Modeling Reality with Virtual Worlds

I did not think there was a practical use for virtual worlds until after I have read these articles.

In this case, virtual worlds can be useful in many organizations. Due to the recession, companies are increasingly seeking alternatives of bringing employees together for conferences and meetings. This is evident in the article by Tutton, “more than 1,400 organizations… use Second Life to hold meetings, conduct training and prototype new technologies more efficiently.” People from around the world can meet each other in the virtual world without actually meeting in reality. Meeting in a virtual world allows employees to save time and cut costs from traveling. In addition, the creative environments in virtual worlds can spark creative idea generation.

Similarly, virtual worlds can be used to help those practice social interaction especially those with a medical condition like autism and Asperger syndrome. In this case, users will create avatars (a graphical representation of real people) in the virtual world without showing their real faces which can create a more relaxing environment for those who find it difficult to interact in reality. Hence, virtual worlds can create a sense of place or belonging when hanging out with different people in the virtual world.

In addition, virtual worlds can be used as an online simulation to train nurses especially with unexpected emergencies. Virtual worlds will help cut costs in hiring actors/actresses to simulate a real life hospital scene and does not interrupt the hospital daily operations. Furthermore, virtual worlds can be set up to train medical students in other clinical skills as well as train employees in the business field.

However, there are cons to virtual worlds such as what works in reality does not necessarily work in virtual worlds and vice versa. For example, Tutton states that a lack of face to face communication or interaction can lead to isolation. In addition, users can missed out on the experience of meeting face to face. Tutton also interestingly points out that we need human interaction even if everything turns virtual. In addition, virtual worlds can cause users to become more addicted when users are isolated from reality and users will begin to spend a large amount of money on virtual goods.

Virtual Worlds can foster creativity when the user imagines and creates their own world. One example of this is when a user of virtual worlds recreated a hotel in the virtual world from old photographs. Virtual worlds allows the user to create and explore and visit many different places. Users (like the disable or with a medical condition) who cannot express themselves in real life can express themselves through a virtual world. I think the future of virtual worlds will eventually lead to a three dimensional virtual world instead of a two dimension virtual world on a screen but I think we are too far from that kind of technology.

Sources:

iReport: 'Naughty Auties' battle autism with virtual interaction by Nicole Saidi, CNN, March 28, 2008. available from: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/03/28/sl.autism.irpt/index.html#cnnSTCText

"Avatar II: The Hospital" by Stephanie Simon, The Wall Street Journal, April 13, 2010 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703909804575124470868041204.html?KEYWORDS=avatar+ii+the+hospital

No Budget, No Boundaries: It’s the Real You by RUTH LA FERLA, the New York Times, Oct 22, 2009 p. E1. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22Avatar.html

Going to the Virtual Office in Second Life, CNN.com: Nov 5, 2009 http://www.cnn.com/2009/BUSINESS/11/05/second.life.virtual.collaboration/index.html

"In Room 100, It's Sid and Nancy All Over Again,"by Saki Knafo, The New York Times, May 3, 2009, p. CY6. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/nyregion/thecity/03virt.html