Skip to main content

Embodiment, Perception, and Virtual Reality

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Cognitive Technology: Instruments of Mind (CT 2001)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 2117))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 1731 Accesses

Abstract

Virtual reality flight simulators and architectural walk-through models appear to be based on the notion of reproducing reality or embodied presence. Theme parks and computer entertainment games however use virtual reality technologies to construct elaborate fantasy worlds. Human beings have continually tried to explore varying dimensions of consciousness through incantations, meditation, prayer, dream states, drugs and fantasies. Cultural forms such as film, literature, art and virtual reality could be considered as a means of producing virtual realities which allow the exploration of consciousness in particular ways. Each of these cultural forms operates slightly differently due to the potential and limitations of different media. The following discussion suggests that virtual reality is a specific cultural form which enables us to extend our human embodied condition by enhancing our capacities to think and act creatively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Cope, N., Parker, S., Wilkinson, S., & Dullinger, D. ‘A Multilevel Simulation System for Teaching Manufacturing Systems Engineering’ in Proceedings of the CISS-First Joint Conference of International Simulation Societies, August, Zurich, Switzerland pp. 501–505, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Harrod, S., Wilkinson, S., & Cope, N., Development of an Interactive Manufacturing Cell Using VRML (Virtual Reality Modelling Language) & JAVA’ in 6 th European Concurrent Engineering Conference 1999 (ECEC’99): From Product Design to Product Marketing, 21–23 April, Erlangen, Germany, SCS, pp. 199–203, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Turkle, S. Life on the screen: identity in the age of the Internet, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bellman, K. and Landauer, ‘Playing in the MUD: Virtual Worlds are Real Places’, Applied Artificial Intelligence, 14(1), pp. 93–123, 2000.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  5. Donath, J. Sociable Information Spaces, presented at the Second IEEE Intl workshop on Community Networking, Princeton, New Jersey, June, pp. 20–22, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Nowak, K. and Biocca, F. “I think there is someone else here with me!” The role of the virtual body in the sensation of co-presence with other humans and artificial intelligences in advanced virtual environments. Proc CT99 “Networking Minds” 3 rd International Cognitive Technology Conference, San Francisco 11–14, 1999, pp291–302.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Druckery, T. Iterations: The New Image, London and Cambridge Mass: M.I.T. Press, P62, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Gibson, W. Neuromancer, London, Harper Collins, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Frenkel, Karen A. ‘A Conversation with Jaron Lanier’ in Interactions, July 1995, pp47–72.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Descartes, R. The Philosophical Writings of Descartes Vols. 1 and 11, transl. John Cottingham, Robert Stoothoff and Dugald Murdoch, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Tofts, D. & McKeigh, M. Memory Trade: A Prehistory of Cyberculture, Australia, Interface, 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hillis, K. Digital Sensations-Space, Identity and Embodiment in Virtual Reality, Minneapolis and London, University of Minnesota Press, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Goldberg, K. ed, The Robot in The Garden-Telerobotics and Telepistemology in the Age of the Internet, Cambridge Massachusetts & London: MIT Press, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Pinker, S. How the Mind Works, London: Penguin, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dreyfus, H. ‘The Current Relevance of Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Embodiment’ in Perspectives on Embodiment, Honi Haber and Gail Weiss (eds.) New York and London: Routledge, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rizzo, J.F. and Wyatt, J.L., ‘Prospects for a Visual Prosthesis’, Neuroscientisi, Vol. 3, pp. 251–262, July 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  17. O’Regan, K.J. & Noe, A. A Sensorimotor Account of Vision and Visual Consciousness, [Internet] http://nivea.psycho-univ-paris5.fr. Accessed Nov 2000.

  18. Noe, A. A Sensorimotor Account of Vision and Visual Consciousness, [Internet] http://nivea.psycho-univ-paris5.fr. Accessed Nov 2000 Ibid.

  19. Merleau-Ponty, M. Phenomenology of Perception, transl. by Colin Smith, first published 1962, New York and London: Routledge, p. viii, 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Gombrich, E.H. Art and Illusion-A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation, first published 1960, Oxford: Phaidon, p. 188, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Davies, C. ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ in The Guardian, Thursday November 21st, p. 17, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Chan, M. (2001). Embodiment, Perception, and Virtual Reality. In: Beynon, M., Nehaniv, C.L., Dautenhahn, K. (eds) Cognitive Technology: Instruments of Mind. CT 2001. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 2117. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44617-6_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-44617-6_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-42406-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-44617-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics