Virtual Worlds

Virtual worlds have long been the stuff of dreams and fantasy. Over the last decade, it has found its way into a block buster movie and part of our social landscape. Virtual worlds can be used in many different ways. The following is a small sampling of the possibilities offered by virtual worlds:

First, the most obvious use of virtual worlds is for creative expression such as with games and online chat rooms where people may remain anonymous and engage in social interaction. The latter works well for those who are shy or introverts. It affords them the opportunity for interaction without risk. Second, it allows those disabled an opportunity to "mentally" experience an alternate reality to there own. For example, someone who's a paraplegic or disabled may leverage the virtual world experience to engage in activities that would normally not be available to them given their condition. Third, it allows organizations to test social models, theories, simulation, etc. without the astronomical costs that would have been normally realized in a real world model, which may now be done in a virtual world model and a fraction of the cost. Finally, education and training will become a great platform for virtual worlds. Professors or trainers may leverage their own personality in virtually engaging students. In addition, there may come a day when the training experience is so well done using an avatar, real trainers will compete with the computer model.

Virtual worlds allows us to be creative by removing boundaries such as time, space, material, costs from the equation of testing and proof of concept. For example, virtual worlds may be used to predict weather patterns and its impact on communities  and geographical areas  susceptible to storms. By feeding data already gathered from past storms, community response to the storms, financial challenges associated with the storm, models could be developed in virtual worlds to help prepare for future events.  This would be a great way for municipalities and government agencies to prepare for natural disasters in a way that limits risk both, especially financial, provides insight into ways to respond and help fashion policies that would better protect communities in the event of a natural disaster.

I think in the future virtual worlds will allow us to predict with more accuracy social behavior of individuals, communities and societies based on real data fed into it from past events. I think the medical community will benefit on how to provide more effective care to patients from real life simulations of crisis situations. Finally, many looking for an experience of an event (going to the Oscars), visiting a monument, etc. may leverage virtual worlds as a way to escape and be somewhere, possible with someone they've always wanted to be with. It will be a form of adventure and escape.



References:

1.  Simon, S. (2010, April). Avatar II: The Hospital. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703909804575124470868041204

2.  Itzkoff, D. (2008, January). I’ve Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life. NY Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/arts/television/06itzk.html?_r=0