We've been waiting decades for virtual reality to make a splash, but it hasn't happened. What's different now? There are two problems: hardware and software. The hardware problem is solving itself as the costs of components come down naturally. The software problem is of a different order, Virtual worlds have to respond quickly enough for human users, yet need to be shared by multiple people connecting over imperfect networks. It will take a while to sort that out. The new wave of VR tech is centred on entertainment. Do you see it extending beyond that? As a practical technology, VR is already widely successful and adopted. My favourite applications are in medicine, particularly in surgical training and in augmenting surgery itself, For the last couple of decades every new vehicle, whether it rolls, floats or flies, has been designed in part in VR, Scientific visualisation apps are also extensively used in chemistry, neuroscience and other fields.
展开▼
