Beyond the Looking Glass

Operating on a patient long distance? Taking a tour of a house that is not yet built? Becoming small enough to be dwarfed by a molecule? It may sound like science fiction but these are just some of the possibilities of virtual reality. In fact, these programs are already in place. What is virtual reality? What are the possibilities of this new computer science? How will virtual reality change our world? The New Explorers steps into the world of virtual reality to explore the promise of this new technology. Beyond the Looking Glass would be useful for classes on Science and Computer Science and Technology. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

OBJECTIVES

Students will learn the current uses and applications of virtual reality as well as the possibilities for the technology's future. They will understand the development of the technology and the scientific process of creating new technologies from inception to completed products.

NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS

Beyond the Looking Glass fulfills the following National Science Education Standards: Unifying concepts and processes in science; science as inquiry; science in personal and social perspective; science and technology.

• Collaborative
• Consultation
• Exceedingly
• Graphics
• Humanistic
• Hype
• Immerse
• Interactive
• Molecular
• Prospective
• Relegate
• Synthetic

1. Virtual reality is the present and future trend of computer technology. But what is virtual reality?

2. The possibilities for virtual reality are endless. What are some of its current applications?

3. The Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill is in the forefront of virtual reality technology. What are the aims of the program?

4. How did Professor Fred Brooks become interested in computer science?

5. How are computer scientists "tool smiths?"

6. How does virtual reality work?

7. What is real time?

8. Discuss some of the military applications of virtual reality.

9. What are the origins of virtual reality? How long has the technology existed?

10. One of the greatest promises of virtual reality is in the field of medicine. How is virtual reality changing the ways in which doctors practice medicine? What does the future hold?

11. Why do chemists build models of molecules?

12. What is a nanomanipulator?

1. Create a poster illustrating some of the applications of virtual reality.

2. Design a virtual reality game.

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Air Dates

• October 05, 2001