3pointD.com

Glitchy sends along a press release from General Motors about a 3D virtual reality technology the company is using to design its new plants: “GM facility engineers can strap on special 3D goggles, step into a virtual cave, and see how a plant looks before the first piece of steel is put in place.” The technology, from a company called GHAFARI Associates, is not very metaversal (it doesn’t seem to be multi-user, let alone avatarized), but it’s an interesting example of a productive real-world application for a technology that doesn’t often get a useful rollout. Obviously, this kind of thing has been done before, but it doesn’t usually involve “virtual caves” and “3D goggles.” What will be interesting is when this kind of thing gets cheap enough for broad adoption, and when multi-user capabilities come in. That will summon shades of the Vernor Vinge book Rainbows End, which I finished a few days ago. Interesting read that I hope to post more about shortly. For now, though, it’s time to sweep out my virtual cave.