Spatial presence issues of virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) technology is unlike conventional media such as television, radio and computer games both in terms of technology and in the conditions of experience the technology may induce upon users. Therefore, it was important to examine if new codes of conduct and ethical guidelines were needed. VR technology encompasses the possibility for numerous scientific experimental applications. Consequently, it urges scientists to view ethical guidelines applied in the past in a new light. This is because the new technologies may bring forth new forms of experience. Since it was important to ensure the well-being of the participants in the studies, the question was raised as to whether or not certain ethical recommendations needed to be designed. This was in regard to the use of virtual reality systems in experiments. The findings have been published in an international journal. A product's level of usability is a crucial factor upon its distribution to a large market. Thus in the case of virtual reality technology, usability engineering and user-centred design were implemented to make hardware and software more effective in human-technology interaction. The assumption is that a technology's spatial presence is closely related to its usability. The theory behind this relationship has been elaborated on and the results have been submitted for publication.
