technology — Writing Things

Is Apple's new VR a gift of nature or a nail in the coffin for social 'reality'?

I remember getting my first iPod and feeling like I held absolute magic in my palm (even though about 6% of its storage space was eventually filled by Limewire’s classic Bill Clinton track…). The Vision Pro, on first glance, brings me back to this memory. Even though there are other AR/VR headsets available on the market, Apple has a way of making you feel like this is the start of a whole new way of working, connecting, and existing in society. (Admittedly, I’m also someone highly susceptible to hype.)

But, in a world where we are already becoming more and more siloed away from each other, what would it mean to have mass adoption of VR headsets for everyday use? My initial reflections are that this tech could be a) absolutely incredible for the development of health interventions, particularly for some older, less mobile, or more vulnerable populations, and b) potentially quite concerning for the general populations’ social well-being…

Technology, Topical / MiscSonia DiabJuly 18, 2023virtual reality, technology, social ties

I'm staring up your nostrils in 4K but here's a smiley emoji

Zoom fatigue and similar constructs generally describe the experience of exhaustion caused by sitting in many virtual meetings for long stretches of time; a process that seems disproportionately more draining than in-person work.

Research shows that this phenomenon tends to increase alongside app usage frequency, though notably, the quality of your internet connection also plays a role. And, as we might expect, ongoing exhaustion from poorly managed video calls could be a cause for concern. For example, some research has found a positive correlation between videoconferencing fatigue and burnout and depression.

Given the ubiquity of Zoom fatigue, researchers have been hard at work exploring this process in more depth. In a fantastic 2021 article, four theoretical arguments are presented by media psychologist Bailenson, all centring on the idea of Zoom causing ‘non-verbal overload’…