What’s a piece of technology you’re convinced will exist in 20 years?
Gaming hardware has entered a bit of a lull in the last ten years or so. Since the 1980s, video game technology was engaged in a race toward realism – realistic graphics, realistic physics, realistic lighting, etc. Now that that has been achieved, what is the next big leap?
Companies have been dabbling in virtual reality for a couple decades now, but I think they’re still in the kiddie pool. Advances in VR will be the next big thing in gaming. And the next big thing in VR? Haptic technology.
What is haptic technology? It is any technology that simulates the sense of touch. VR can simulate visuals pretty darn well. Even motion and balance, to an extent. But replicating the feeling of touch, of being within the artificial world, is a feat that engineers are in the process of developing into something astounding.
Imagine wearing gloves that simulate the sensation of putting your hand around a doorknob that isn’t there, or driving a car that doesn’t exist. Imagine a helmet that induces vibrations to simulate wind and air pressure. Imagine a whole suit that makes you feel like you are running through a field or climbing a mountain.
Can such things exist in 20 years? Yes, I think so. Whether they cost less than a new house, I’m more iffy on, but I do believe they will become more compact, less clunky and widely available. Haptics is the next step in immersion that gaming strives for.
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Many thanks for visiting my blog. I post updates on my writing career, I muse over storytelling and fiction, and I reflect on the curious and wonderful things in life.
Jake W. Powell 