Neurobiology vs virtual reality



    Many people are looking forward to the rise of virtual reality technology (VR). However, despite the advent of affordable BP glasses, the boom in the entertainment industry has not begun. The reason lies in the structural features of our body, more precisely, the answers must be sought in the field of neurobiology.

    To begin with, let me ask: what is closer to you, virtual reality or augmented? Compare these two videos.
    Pre-alpha space simulator EVE: Valkyre:



    And a demo video from the mysterious company Magic Leap, which recently surprised everyone with a viral video with a pocket elephant:



    For some, this question will sound just as ridiculous as a proposal to choose between sausage and cheese, very different technologies. But it is likely that these technologies can combine one unobvious property. It's about how they will be comfortably perceived by the human mind and body.

    Attempts to create virtual reality glasses have been undertaken for quite some time. But not one of the developments was successful. The next round has already led to the emergence of several new projects , and the sale of the previously promoted Oculus Rift is all tired of waiting. Secret Magic Leap can present a very unexpected surprise if the developers really succeed in realizing the promise.



    As you can see, a number of manufacturers promise us "just about" a scattering of technologies that will allow us to raise entertainment to a new level. An avid gamer has something to drip in anticipation of saliva. Many are ready to forgive future gadgets for small lags and not too high, frankly, the image resolution. However, it may turn out that the problem is sneaking up from a completely different perspective.

    Surely most of you have already watched videos in which people react very emotionally and positively to what they see with virtual reality glasses. But this does not mean at all that in them a person ceases to distinguish the virtual world from the present. No, it’s impossible to fool the brain. This is just a manifestation of emotional involvement, for which we do not even need a photorealistic image.

    There is very little information on the network about how a user feels for a long time who has not taken off his BP glasses. Not 15 minutes, not 30, but several hours. Alas, there is a whole series of evidence that the brain cannot be deceived by the picture in front of the eyes and headphones.

    Delays as a cause of motion sickness


    One of the striking consequences of prolonged use of BP glasses is the state of motion sickness. Actually, many do not need glasses for this, just play some games in the first person. The main reason is micro-delays in changing the image in response to our actions. And if at a distance of several tens of centimeters from the monitor this is not so noticeable, since peripheral vision "holds" us, then in the case of VR glasses, whose displays cover almost the entire field of view, the perception changes. Moreover, when using glasses, the vestibular apparatus is also involved, so micro-delays affect our brain much more than when playing at the computer. With BP glasses, they can reach 20 milliseconds. This is completely invisible in "traditional" games, but here it already negatively affects the well-being of the user. True, much more depends on individual susceptibility. Someone will stir up at 3 milliseconds, and someone will joyfully play at 150.

    The accommodation of the muscles of the lens and eyeball


    A phenomenon familiar to the vast majority of computer users. After many hours of looking at the monitor, various unpleasant sensations arise in the eyes, it becomes more difficult to focus on long distances. This is not surprising — the muscles that control the lens and eyeball are made of the same material as all the other muscles in the body. Try to take a dumbbell and hold it for a long time on weight on an outstretched arm. When you will not have the strength, remember your eyes, which you do not give rest for several hours.

    But this is not the most interesting in the case of BP glasses. A much more curious phenomenon is the “template break." Suppose you are looking at a virtual horizon, and the brain expects the muscles of the lens and eyeball to work accordingly. But physically, you are looking at an object located a few centimeters in front of your eyes. Well, albeit a couple of meters, thanks to the optical system of glasses. But in any case, on a subconscious level, you understand that you are not looking into the distance, but right in front of you. In some cases, this can lead to discomfort in the eyes and headache.

    Add to this one more moment: in life we ​​perceive the whole surrounding space sharp only because in our eyes there is "autofocus", the point of attention of the eyes and the position of the lenses are constantly changing. However, glasses displays show us sharp only what the developers intended. And no matter how you try to make out more distant or near objects, they will remain blurred. This also causes a certain discomfort.
    True, the developers of Magic Leap promise to solve this problem thanks to the " light field " technology , which formed the basis of Lytro cameras . But as far as they succeed, it is difficult to even guess. Wait and see.



    line of sight


    As you know, the effect of presence is largely achieved through the use of peripheral (side) vision. It is the information from the borders of the sectors of the review of our eyes that allows the brain to “feel” itself here, to “feel” the surrounding space. Moreover, peripheral vision is more sensitive to the movement of objects falling into it. Moreover, even the information from it goes to the brain through a separate channel, in parallel with the “main” video stream. According to one version, this feature allowed our distant ancestors to survive in unfriendly wildlife. At the same time, increased sensitivity imposes higher requirements on the accuracy of simulation, because peripheral vision is closely related to our ability to navigate in space. Therefore, it is not enough to make displays wider. Among other things

    Orientation in the virtual space


    Imagine that it was possible to completely solve the problem of micro-delays. Alas, this will not be enough to solve the problem of motion sickness of users. For the formation of a sense of presence, it is important not only the processing speed of the image with glasses, but also the correspondence of the physical movements of our body to the changes that occur on the screen. If you “bend over” and look at your virtual legs while sitting in a chair, then a “format mismatch” occurs. After all, the brain expects tension in the corresponding muscle groups and the response of the vestibular apparatus, confirming a change in position in space. And at that time you just turned the joystick with your finger.

    In other words, for a full-fledged feeling of oneself in another space - virtual - it is necessary to completely copy all the movements necessary for this. If in the game you need to run a kilometer, then you will have to run it in reality, with glasses on your face. Not really that big enough, right? You can get around this only with the help of plot tricks, for example, using teleporters or “putting” a player in the seat of a virtual vehicle. But this will be a very obvious trick.

    Alternatively, you can use special simulators in the image of treadmills, but allowing you to change the direction of movement. But this device only makes the whole system cumbersome and even more expensive, and also imposes certain restrictions.



    In general, one should not yet expect a virtual revolution. It’s not just that the release date of the commercial version of Oculus Rift is constantly shifting, and BP glasses from other manufacturers, although they went on sale, did not confirm the high expectations of users. In fact, they remained a commodity for a few enthusiasts.

    On the other hand, the presence of all the neurobiological difficulties described above does not mean that it is time to put an end to virtual reality technology. The more we encounter such obstacles, the better we understand the functioning of the human brain. And perhaps, in the future, the accumulated experience will finally allow us to create a technology of compelling VR.

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