From: John Alway <jalway@ICSI.NET>
Subject: Re: INDUSTRY:  Successful VR Apps
Date:         Fri, 6 Dec 1996 11:09:36 -0600
Message-ID:  <32A85350.4A50@icsi.net>



Nils Hilbrink wrote:

>And he was right. The helicopter never conquered the world like the
>aeroplane although some people thought it would. I remember seeing
>pictures in which futerists predicted that every one would have a
>helicopter. Well that didn't come true, did it?

>I think its the same with VR, it will never counquer the world like the
>desktop computer has but it will be able to do things no other
>technology can do. So in order to measure succes one should not look at
>quantaty or cost price. Though they are important, they are only
>important when comparing VR-technologies with other VR-technologies.


          I must respectfully disagree.  VR technology has wider
        and deeper application possibilities than does the venerable
        helicopter and for much lower cost.   VR technology will help
        engineers immensely.  It will become an indespensible aid to
        model visualization so much so that no successful company will be
        able to do without it.  It will aid in science, and complicated
        procedures, such as surgeries.

          Now, like any technology, some of the most fascinating
        applications are being done by the richest organizations,
        but that's to be expected in this nascent field. Cost will
        come down and performance will go up, and from where I sit
        I see a great deal of latitude for improvement.

          As I think about your helicopter analogy another thing
        stikes me.  I couldn't buy a helicopter today because of
        sheer cost, and then most people couldn't place one in their
        back yard, so I'd imagine they'd have to rent a space at
        an airport.  However, low cost VR is easy to come by, in
        fact, many kids own and fiddle with VR for fun and tech-
        nical interest.  For a few hundred I can own a decent little
        VR kit: in fact, I do own one.

          There are many very promising technologies today, of them
        VR may be the most promising, although I give "nanotechnology"
        the long term edge.


          Just my two cents. :-)


        ...Regards, John Alway
           jalway@icsi.net