Virtual Reality in Media
This article discusses the various ways virtual reality is used in the media. This includes radio, television, music and film as well as books and the arts.
Virtual reality in film and TV
Virtual reality has featured in several film and television programmes. It is often used to illustrate the concept of being trapped within the machine (or in this case, cyberspace), or as a form of advanced technology.
Examples of VR inspired films include:
- The Lawnmower Man
- The Matrix
- Tron (1982 version)
- The Thirteenth Floor
- eXistenZ
- Vanilla Sky
And then there are television programmes such as selected episodes of Doctor Who, Red Dwarf and Star Trek: The Next Generation which utilise virtual reality technology. One example is the holodeck as seen in Star Trek which enables the person to experience any situation they so wish.
Virtual reality music
This technology has formed part of experimental sound displays and sound installations. Another use is virtual reality musical instruments which the person can interact with these instruments as a new type of performance or to create new compositions.
Virtual reality books
Virtual reality has been a staple theme of many fictional stories such as William Gibson’s Neuromancer and Mona Lisa Overdrive as well as Orson Scott Card’s Enders Game.
Virtual reality art
There are artists who use virtual reality to explore certain ideas or concepts. They create a three dimensional environment as a form of communication with the audience. One example is the work of Kenneth Rinaldo who uses robotics and augmented reality to explore ideas related to the human-technology boundary.
