From: Jorge Alvoeiro Subject: Re: TECH: Virtual worlds with alternative physics and/or Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 12:03:29 +0000 Message-ID: <315BD191.311E@psy.hull.ac.uk> Organization: Dept. of Psychology, Hull University, Hull HU6 7RX, England Edlantz wrote: > > Let me make an analogy. Using the "natural interface" rule in the 2D > world, one would expect that a touch-screen monitor would best exploit > the "intuitive" action of pointing, dragging, clicking (tapping) > etc. using a finger. However, in practice, a mouse is usually > preferred. A mouse is, at first, a "non-intuitive" interface. There two aspects that one should take into consideration as far as touch-screen monitors and mice. 1- The price of a mouse is well below to that of a touch-screen monitor. 2- The up and down movement of a 2D mouse is very equivalent to the forward and backward movement of the mouse. Thus the time one takes to learn how to move an arrow on a monitor screen is almost non-existent. There are also two more aspects that because of its simplicity may have become almost 'background' noise to those who have being involved in computer graphics through out their lives. One is the small little arrow which is one of the best interfaces in any 'windows' like environment. It is our 'finger' in any 2D or 3D world (windows or otherwise). The other aspect, which is a continuation from the previous one, is that the finger is tooooo biggg for tracking movements on a 14 or 15 inch monitor which is the sort of stardard in most of todays' computers. One has to think of a 21 inch or more (which is the standard for graphics' users) when the use of a finger becomes viable. This implies a high cost which very few can afford. Thus if we want VR/VE to become popular rather than for the private privilege of a few one has to start thinking of graphical equivalents and how close their movements are to normal every day physical actions. > I hypothesize that that the mind can readily adapt to and may even prefer > interfaces which utilize non-physical/non-ordinary analogues and metaphors > provided they: > 1) behave consistently or repeatably > 2) have simple rules which can be readily discovered through > experimentation > 3) achieve a desired result in a manner which is more direct than other > means This is so if one wants to carry on within that environment the rest of one's life. I am sorry but most engineers (whether in software or hardware) tend to forget that VR environments are not equivalent to physical ones. The technology has only being able to 'imitate' visual modality (and for that one needs a very powerful reality engine). Auditory is comming very soon but as far as kineasthetic, odoriferous or gustatory modalities they are still not as close as they wanted them to be. Even the visual modality interface is full of problems which have to be resolved very soon. It is no good to have a doctor being trained in keyhole surgery and after the tutorial having a can of drink all over oneself because his/her hand-eye coordination is still at VE level. What would you say if you go to this doctor and when s/he is examining you and rather than grabbing your chin to look at your tongue (yuck!!!) grabs your ear or your nose???? I am sure you very likely would not return back to him/her even for a cold!!!!! > But I have to believe that many > VR systems of the future will depart altogether from attempting to > simulate the physical world and would better be described as > "alternate reality" or "virtual fantasy" systems rather than virtual > reality systems. I believe there are artistic, educational, > practical, and perhaps even (gasp) metaphysical reasons to do this. I hope that we become more 'REAL' rather than the above. This sort of ideal seems to be very 'one-self' rather than thinking about people in general. Of course there are individual differences which one should always take into consideration because of the way the brain has being wired due the backgound one comes from. Also I don't mind having my brain medula connected to a computer link if the lower part of my body does not exists but I still want to live in a world were I can still receive sensory input from the physical environment where I am now or in the future. Bye for now. Jorge -- Jorge Alvoeiro Phone: [+44] (0)1482 465778 Dept. of Psychology Fax: [+44] (0)1482 465599 Hull University E-Mail: J.Alvoeiro@psy.hull.ac.uk Cottingham Road. Hull, HU6 7RX, England.