In Apple’s press release dated June 2023, it was stated that Vision Pro was designed for all-day use. Some enthusiasts have already tested the headset: They use it for dozens of hours in a row and even sleep in it.
But many experts are skeptical that such headsets can (or should) replace our physical monitors, keyboards, and mice. There are concerns that long-term use of such a device could lead to motion sickness, a new kind of social isolation, and other unforeseen consequences.
Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, says virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are incredible tools for creating unique and immersive experiences.
Apple’s 0.6 kg (1.4 pound) glasses use sensors, including a lidar scanner and a camera array, to place people in what it calls “mixed reality.” Outward-facing cameras allow users to see their surroundings in real time, while two small screens located directly in front of the eyes simultaneously display an interactive digital space.
In a study published earlier this month, Bailenson and other scientists evaluated some of the short-term effects of mixed reality on people. They found that wearing headphones severely limits the user’s visual perception and can alter their social behavior and motor functions. Switching technology has features that often cause visual lags and other artifacts. For example, color saturation changes frequently, light becomes fainter, and some objects appear too close or blurry. Despite the impressive capabilities of Vision Pro, the image resolution in them is still lower than what the human eye is used to perceiving.
For now, experts do not recommend spending several hours a day on Vision Pro.
Augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality headsets also often cause “simulation sickness,” a set of uncomfortable symptoms including nausea, headaches, dizziness, and eyestrain. Although the tests typically lasted less than an hour, scientists experienced nausea during most sessions with the device. Even low levels of simultaneous disease can affect people’s quality of life, activity levels and productivity.
These types of headphones can also affect memory. In a 2014 experiment, Frank Steinicke, a professor of human-computer interaction at the University of Hamburg in Germany, spent 24 hours alternating between two hours of virtual reality use and 10-minute breaks. Throughout the test, Steinicke wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t.
Source: Ferra
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