Under The Microscope

VIRTUAL REALITY, by Howard Rheingold; Secker & Warburg, 1991; 415 pages; UK16.99

If you thought you were getting used to the continual advances and shifts in orientation generated by the computer industry, brace yourself -- the best is yet to come.

Rheingold is an early proponent and investigator of the diverse technologies involved in virtual reality (VR). He has set out to explore and explain its origins, current status and likely future. His research takes him from NASA simulators in California and science cities in Japan, to the Spitting Image workshop in London.

VR is a nascent industry, bubbling with the same verve that characterised the early PC revolution. However, the stake-holders in VR research range from garage enthusiasts with world-spanning dreams to industrial "heavies" such as Japan's NTT who are researching its impact on the telecommunications world.

Rheingold takes a good look at the evolution of VR from crude simulations in the 60s, such as airforce flight simulators, to other military technology such as the flight goggles used in the latest strike aircraft. He doesn't miss independent influences such as interactive room exhibitions pioneered by a New York artist in the early 70s.

His review of the state of the art encompasses both high-tech and low-tech, and applications ranging from cyberspace (shared virtual worlds) to teledildonics (VR sex). He doesn't overlook projects focussed on very tight goals, such as a system at the University of North Carolina designed to allow humans to manipulate and dock virtual molecules together -- an ability which could have significant applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

Rheingold's book is clearly written from the perspective of a devotee -- among other things, he is now moderator of a world-wide electronic mail conference on VR. Thus, a reader might be forgiven for wondering at some of the projections he makes for the progress and impact of this technology.

Even so, the breadth and thoroughness of Virtual Reality lends credence to his belief that VR will be one of the defining technologies of the next century and beyond. If you want the rare and stimulating experience of recognising a revolution in its infancy, this book is definitely for you.

Peter Hyde