Aha! the virtual sphere...

[anart]

Now, we just need to send atreides to find the seam in the surface of the sphere where the door is and we can all get out!!

http://www.virtusphere.com/

In today's virtual reality research involving the brain and eye connection, test subjects are tethered by several heavy cables to a computer system. A head tracker, eye tracker and a dual LCD virtual reality headset which completely blocks out the surrounding room are all mounted on the subject's head. Each of these all connect to different systems made by several manufacturers, and require someone to follow the subject around to prevent them from tripping on cables they cannot see. Now a breakthrough has a been made that will allow a test subject to connect wirelessly to a 3D virtual world. It allows subjects to walk or run without really going anywhere. This will revolutionize virtual reality research.

The new system which took ten years to develop, consists of a large sphere with sensors which can be assembled in just four hours. It connects the test subject into a computer-generated 3D virtual world. The test subject enters the perforated sphere and then wears a wireless head mounted display. The access panel is then closed, creating a seamless interior. This seamless perforated interior is reminiscent of the big ball that motorcyclists use at a circus."

 

[Justin]

I wonder if the virtual sphere includes mind-programming to convince the subjects that there is no sphere, and thus no reason explore the true nature of the sphere or try to escape from it :)

 

[Guest]

Ten years ago the virtual reality people were very optimistic of their new technology, believing that it would have been the new entertainment medium by this time. Yet it wasn't. A friend of mine discussed this with some researchers and later with a consultant of some big companies in the entertainment and particularly the gaming industry.

As far as virtual reality goes, they mentioned serious problems with the technology due to the fact that it dissociates hearing and sight from the rest of the senses, including the sense of equilibrium and spacial presence. Since then they tried to make virtual reality suits using piezoelectric quartz crystals sending tactile stimuli to the body, but all those can do is buzz. So, of course, someone had the bright idea to use it for pornographic applications.

With or without the suit extended use of a VR helmet causes dizziness, nausea and often vomiting in subjects, due to the dissociative influence. Even more prolonged use causes chronic confusion in the subject, blurred vision and out of body feelings since brain centers are over-stimulated in an over specialized manner. I know the military is using this technology, but they do not release information.

The trend these days is VR research using SQUID (superconducting magnet) technology, where the highly focused magnetic field stimulates the cortex directly. This also stresses the brain, so at this point the focus is on passive mode, i.e. reading and recording thoughts and sensations.

The consultant told my friend that the industry (which wants to target children through VR games), has hit a wall as far as human response is concerned. The drive is to generate what they call hyper-reality, or an experience more intense than what the sense can provide. They want to generate a reality which the brain translates as more real than the natural environment, so that anything they present will automatically be translated by the brain as what is going on.

Yet they have hit a wall because the neurvous system is rejecting this when a certain limit is presented. Since their point is to sneak into your mind instead of causing detectable trauma they cannot market devices causing people to go insane. My friend and I have a way around this, but the only way it can be presented is if it becomes STS-proof, which is where we are focusing now.

So yes, the virtual sphere does include such programming (to convince subjects there is no sphere) in that the experience becomes so real that the brain automatically ignores any indications of artificiality, and is led to the schizoid view that the natural environment is the matrix and the virtual one is what is real.

 

[anart]

Exactly, Justin. =)

brain automatically ignores any indications of artificiality

Sound alot like non-lucid dreaming - or, actually, like life in America. Why do I get the feeling that they've already accomplished this and have been applying it for years?

 

[Cyre2067]

anart - because they have.

That's my intuitition talking btw.

 

[Justin]

Since their point is to sneak into your mind instead of causing detectable trauma they cannot market devices causing people to go insane. My friend and I have a way around this, but the only way it can be presented is if it becomes STS-proof, which is where we are focusing now.

I can see why you would want to make such a system STS-proof! As soon as the trauma is consciously undetectable, the technology would be marketed by unscrupulous individuals for all sorts of things.