The pros and cons of virtual reality
The digital world is expanding, for better and for worse
Apple recently released its Vision Pro, a virtual reality (VR) headset designed to mix the real world and the virtual world. The gadget has returned VR to the limelight — so much so a few buffoons have used the Vision Pro while driving. Not safe, bro.
In general, virtual reality has been deemed a mixed blessing. It has the potential to expand access to services and spaces to those who wouldn't normally have access. But VR's interface also raises security, health and environmental concerns. Beyond drivers sporting VR headsets on the open highway.
Pro: Increases exposure to green spaces
Scientists have known that human access to nature and green spaces can positively affect health. Virtual reality is now being studied as a means of bringing nature to people who otherwise would not have easy access. "Research shows some health improvements associated with experiencing nature in virtual reality, although these benefits are smaller than those gained by exposure to real nature," Scientific American said. This can be especially useful for people with conditions preventing them from spending substantial time outdoors. While direct access to nature is irreplaceable, virtual technology can ensure people in less-green cities receive a healthful nature bump.
Con: Causes cybersickness
Virtual reality can have a number of side effects, in particular cybersickness. The condition is similar to motion sickness and can cause "new avenues for discomfort, such as disorientation, dizziness, nausea and increased muscle fatigue," said The Conversation. These side effects can be affected by a number of factors including "how complicated the scene is or the way VR reproduces user movements." It could also "have more to do with the user, such as age or how long they're immersed in the VR simulation." Data found that 80% of VR users have experienced some side effects, and more research is needed to determine whether these instances can have longer-term effects.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Pro: Increases access to health care services
Virtual reality can revolutionize remote health services that include minor appointments and therapy. "For the average family doctor, minor complaints and regular reviews probably make up the majority of their caseload – and these are exactly the sorts of appointments that can be carried out effectively remotely," said Forbes. VR technology can also provide such health data as heart rate, physical exercise and sleep data to medical experts. Those who live in rural areas without easy access to medical care can visit a metaverse hospital which is, "well suited to mental health treatment and potentially even physiotherapy."
Con: Raises privacy concerns
Virtual reality can provide a new avenue for hackers. Research from the University of California, Riverside, showed that "spyware can watch and record our every motion and then use artificial intelligence to translate those movements into words with 90% or better accuracy." An application on a VR headset could potentially monitor movements to determine passwords or other confidential information. "Basically, we show that if you run multiple applications, and one of them is malicious, it can spy on the other applications," said Nael Abu-Ghazaleh, who led the research. "It can spy on the environment around you. And it can also expose to the attacker your interactions with the headset."
Pro: Reduces psychological effects of physical illness
A study from Queen's University Belfast found that "VR interventions are acceptable treatments that have the potential to improve physical and psychological consequences of physical illness." The technology has the ability to help people be "connected to a digital world outside of their physical bodies." This can be done through VR interventions designed to "relax the user ahead of medical treatment with a combination of a nature walk and mindfulness meditation." These can help patients cope better with the anxiety and pain associated with physical illnesses like cancer.
Con: Raises sustainability concerns
The expansion of virtual reality would be like the "internet on steroids," Todd Richmond, director of the Tech + Narrative Lab and a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School, said to TechTarget. While the technology is fairly new, the ultimate goal is to create a metaverse or an expansive virtual reality. For this to come to fruition, a lot more technology will be required. The potential use of cryptocurrencies, which are known to be taxing on the environment, might be required. In addition, there are "growing concerns about the environmental impact associated with the increasing demands for hardware," because "users will need specialized equipment such as headsets, and cloud computing providers will have to implement more capacity to handle the anticipated spike in demand for compute power."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
'No war is good'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: will the US end child marriage?
Podcast Why some states have no lower limit on marriage age, plus Black maternal health and the price of olive oil
By The Week Staff Published
-
Perplexity AI: has Google finally met its match?
In The Spotlight Generative AI start-up provides fast, Wikipedia-like responses to search queries
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Is the AI bubble deflating?
Today's Big Question Growing skepticism and high costs prompt reconsideration
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Instagram hopes that blurring nudity in messages will make teens safer
The Explainer The option will be turned on by default for users under 18
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
AI is causing concern among the LGBTQ community
In the Spotlight One critic believes that AI will 'always fail LGBTQ people'
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
When even art is artificial
Opinion The AI threat to human creativity
By William Falk Published
-
Why is Microsoft breaking up Teams and Office?
Today's Big Question The company had previously divided the software in Europe, but will now make this change globally
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The push for media literacy in education amid the rise of AI
In the Spotlight A pair of congresspeople have introduced an act to mandate media literacy in schools
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Justice Department bites Apple with iPhone suit
Speed Read The lawsuit alleges that the tech company monopolized the smartphone industry
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The complex environmental toll of artificial intelligence
The explainer AI is very much mostly not green technology
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published