Full Dive Virtual Reality: Fiction or Future Reality?
Oculus, Virtuix, Argus, Sony, Microsoft—all of these companies have one thing in common: they are companies that develop the most cutting-edge videogames. Although they are on the forefront of the gaming industry, they are still far from complete and total immersion into their gameplay. Even with this shortcoming, these companies and their developers are working towards making their games as immersive as possible, or at least give the illusion of complete immersion in their gameplay. Despite the fact that virtual reality games in the past have been lack-luster at best—a primary example being Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, which was a complete bust—and partly due to the advent of devices such as the Oculus Rift and the Virtuix Omni along with their prospective successes, a massive hype has been developing over just how deeply immersive virtual reality gaming will go within our foreseeable future. In addition to this hype coming from people looking hopefully towards the future, there is some skepticism and opposition stating that virtual reality is just a passing fad that will never get beyond where it is today. One theory on the future of this gaming genre can be found lurking in Kawahara Reki’s most famous light novel series: Sword Art Online. This theory is known as Full Dive virtual reality, and it goes far beyond the normal limits of gameplay that exist today. Is this technology—regardless of how amazing it is in theory—really feasible, or is it just meant to remain in the fictional world that has been created by Reki? Despite it requiring a great deal of advancement needing to be made in both the fields of medicine and of computer science, the answer is that Full Dive is possible, with this answer coming from somewhere one would not expect.
Full Dive technology in its purest form is very complex in how it can be created as well as executed, and due to this complexity, it can be divided into two sub-categories. These sub-categories do not have any technical names, but I will refer to them as Mobile Full Dive and Immobile Full Dive. Mobile Full Dive in essence is defined as a subtype of immersive virtual reality that you will be moving your body during the gaming experience, which I will refer to as the ‘dive’. Immobile full dive is the same concept, but the definition of this is essentially, “…inputting data directly into the brain…with enough power and the right technology you could almost imagine the place that you are right NOW could be a virtual world just from the fact that all 5 senses are being fooled. Through the use of hit-boxes you could … create a world, indistinguishable from reality,” (Kigana). This type gets its name from the fact that you are completely immobile to the point of being in a temporary state of paralysis during the dive.
Immobile Full Dive technology requires a great deal of neurological knowledge in order to fully understand how it works, but fundamentally, this type of Full Dive technology intercepts the various nerve signals that are sent from the brain—via the spinal column or through external peripherals attached to the head—to the different muscles and organs of the body. Whatever is being used to induce the dive’s paralysis state then blocks these signals from reaching their intended target, and instead reroutes and translates them to a language that the computer can understand, thus allowing these signals to be inputs for a computer, which ultimately makes your body the controller. You ‘move’ different parts of your body, such as your arms, legs, head, et cetera, and that movement will result in the movement of the corresponding part of the avatar that you are playing as, while still retaining your stationary position. It then would stimulate different parts of the brain in order to give you the senses of touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste. When it comes to the gaming aspect of things, this style of dive allows you to help improve your movements via system assistance, as it is reading the signals that your brain is sending rather than reading movements that you are doing. This version of Full Dive is almost identical to the one found within Sword Art Online and is known in that world as the NerveGear, which our current technology and medical research cannot do completely at the moment, but there are extensive efforts in order to expand on existing technology to define the future of virtual reality gaming, even if the results cannot be seen right now.
Our current technology, on the other hand is capable of a different type of ‘Full Dive’ experience. With a combination of motion-capture technology, the Virtuix Omnidirectional Treadmill, the Oculus Rift, and a good quality gaming headset, we are fully capable of creating mobile ‘Full Dive’ technology. Though this technology has a lot less sensory modification than the immobile variation, it is much less intrusive and less risky, as it only uses exterior peripherals to obtain the inputs necessary rather than intercepting nerve signals from the spinal column and the brain to obtain them. The basic concept is still the same: you move your body around and you still control the avatar through this movement, yet the only difference is the fact that you actually are moving to control the avatar, rather than being in a stationary position during the ‘dive’ and imagining your movements. This dive, contrary to the other form, causes your performance in-game to be equivalent to what you are capable of. We have the capability to completely recreate this technology here, though we have made great strides—in the medical and computer science fields—to help boost our technology that exists.
Immobile Full Dive, which I had said earlier, requires a great deal of biomedical engineering and neurological understanding in order to make it successful and/or feasible. We actually have some of the technology available to make this dream a reality, but it has not yet seen its full potential in the gaming industry, due to the fact that they are being primarily used for medicinal purposes. We can use a variety of medical technologies in order to accomplish tasks that are needed in order to create this, but there are still things we cannot replicate. Focused Ultra Sounds, Electroencephalography (EEG) technology, and Electromyography (EEG) technology can help us achieve the neurological aspects of the ‘dive’. We can just use a 4k resolution (4k referring to UHD resolution of 3840×2160 (Sony E Support)) or better head mounted display (HMD) such as an improved version of the Oculus Rift or Project Morpheus for the visual display, and for the audio we could just use an HD-Audio or a 3D-Audio gaming headset with a high definition microphone in order for us to interpret the sounds and to communicate in-game via our own voice(s). The two things that we cannot replicate yet through neurological processes are the sense of smell and the scent of taste, though there have been some failed attempts in the past to do this, but they had used chemical scents rather than inducing it via the nervous system (Radeusgd).
Focused Ultra Sound has an impact on this with a concept known as Neuromodulation. The reason why this can help us with the development of this technology is the fact that we can intercept neural signals from the brain to different parts of the body and prevent them from arriving to the muscles in order to get rid of mobility and inducing the temporary paralyzed state, thus the entire foundation for making Immobile Full Dive immobile. The exact words from the Focused Ultrasound Foundation states that, “Focused ultrasound can stimulate or suppress neural activity, depending on the parameters of the energy applied to neural tissue… This allows for the temporary blocking of neural signals from targeted locations within the brain or spinal/peripheral nerves” (Focused Ultrasound Foundation). That in itself is the essence of what is needed to prevent the movement of the body in order for the technology to be developed, but this is still an experimental technology designed exclusively for medicinal treatment at this point in time, and even there, it has not yet been deemed safe enough for use on humans.
Electroencephalography (EEG) technology is needed in order to actually read the signals that the brain is producing and being kept away from the body via Neuromodulation. This technology was originally designed to help track brainwave activity to help figure out methods in order to finally treat epilepsy, but with a study that was done, there has been some usage of EEG in order to help someone be rehabilitated in a virtual environment via a wheelchair simulation using only brainwaves, so there has been great development in this. Basically this experiment that was done made it so that the patient had to, “… [Progress] toward the end of the virtual street, using only imagined movements of his feet…” (Lécuyer, Lotte and Reilly), despite the fact that the patient had tetraplegia—which basically means that he was paralyzed in all of his limbs. If this technology can be used by someone whom has no motor skill control, it can be used in conjunction with the Focused Ultrasound in order to actually put the person in a temporary paralyzed state and allow them to control the character onscreen using only imagined movements.
In addition to EEG, there actually has been some usage of MRI in order to help map out how the brain works as well as map out how different types of stimulation affect the brain and the resulting nerve signals, which would help us in our attempts to improve our existing technology. At a technology conference in San Jose, California hosted by NVIDIA, Mickey Hart had demonstrated the Oculus’s capabilities along with an EEG skullcap and an MRI in order to show mental reactions to stimuli, with the example that is shown being used was a virtual reality game, aided by the Rift Dev 2.0 and NVIDIA graphics. This game was known as the ‘Neurodrummer’, which showed the stimulation and timing of the different nerve signals while one was multitasking. The MRI allowed for one to actually view the data visually showing just how communication between different areas of the brain affect one another, which is vital in order to actually figure out which nerve signals go to which area of the body, which we need to improve in order to perfect Full Dive (Greenemeier).
Electromyography (EMG) technology is actually used for virtual reality simulation, but not in the ways that most people would expect. EMG is actually used to help those that have prosthetic limbs in order to allow them to control their appendages in a virtual world before they finally get their prosthetic. With this training that they receive prior to gaining their appendage, they are capable of controlling their limb post-surgery. The main reason that this technology is being used for a virtual reality environment is the fact that, “In characterizing virtual human limbs, as a potential prosthetic device in 3D virtual reality, patients are able to familiarize themselves with their new appendage and its capabilities in a virtual training environment or can see their movements’ intention” (Al-Jumaily and Olivares), and with this fact, it proves that we are already capable of translating the movements that are sent into the code necessary to program the character to move based on the attempted movement, same as with the EEG wheelchair simulation presented earlier.
Due to the nature of these technologies being experimental, and the fact that we don’t really have the processing power to use these technologies for home use, a concept that must take effect in order to get us ever closer to using this for consumer gaming use is known as Moore’s Law. Moore’s Law is the “observation that the [amount] of transistors on affordable processors will consistently double every two years” (Moore). This law is essential to the development of new technologies for computers and gaming, as often times with a greater processing ability (which is given via the additional transistors) we are capable of much more in the way of rendering as well as actually the execution and interpretation of the data that we obtain via the EMG and EEG, allowing our computers to effectively translate the neurological signals to something that can be interpreted by the game/game engine in real-time, adding to the realism of the dive. With this realism comes the completeness of the technology, allowing us to finally gain full immersion.
Assuming Moore’s Law is to take effect and this experimental technology gets out of the experimental phase and declared safe for use on humans, one must then consider how we will be able to mass produce this technology in a medium that the average consumer can use and buy for a moderately low price. With the current price of just the Oculus Developer’s Kit V2 being $300, there have been strides in order to make this technology affordable, but how could one put a price on currently extremely expensive medical technology that has been modified for personal recreational use that can be afforded by the masses? To be honest, I have no clue on how one can attain this other than time and market saturation, as well as the motives of the developers and engineers behind the technology’s future. With certain existing virtual reality peripherals costing thousands of dollars per unit, it seems that one must then answer the question, “Which will be cheaper to use: Immobile or Mobile?” If one were to factor in inflation and certain other aspects such as a high demand, prices will continue to go upwards in order to meet the needs of the public, and in theory, the technology such as the NerveGear would be very expensive, as all of the components necessary are very sensitive medical tools that have taken years to develop and eventually perfect to reach that stage.
A factor that may be hindering the process of developing the technology actually is something I am familiar with. Anyone whom reads news on the latest technology and technology holes, they will notice that with today’s technology, there is always at least one person whom wishes to harm others for their own benefit: the Black-Hat Hacker community. Many of you are familiar with the White-Hat community, the guys down at places like Best Buy and other tech forums/support chats that help you configure your technology, or those that help you with software related issues and keeping your data safe from the other side of the spectrum. The Black-Hats are those whom cause destruction and havoc within systems in order to attain something—usually financial gain. Many people whom fear this group of people often times say that with the technology to tamper with pacemakers wirelessly being something that scares the public, imagine what one can do if they tamper with the technology or create different malicious code structures that can cause permanent lasting damage to those in a dive by making the safe temporary paralysis to a permanent comatose state where one cannot get out of, and eventually end up dead due to a lack of capability to function. There actually is a way around this that can help prevent the issue. One can integrate features to the FUS technology that prevent it from the nerve interception being modified unless the hardware itself was tampered with, such as a firewall or a user password requirement or a way to nullify the effects of the system if it detects that there is something tampering with the device during the dive.
Another fear that some people have is wondering what would happen if there was an emergency in the area and one needed to leave the dive in order to get to safety, or if someone ended up over stimulated and was having adverse health effects due to that. The easiest solution to the issue of the emergencies such as a fire or a crime in the nearby area would be to just integrate a way to connect the device to a police scanner, burglar alarm, smoke detector, and even a carbon monoxide detector. It is as simple as that. For the medical emergencies on the other hand, one can integrate a heart monitor along with the EEG to detect if there are any abnormalities or an increase in blood pressure/heart rate that could damage someone permanently, and just have a disconnect switch if it goes above or below certain parameters, saving one’s progress in whatever they were doing and disconnecting from the dive while also contacting medical officials in order to assure one is in a healthy enough state after being ejected from the dive.
Full Dive technology is a fair distance away, but it may be closer than one would initially think. We have the majority of the technology necessary to do some of the things that are essential for the recreation of Reki’s reality and Sword Art Online, but not everything that the NerveGear entails can be reproduced at the moment. If things continue at the current rate—and if the Oculus Rift, the Virtuix Omni, or even Sony’s Project Morpheus are successful—virtual reality will continue to make great strides in development, and we may be ever closer to attaining complete immersion into gameplay. Moore’s Law will take effect and we will begin to develop better and stronger computers that will eventually be capable of real time interpretation and translation of data. Full Dive is not here yet, but it has great potential to be here in the future. The dream for what virtual reality will eventually culminate into is explained perfectly in the words of Thomas Dolby: “I started looking at small companies that were running a sort of virtual reality cottage industry: I had imagined that I would just put on a helmet and be somewhere else – that’s your dream of what it’s going to be” (Gordon).
Works Cited
Al-Jumaily, A. and R Olivares. “Electromyogram (EMG) Driven System Based Virtual Reality for Prosthetic and Rehabilitation Devices.” (2009). INSPIRE. Web. 11 February 2015.
Focused Ultrasound Foundation. Neuromodulation. Focused Ultrasound Foundation. 2015. Web. 10 February 2015.
Gordon, S.E. Quotes from Thomas Dolby. BrainyQuote. 2015. Web. 18 February 2015.
Greenemeier, Larry. “Glass Brain” Offers Tours of the Space between Your Ears. Scientific American. 29 September 2014. INSPIRE. Web. 11 February 2015.
Kigana. “How Long Until “Full-Dive” Virtual Reality?”. Forum Comment. /MMOSite/. MMOSite.com. MMOSite. 24 Oct. 2014. Web. 12 February 2015
Lécuyer, Anatole, et al. “Brain-Computer Interfaces, Virtual Reality, and Videogames.” (n.d.): 1-10. INSPIRE. Web. 11 February 2015.
Moore, Gordon E. Moore’s Law or how overall processing power for computers will double every two years. Gordon Moore. n.d. Web. 18 February 2015.
Radeusgd. What kind of Nerve Gear/Full-dive will be available in this decade and what probably won’t. VR Labs. 4 August 2013. Web. 10 February 2015.
Sony E Support. What is the difference between 1080P and 4K Resolution. Sony. 2015. Web. 17 February 2015.
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