When I was a child, I dreamed to fly in the sky and look at my city from above like birds. Then, I wanted to go to Mars and come across an alien! However, everyone said that my dream is just a dream, not a reality. I was disappointed at that moment. However, now, my dream can be real by using my computer and some devices, and we call it as Virtual Reality.

     In February 15th, 2017, the first VR Café opened in Western Seoul with PC manufacturer and VR contents provider, who are collaborating on a joint project for business expansion. The Café is named as VRIZ (Virtual Reality Is), and it opened near Hongik University, one of the highest foot traffic. Also, last year, Microsoft launched a new AR device named Hololens for developer edition. It was the first official wearable AR device in the world. However, people do not know what VR and AR really mean.

     VR, which means Virtual Reality, can make people feel, smell, watch, taste, and hear using a computer software program by wearing many wearable devices. Like SF movies, many VR devices are described like making a hole in the brain and accessing your brain to the computer. Gowever, just wearing a VR device and watching it can also be a VR. For example, there is Cardboard in Google, Samsung Gear VR in Samsung, and Oculus Rift in Oculus.
 

      However, many of you do not know and even have not heard of AR. AR is Augmented Reality, and it is also called as Mixed Reality or Hybrid VR system. It composes virtual reality and reality. Because it was not launched in a perfectly developed version, it cannot become known to the world. However, it has more advantages than VR. You can hang your pictual on the wall with no real picture, and you can make a virtual statue into your real room. Some companies which are fascinated by its advantages, launched AR devices. Lenovo, for example, launched Phab 2 Pro, which has an AR camera that can realize the space and shape of your room and model your room using a program.

    These technologies are super fascinating and interesting, but they also have disadvantages. First like a movie Matrix, many people cannot get out from virtual reality. A more developed virtual reality can make people satisfied and make them lethargic in reality. Also it can be used in crime.

     VR and AR are now leading the future technology with AI. We cannot stop developing technology with its disadvantages because it also have many advantages. So, we need to step one step back and watch for them.

April 16th, by Jin-Ho, Choi