Virtual Reality - What It Is And How It Works Essays (2941 words)

Virtual Reality - What it is and How it Works Imagine being able to point into the sky and fly. Or perhaps walk through space and connect molecules together. These are some of the dreams that have come with the invention of virtual reality. With the introduction of computers, numerous applications have been enhanced or created. The newest technology that is being tapped is that of artificial reality, or "virtual reality" (VR). When Morton Heilig first got a patent for his "Sensorama Simulator" in 1962, he had no idea that 30 years later people would still be trying to simulate reality and that they would be doing it so effectively. Jaron Lanier first coined the phrase "virtual reality" around 1989, and it has stuck ever since. Unfortunately, this catchy name has caused people to dream up incredible uses for this technology including using it as a sort of drug. This became evident when, among other people, Timothy Leary became interested in VR. This has also worried some of the researchers who are trying to create very real applications for medical, space, physical, chemical, and entertainment uses among other things. In order to create this alternate reality, however, you need to find ways to create the illusion of reality with a piece of machinery known as the computer. This is done with several computer-user interfaces used to simulate the senses. Among these, are stereoscopic glasses to make the simulated world look real, a 3D auditory display to give depth to sound, sensor lined gloves to simulate tactile feedback, and head-trackers to follow the orientation of the head. Since the technology is fairly young, these interfaces have not been perfected, making for a somewhat cartoonish simulated reality. Stereoscopic vision is probably the most important feature of VR because in real life, people rely mainly on vision to get places and do things. The eyes are approximately 6.5 centimeters apart, and allow you to have a full-colour, three-dimensional view of the world. Stereoscopy, in itself, is not a very new idea, but the new twist is trying to generate completely new images in real- time. In 1933, Sir Charles Wheatstone invented the first stereoscope with the same basic principle being used in today's head-mounted displays. Presenting different views to each eye gives the illusion of three dimensions. The glasses that are used today work by using what is called an "electronic shutter". The lenses of the glasses interleave?h)0*0*0*the left-eye and right-eye views every thirtieth of a second. The shutters selectively block and admit views of the screen in sync with the interleaving, allowing the proper views to go into each eye. The problem with this method though is that you have to wear special glasses. Most VR researchers use complicated headsets, but it is possible to create stereoscopic three-dimensional images without them. One such way is through the use of lenticular lenses. These lenses, known since Herman Ives experimented with them in 1930, allow one to take two images, cut them into thin vertical slices and interleave them in precise order (also called multiplexing) and put cylinder shaped lenses in front of them so that when you look into them directly, the images correspond with each eye. This illusion of depth is based on what is called binocular parallax. Another problem that is solved is that which occurs when one turns their head. Nearby objects appear to move more than distant objects. This is called motion parallax. Lenticular screens can show users the proper stereo images when moving their heads well when a head- motion sensor is used to adjust the effect. Sound is another important part of daily life, and thus must be simulated well in order to create artificial reality. Many scientists including Dr. Elizabeth Wenzel, a researcher at NASA, are convinced the 3D audio will be useful for scientific visualization and space applications in the ways the 3D video is somewhat limited. She has come up with an interesting use for virtual sound that would allow an astronaut to hear the state of their oxygen, or have an acoustical beacon that directs one to a trouble spot on a satellite. The "Convolvotron" is one such device that simulates the location of up to four audio channels with a sort of imaginary sphere surrounding the listener. This device takes into account that each person has specialized auditory signal processing, and personalizes what each person hears. Using a position sensor from Polhemus, another VR research company, it is possible to move the position of sound by simply moving a small cube around in your hand. The key to the Convolvotron is something called the "Head- Related Transfer Function (HRTF)", which is a

A Definition and Introduction to the Keiretsu System

A Definition and Introduction to the Keiretsu System In Japanese, the word keiretsu can be  translated to mean group or system, but its relevance in economics far surpasses this seemingly simple translation. It has also been literally translated to mean headless combine, which highlights the keiretsu systems history and relationship to previous Japanese systems like that of the zaibatsu. In Japan and now throughout the field of economics, the word  keiretsu refers to a specific type of business partnership, alliance, or extended enterprise. In other words, a keiretsu is an informal business group. A keiretsu has generally been defined in practice as a  conglomeration of businesses associated with cross-shareholdings which are  formed around their own trading companies or large banks. But  equity ownership is not a prerequisite for keiretsu formation. In fact, a keiretsu can also be a business network of comprised of manufacturers, supply chain partners, distributors, and even financiers, who are all financially independent but who work very closely together to support and ensure mutual success. Two Types of Keiretsu There are essentially two types of keiretsus, which have been  described in English as horizontal and vertical keiretsus. A horizontal keiretsu, also known as a financial keiretsu, is characterized by the cross-shareholding relationships formed between firms which are centered around a major bank. The bank will provide these companies with a variety of financial services. A vertical keiretsu, on the other hand, is known as a jump-style keiretsu or an industrial keiretsu. Vertical keiretsus tie together in partnership the suppliers, manufacturers, and distributor of an industry. Why Form a Keiretsu? A keiretsu may provide  a manufacturer the ability to form stable, long-term business partnerships which ultimately permit the manufacturer to remain lean and efficient while focusing mainly on its core business. The formation of this type of partnership is a practice that permits a large keiretsu the capability to control a majority, if not all, steps in the economic chain in their industry or business sector. Another aim of keiretsu systems is the formation of powerful corporate structure across related businesses. When member firms of a keiretsu are associated through cross-shareholdings, which is to say that they own small portions of equity in each others businesses, they remain somewhat insulated from market fluctuations, volatility, and even business takeover attempts. With the stability provided by the keiretsu system, firms can focus on efficiency, innovation, and long-term projects. History of Keiretsu System in Japan In Japan, the keiretsu system specifically refers to the framework of business relationships that arose in post-World War II Japan after the fall of the family-owned vertical monopolies that controlled much of the economy known as zaibatsu. The keiretsu system joined Japans big banks and big firms when related companies organized around a big bank (like Mitsui, Mitsubishi, and Sumitomo) and took ownership of equity in one another and in the bank. As a result, those related companies did consistent business with one another. While the keiretsu system has had the virtue of maintaining long-term business relationships and stability in suppliers and customers in Japan, there are still critics. For instance, some argue that the keiretsu system has the disadvantage of reacting slowly to outside events since the players are partly protected from the external market. More Research Resources Related to the Keiretsu System Japans keiretsu system: the case of the automobile industryThe Japanese keiretsu system: an empirical analysis

Popular Culture(2-1) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Popular Culture(2-1) - Assignment Example According to the 2009documentary film Tyson, the young man frequently engaged in petty crimes and took to street fighting on frequent occasions. However it was under the guidance of D’Amato that Tyson started performing well at amateur boxing matches and was admitted to the 1982 Junior Olympic Games. Although it was the case that Tyson only won a silver medal, according to the 2009 documentary Tyson became a phenomenon after he scored the fastest knockout in an Olympic bout at approximately 8 seconds. It was upon this foundation that Tyson made his professional debut in 1985 where according to Cyber Boxing Zone (2010) Tyson won twenty six of his first twenty eight bouts by either knockout or technical knockout, most of which ended in the first round. The man became a powerhouse the likes of which the boxing community had not seen for a long time and quickly became known to most athletics fans across the world. However this career which brought great heights ended up hitting rock bottom. Tyson stood accused of sexually and physically abusing his wife Robin Givens during his marriage in the late eighties. After the divorce Tyson was accused and convicted of raping a young woman in Indiana and according to Berkow (1995) served three years of a ten year sentence. As pop cultural consumers I think it is natural that we are fascinated with te rise and fall of celebrity. It is the case that during the height of his career, Mike Tyson was an unstoppable force and a near perfect boxing machine. However in his personal life he brought about a type of ruin that the man self described in the 2009 documentary about his life as being â€Å"A tragedy†. As with many pop cultural phenomenon’s we tend to view. As far as my analysis is concerned, very few people remember Tyson for his boxing career anymore and simply focus on his failed personal life which is a trend we have seen spread across many different pop