Beware: The Apple Vision Pro may rewire our brains in unexpected ways

The reviews are in, and the tech press is lauding the Apple Vision Pro headset for delivering on the company's promises. It's well-designed, the video and sound are startlingly precise, the "Minority Report"-style gestural interface is future-tastic. Nobody's exactly sure what it's for, or whether even the Readiest Players One will spend $3,500 on it, but hey — that's gadgets for you.

Still, this is a new gadget frontier. The Vision Pro, like the similarly kitted-out Quest 3 and Quest Pro headsets from Meta, uses what's known as "passthrough" video — cameras and other sensors that capture imagery of the outside world and reproduce it inside the device. They feed you a synthetic environment made to look like the real one, with Apple apps and other non-real elements floating in front of it. Apple and Meta are hoping that this virtual world will be so compelling that you won't just visit. They're hoping you'll live there.

That, unfortunately, could have some very weird and very messy consequences for the human brain. Researchers have found that widespread, long-term immersion in VR headsets could literally change the way we perceive the world — and each other. "We now have companies who are advocating that you spend many hours each day in them," says Jeremy Bailenson, director of the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford. "You've got many, many people, and they're wearing it for many, many hours. And everything magnifies at scale."

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[Ghoti Ichthus]

The reviews are in, and the tech press is lauding the Apple Vision Pro headset for delivering on the company's promises. It's well-designed, the video and sound are startlingly precise, the "Minority Report"-style gestural interface is future-tastic. Nobody's exactly sure what it's for, or whether even the Readiest Players One will spend $3,500 on it, but hey — that's gadgets for you.

Still, this is a new gadget frontier. The Vision Pro, like the similarly kitted-out Quest 3 and Quest Pro headsets from Meta, uses what's known as "passthrough" video — cameras and other sensors that capture imagery of the outside world and reproduce it inside the device. They feed you a synthetic environment made to look like the real one, with Apple apps and other non-real elements floating in front of it. Apple and Meta are hoping that this virtual world will be so compelling that you won't just visit. They're hoping you'll live there.

That, unfortunately, could have some very weird and very messy consequences for the human brain. Researchers have found that widespread, long-term immersion in VR headsets could literally change the way we perceive the world — and each other. "We now have companies who are advocating that you spend many hours each day in them," says Jeremy Bailenson, director of the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford. "You've got many, many people, and they're wearing it for many, many hours. And everything magnifies at scale."

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MSN

www.msn.com

Sounds like a totalitarian regime's dream . . . cheap tech to reeducate those, who refuse to [fill in the blank]
Could be used to deceive, torture, reprogram, etc. Christians some day, who refuse to take the mark.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Without any direct experience I've wondered if immersion with these things might lead to mental illness like schizophrenia. It's just a thought I've had.

 

[Andiamo]

The ad I saw on YouTube disgusted me when the guys little boy shows up in the kitchen and the guy just pushes a sandwich toward the kid and never takes his headset off. They aren’t even hiding the fact that this is another device to isolate people from everyone. I bet they will make one for kids soon.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

The ad I saw on YouTube disgusted me when the guys little boy shows up in the kitchen and the guy just pushes a sandwich toward the kid and never takes his headset off. They aren’t even hiding the fact that this is another device to isolate people from everyone. I bet they will make one for kids soon.

Kind of like that addictive game in the one episode of Star Trek TNG. Wesley Crusher and an Ensign were the only ones that resisted/refused the headsets. Very interesting with regard to the effects of illicit drug use and addiction, and also computer game addiction. Watching the Star Trek episode might be a good, non-threatening way to introduce and talk about the problems of this new tech with others, who may not be aware.

Cell phones and computer games, especially online with interaction, are bad enough. TV and video, like MTV, that destroy attention spans by design, illustrate another problem. Regular VR provides visual and electronic stimulation and operant conditioning. The new VR tech, because of the way it divides attention, conditions, and the specific areas of the brain it stimulates, could be the electronic equivalent of fentanyl, with terrible consequences.

 

[mattfivefour]

Satan's entire plan is to isolate us from God and from each other. How tragic that people so easily fall for the allure of "enhanced" reality and miss out on true reality. I continually read how much better our world is today than that of our grandparents and earlier, because we have so much technology. I'm sorry, but I think we are far worse off now with all we have than our forbears were with what little they had.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Satan's entire plan is to isolate us from God and from each other. How tragic that people so easily fall for the allure of "enhanced" reality and miss out on true reality. I continually read how much better our world is today than that of our grandparents and earlier, because we have so much technology. I'm sorry, but I think we are far worse off now with all we have than our forbears were with what little they had.

On the flip side, the proliferation of technology has made Bibles and in-depth Bible study far more accessible to the average and even poor person. Before the printing press, "no one" except the very wealthy had a personal Bible because hand-copied. Even early printed Bibles were inaccessible to the masses. Today, people all over the world have access to Bibles and study materials, in various formats and technologies, in so any languages.

Not having at least one printed Bible is unthinkable to me, as it makes me utterly dependent and vulnerable to the Church and clergy. This can (and has) lead to serious abuses. And, being a very visual learner, I would learn a lot less only hearing, and not being able to read, the Bible.

I think there's a happy medium with regard to technology, and it can be used for both good and evil.
VR to present the Bible could be really good, just like regular video and audio Bibles are. It would be really cool to be "present" at the Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus.
VR would be a good tool to train Christians to share The Gospel and prepare for persecution.

I think the new tech in the OP goes too far, though, simply because of the way it acts on the brain.

 

[Hol]

I'm sorry, but I think we are far worse off now with all we have than our forbears were with what little they had.

I was considering this earlier today. While in Florida my dear friend introduced me to online puzzles for cell phones (for long plane ride home). I quickly got addicted and even had some weird dreams last night about playing games.

So what does today's technology potentially rob us of? First I thought of values that draw us closer to each other and God, values that we learn and spend time growing in. An example is some wisdom about good foods. As I had a quick smoothie for breakfast I listened to a podcast with Heather Heying, PhD, about saturated fats and that they are good for you. She mentioned that as margarine was advertised (1960s) as a health food, her dad stuck with butter because he grew up on a farm. Same with me. Fresh butter, raw milk, eggs, fish, meat, etc. builds in a natural healthy baseline and a resistance to false advertising. My quick smoothie was made using a starter that my friend in Florida shared, a live culture full of good bacteria. That filled me with loving memories of her generosity and gratitude to God.

Values like simply paying attention to your surroundings. An enhanced video surround experience replaces reality and will never lead to seeing opportunities to be generous, be cautious, or pray as the Holy Spirit nudges us.

 

[Andiamo]

Sometimes I wonder if I’m addicted to my phone. That’s why I will put it down for a few days at times. Literally put it away and just check for texts twice a day and read email once a day. (Even reading this is funny to me I detox from my phone but still have to check for texts and emails)

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Sometimes I wonder if I’m addicted to my phone. That’s why I will put it down for a few days at times. Literally put it away and just check for texts twice a day and read email once a day. (Even reading this is funny to me I detox from my phone but still have to check for texts and emails)

After Dad's funeral, I put my cell phone on do not disturb (except for the Wednesday Pastors and church) so no one could call and be mean, and no one could disturb my sleep, no matter how important he or she thought it was. I also blocked the people, who had actually said and emailed mean things, so they couldn't even leave a voicemail or text. Every few days, I checked voicemail or texts, but I could see who each was from before looking, so could still filter. Over time, I've had to allow a few numbers through, like the Veterinarian, but generally only when I had to be reachable in case of emergency like if something had gone wrong during my dog's spay. And I haven't answered the house phone or checked those voice mails at all.

Amazing how much peace this brings

Also thinking about getting a do not disturb door hanger for the hall door to my apartment