The evolution of communication and media
The evolution of media over time has been quite impressive. Thousands of years ago, we began recording memories and stories through paintings and art in caves. Over time, our tools began to evolve and then came the invention of photography.
As for the past 50 years, humans have been working through the transition of moving from 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional, or 2D to 3D. As 3D content is becoming increasingly popular through the means of virtual reality and augmented reality, it is obvious that we are experiencing the next big wave in media. A virtual reality experience is viewed through a headset that is generated by a computer. The headset straps onto your head, covers your ears, and is equipped with stereo sound. The display is able to create a stereoscopic 3D effect and will provide a very believable experience while exploring the virtual world. Augmented reality is an overlay or enhancement of a natural environment. A few examples of augmented reality include graphics, sounds, filters, and touch feedback.
A few years ago there was a mother who wanted to create a recorded message to leave for her 4 month old daughter to view in the future. In the message, the mother was cradling her baby, and was recorded and displayed as a hologram. Months later, the mother went back to view the hologram that she previously recorded. As she put the virtual reality headset on, she was able to see her pre-recorded self standing in front of her. Finally, the mother stepped into her own hologram and began to cradle her baby again, and there was a very powerful connection developed. This story is just one example of how the future of media and communication will be.
Citations:
Earthly Mission. (n.d.). Augmented vs. Virtual Reality: The Real Difference [Digital image]. Retrieved February 27, 2019, from https://earthlymission.com/augmented-vs-virtual-reality-the-real-difference/
Gasking, L. (2016, October 13). Human holograms and the evolution of media [Web blog post]. Retrieved February 27, 2019, from https://medium.com/making-vr-human/human-holograms-and-the-evolution-of-media-de069849b351
Guti, M. (n.d.). Young woman at a beach using a vintage camera [Digital image]. Retrieved February 27, 2019, from https://www.gettyimages.in/detail/photo/young-woman-at-a-beach-using-a-vintage-camera-royalty-free-image/1130923694
Jackson, J., & Harding, R. (n.d.). Tassili rock paintings, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Algeria [Digital image]. Retrieved February 27, 2019, from https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/tassili-rock-paintings-unesco-world-high-res-stock-photography/96171349
