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The original was posted on /r/singularity by /u/IluvBsissa on 2024-01-13 01:23:36+00:00.
A fully immersive sensible VR experience is closer than you may think. Not because several companies are actively trying to achieve it (they don't), but the Key Technologies that are essential for its development are being thoroughly researched around the world for clinical applications.
The Keys to FDVR:
-Ultra-realistic VR (this is pretty much a given), for training, communication and also therapy.
All of these technologies are currently in development. When combined together, entrepreneurs will try to make FDVR a reality. That is pretty much guaranteed.
Why should we develop FDVR ?
FDVR will be like the second coming of AGI. More civilization altering than fire, electricity or the atomic bomb. It will completely reshape geopolitical balance and dynamics between states, people and corporations. It will transform the way we communicate, create, consume, love, travel, mate, learn, self-actualize or even reproduce. It will change our relationship with nature and reality. Lift all physical and mental limitations. Allow us to experience things we couldn't possibly imagine. Allow the poorest man to enjoy what even the most powerful Emperors could ever dream of acquiring. It is basically a Genie without malice and infinite wishes. Why the hell shouldn't we develop it ?
Being a very self-conscious ecologist I struggle to limit my environmental impact AMAP and became obsessed with frugality and self-sufficiency. However, it limits the things I can enjoy, while I still pollute a lot. FDVR could allow me to consume as much as I want with a very very limited impact.
IRL, we would eat virtually free bacterial goo synthesized from air and feast like gods in our self-made paradise. We would train a few hours in the morning to stay in shape and live amazing adventures in the Metaverse, without even leaving our place. That will be the death of tourism, hotel industry, agriculture, restaurants, education industry and any form of entertainment. Ultra-consumerism without the financial and ecological downsides ? Sign me in !
5 billion hectares will go back to nature and become pristine forests. One trillion tonnes of CO2 will be absorbed in 20 years, fixing climate change once and for all. FDVR will be a savior technology.
How will we develop FDVR ?
It may sound like an impossible challenge because of the complexity of the brain. However, we do not need to understand how the brain works to achieve FDVR.
We only need to decode and encode the electro-chemical signals transmitted from nerves (the PNS) to the brain (the CNS).
Everything that we feel and perceive is the result of nerves signaling information to the brain. Every movement that we imprint is our brain sending data through our nerves to our various limbs and organs.
There are three types of nerves : sensory nerves, motor nerves, mixed nerves (both sensory and motor). They are grouped in pairs, one for each side of the body (symmetry).
There are 31 pairs of nerves in our spinal cord and 12 pairs of cranial nerves that sends data between our brain and our head (tongue, facial muscles,etc). That's why you can still blink if your spine is severed. Cranial nerves and spinal nerves all meet at the brain stem, with the exception of olfactory and auditory nerves that go straight to the brain.
(Some nerves occupy autonomous functions like heartbeat. It is yet to decide if we want to hack them or not.)
So, 43 pairs of nerves in total that we need to hack. How do we do that ?
Well, using artificial nerves, we could implant a switch on each 86 nerves, by removing a few neural cells and replacing them with an artificial contraption that mimics neuron signaling (nerves are made of the same cells as our brain. They are literally an extension of our brain in our body), then we connect these switches to 43 artificial nerve pairs that connects to an encoder, lodged right behind your brain stem, the back of your neck (where Matrix protagonists gets plugged in).
Sounds too unrealistic ? Well we managed to make a paralyzed man able to walk again with similar rudimentary tech in may 2023. A spinal implant connected to the pair nerve controlling his legs, connected to a brain implant. The trick here is to miniaturize these implants so they can communicate data perfectly between neural cells and artificial nerves, instead of decoding vague general brain waves.
We will probably use nanotech to insert these artificial nerves, like 3D printing polymers using acoustic sono-ink.
Data Collection
Once we have successfully implanted these little polymers inside the brain stem of thousands of participants, we will let them go about their daily lives. People with diverse or formidable lives will be selected. Artists, cook, gymnasts, extreme sportsman, commando marines, parkour stuntmen, medieval reconstruction artists, tribesmen, hunters, world travelers, restaurant tester, wine experts, etc.
People who have incredible daily unique sensory experiences will record in real time every single one of their movement, from back flips to tongue spasm and everything they feel, see, hear, smell and taste. Smart tattoos, smart fabric and other types of implants will indicate their movements, body position, the type of molecules that penetrated their nose and mouth, etc. Connected lenses will record what they see, etc.
We will thus collect nervous data from artificial nerves in the same time as sensory data from other external implants and gadgets. With specialized super-AI, this massive amount of information will allow us to decode the language of nerves, alas !
Data Upload
After we are done training massive AI models on collected sensory data (and artificial ones), we will design specialized neuromophic chips that can translate audiovisual data from video-games, into complete-sensory nervous signals.
Neuromorphic chips will then speak to our implanted artificial nerves who will speak to our brain, while overriding any signal that our real nerves would transmit (except the ones regulating vital organs), by flipping the implanted switches.
It will then connect your brain to a Virtual Body, that will be your interface between the virtual world and your mind. Muscles, heart, lungs, sweat, digestive system, you will feel everything. You can eat as much as you want and simulate satiety only when you want to.
Security Issues
I'm undecided about the vital organ nerves. If you are doing parkour in Renaissance Florence as Ezio Auditore, would you want to feel the burn in you muscles, your heart pounding really hard, and breathing really loud ? For a full immersive experience, how are we going to simulate exhaustion and effort, without putting ourselves in danger ? The problem here is you might hyperventilate and faint of oxygen poisoning, because you will still be using your real lungs.
To avoid this issue, we can let the Chip control your lungs and heart and keep them at a normal pace in accordance to your need (like when you are asleep), so we need to trick your autonomous nervous system into believing that you are asleep, so it can activate. You will then control your virtual lungs...however this solution comes with a cornucopia of hazards: someone will be able to hack your vital organs and make you die of a heart attack ! Or just a benign bug or a power cut...many safety valves will have to be thought through.
Turning your body into a robot-slave ?
Also keep in mind that if the Chip can control your heartbeat, it could also control the rest of your body. It would make it do exercise, clean the house, cook, eat, clean itself, paint the fence, get vitamin D outside, do many useful work, while your mind is chilling in the metaverse. No need to buy an expensive teslabot. You will hence be able to remain linked as long as you wish, without health issues.
However, you can imagine how dangerous these already troubled waters will get with that application.
FDVR level 1&2
We talked of FDVR systems that can only control your peripheral nervous system. But there are many many more nerves interlinked inside your brain, which could be described as a huge bundle of nerves.
After w...
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