Augmented and Virtual Reality: Innovative or Destructive?
What is Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)?
AR and VR are types of XR, which is an industry term applied to any form of immersive technology. While most people may think of XR in terms of gaming and entertainment, these technologies can actually be used for much more such as education, medical research, business, and visual arts. The development of XR and its potential impact has become a highly contested subject among policymakers, who seek to understand how to regulate immersive technologies. Before we consider XR’s influence, here are the main categories:
Virtual Reality (VR): Presents a fully immersive experience in the form of a three-dimensional world
Examples: Facebook’s Oculus Quest 2
Augmented Reality (AR): Overlays digital images on a view of a real-world environment
Examples: Snapchat ‘s Filters and Lenses
Mixed Reality (MR): Merges the physical and virtual worlds to create a hybrid reality
Examples: Microsoft’s Hololens
THE PROS
XR has transformed the relationship between society and technology in some undeniably beneficial ways. There is strong potential to use XR as a tool for social change, educational growth and even as a medium for developing empathy. Below are a few crucial examples of how XR can enhance our experiences in the digital world:
Enhancement of educational training
XR can present opportunities to recreate learning in many industries. In the context of school classrooms, students could learn about Ancient Egypt through the use of a virtual, multi-sensory experience in which they can see the hieroglyphics on the walls of tombs and hear the sounds of the construction on the famed Pyramids of Giza. Teachers would most likely find that introducing learning methods using VR would help students focus for longer periods of time and allow classrooms to be transported on virtual field trips to destinations that would otherwise be inaccessible due to school budgetary or logistical restraints.
Outside of the classroom, XR could also transform educational experiences such as employee trainings and medical simulations. There is also an enormous potential to use VR in safety and bias trainings, so that men might better understand workplace sexism, white people might better understand how racism is experienced by minority groups, and able-bodied individuals might better understand the workplace from the perspective of wheelchair-bound employees.
Therapeutic benefits
XR has also been used by medical professionals to help treat mental health conditions such as anxiety, extreme phobias, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In the US, psychological researchers and clinicians have been successful in using VR to treat symptoms of PTSD exhibited in military combat veterans. In 2020, after traditional therapeutic methods and medication failed to address his PTSD, former Marine Jonathan Tissue went to a University of Central Florida (UCF) facility to seek help. The UCF clinicians used VR created a simulation that replicated Tissue’s memories of his military service, down to his olfactory memories of specific smells such as burning tires and diesel fumes. The VR therapy helped Tissue rediscover some memories that had repressed and his symptoms were reported to have mostly alleviated by the end of the three-week treatment.
THE CONS
As immersive technologies are constantly adapted to seem more realistic, the lines between the virtual and the physical are blurred. This conflation of realities can cause real-world harm. The introduction of XR has the power to exacerbate violence, propaganda, and addiction. Here are some examples of how XR can damage our experiences in the digital world:
Associated health risks
In recent years, research has shown that XR technologies can have increasingly harmful impacts on real-life attitudes and behavior. In the context of gaming and entertainment, content that invokes fear and anxiety in users can lead to psychological reactions such as PTSD. Some VR games feature disturbing options, including shooting oneself in the head. According to Jeremy Bailenson, a Stanford University professor who studies the psychology of immersive technologies, VR can cause greater changes in social behavior compared to the use of other devices.
Following the 2016 launch of the popular mobile game Pokémon Go, which used AR and GPS technology to allow players to capture and battle virtual characters within real-life environments, British police reported 290 incidents of related robberies, thefts, assaults and driving offenses in just one month. In some cases, Pokémon Go players were victims of crime as a result of being immersed in the game. In other instances, some players manipulated the game in order to attract children and other vulnerable demographics.
Data privacy concerns
XR products, such as VR headsets, allow for unprecedented access to biometric data and other sensitive information – more access than even social media networks. But what do creators of XR technology do with this data? Who can access it? How do they secure it?
The cybersecurity implications of these issues are huge. If hackers gain access to XR devices, not only will there be a massive loss of data privacy, but there is potential for bad actors to manipulate content within the XR domain. For example, XR would allow for increased attacks through social engineering – hackers could enter VR games and exploit user actions.
The Future of XR: Policy Considerations
XR is quickly evolving and is becoming more widespread. Some studies estimate that XR production will grow by 46.5% annually from 2020 to 2026 and that global demand will reach $346 billion by 2026. Just like any significant digital development, XR has changed how we relate to and interact with technology. XR is neither fully innovative nor fully destructive – its value is derived from how the technology is used. Policymakers should consider the privacy and data accessibility implications, as well as the prioritization of user education. Immersive technologies have been proven to hijack users’ senses, making it difficult to distinguish between the physical and virtual worlds. Creators of XR should be compelled to empower users to be mindful of their true realities and even their true selves.
Although XR is gradually becoming more mainstream, this technology is not yet in the hands of many users. Thus, society is in an advantageous position to control the development, accessibility, and long-term impact of XR technology. Policymakers and industry stakeholders should consider the “lessons learned” from the social media market – such as user privacy issues, lack of media literacy, and decreased public trust – in order to ensure that the XR market is as beneficial as possible.