feel you can contribute to, or if you have some
information that you feel I might find interesting, let me know.  I
still got a lot more research to do, but I would appeciate replies (no
later than next Tuesday morning- my final draft is due Wednesday).  I
am technologically illiterate also, so please keep that in mind.

    1)  What do you feel is the importance of the VR in today's world?

    2)  How long do you think it would take to get VR into the average home
and what forms would it take?

    3) What implication will VR have on the development of holography
for medical and design use?  Will it compliment it or replace it?

    4) I read a recent article in Technology And Learning about a
virtual batting cage.  I understand it uses a real batting machine,
but with the illusion of a virtual batter.  What do people know about
it?

    5) Can anyone give me, in layman's terms, a technical description
of how VR actually works?  I would also appreciate an idea on how the
technology has grown since it first came about, and what technology
does it have it's strongest roots from.

    6) To my knowledge, their is, as of now, no set standard for VR
technology. Is anything being done to make a standard that everyone can
use, or is that just seen as impossible?

    7)  How advanced are the tactile responces in the gloves?

    8) What can you tell me about such astronomy programs as
DistantSuns or VistaPro?  How do these differ from bigger systems?

    9) I read that the ultimate goal of the power goggles would be to
develop a pair that would implant the image right onto the retina of
the eye.  How is this technology coming along, and is it feasible?
Would it look anything like the glasses used in the Star Trek:TNG
episode dealing with the adictive game?

    10) What is the difference between Cyberspace and Virtual Reality
in simple terms?

    11) Is there any way I could experience VR technology in my area
before next Tuesday or talk to someone in person that is an expert in
the field?  I feel that would be beneficial to me if possible.  I
still like to be given the personal interaction between man and his
fellow man.  Maybe even a talk over the Vax (or whatever the phone
system on the computer is called).

    12) I feel that the biggest areas to be affected by VR are
architecture, medicine, and entertainment.  Any other fields that you
feel will be greatly helped by VR in the next 5-15 years?

    13)  Where do you see VR heading in the future?

    14) A lot of people seem pre-occupied with virtual sex.  Why sort
of issuesdo you think it will bring up or don't you think it will be a
problem?  There is already a program called Virtual Valerie.  How
about a How To Pick Up Girls program?

    15) Who are the major players in VR beside VPL, Ames Research
Center, HIT?

    16)  What do you think VR's possibilities in Education are?

    That is the last question I have.  Feel free to talk about any or all of
these issues, or even issues I didn't bring up.  I'm open to any ideas or
comments.  Just remember to try to keep discussions as user friendly as 
possible.  I appeciate any help I might get.  

Sincerely,
William R. Ketelhut
wketelh@andy.bgsu.edu

PS- Can't resist this last topic.  What are thoughts about Lawnmower Man and
it's use of VR?