Interaction, imagination and immersion some research needs

Abstract

This paper discusses four ways that humans interact with their environments, plus four variables that determine the experience of virtual reality, and also which of the interactions support which of the VR-enhancing variables. Some philosophical issues about immersion, the experience of presence, and the meaning of reality are then considered. The engineering paradigm of estimation is then reviewed as a way of bridging classical ontological differences of opinion about reality. Finally some VR research needs are discussed: haptics, minimally invasive diagnosis and surgery, driving simulation, decision aids in system operation, education, computer-aided synthesis, measures of presence and whether presence enhances performance, social ills of VR, and the relation of VR to spirituality.