How VR can change our [inner] world

VR/ AR has already changed our world by improving experiences and enhancing our environment in the areas of entertainment, gaming, communications, products, travel, etc. We know this already.

But there are other uses that are less common and have the potential to be far more impactful.

Many uses are focused on how VR impacts our external world. However, in this article, I would like to talk about something different: how VR can impact our inner world.

Some people talk about the ‘biggest danger’ of VR being how it can cut us off from our own reality. Being ‘hyper immersed’ can completely disconnect us from the external world, and ‘trick’ our brains into an altered reality, creating a ‘fictive reality’.

In truth, our reality is inside us. It is about how we [ourselves] perceive the outside world. Through VR we enter into a different reality—not our own—and get into a different ‘outside’ world, which in turn becomes the world perceived by ‘me’.

The point is that technology such as VR, which creates a different external ‘reality’, can also help us to change our inner reality.

How can something of the outer world change our inner world?

Let’s take mental illnesses or disorders as an example, where VR could be used for therapeutic purposes. We could potentially use VR to modify our inner thoughts, pains, ideas, etc., modifying the way we perceive reality.

With VR we can influence an individual to pay special attention to something, or direct their minds to something specific, for example, putting them into a particular environment or situation that in the real world they may not be able or willing to experience.

After we understand the patterns that create our frustrations or limitations, with VR we can create a ‘reality’ that forces the brain and inner perception to face those problems.

For example, people who have ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) are always trying to avoid any situation where they may be confronted with a snake. With VR we can create a universe, an immersive experience, where you are confronted with your biggest fear, e.g., we can surround you with snakes. We are forcing you to live the reality you fear, and forcing your brain to act differently.

Take another example, someone with depression. Through VR we figure out how to regulate mood by creating conditions that force specific responses. If we combine VR with Artificial Intelligence, we can learn from subject’s responses and adjust the inputs to improve outcomes.

With VR, even though it is a fiction, it becomes a reality for us. With enough repetition, VR can create real memories that become implanted in our brains, and thus become part of our inner self. Fiction > External Reality > Memory > Inner Reality.

That is not all. Our brain also guides our physical bodies.

If we can trick our brains, we can also trick our physical bodies.

Water Greenleaf, a visiting scholar at Stanford, has been working more than 20 years on how VR can physically affect us. His research has shown how mental capabilities trained through VR, can, for example, help people to train a physical limb. One of his most amazing findings is that through mental training a human can train a third arm. Yes, a third arm! Training mental capabilities can affect physical capabilities.

Imagine, you can learn to snowboard by simply using a VR program to train your brain!. Your physical skills can be trained and improved thanks to your brain being tricked into believing a fictional reality…

So we see, VR is the ultimate brain Hack. It will change not only the outer-world, but also our inner-world…

Keep innovating!

Adela

#AI #VR #technologies #innovation #healthtech #future