Nina Ziv’s 1992 Merrill Lynch VR industry research report has an amusing section: Limitations and Drawbacks of VR Technology, in which she identifies “several problems with virtual reality technology which must be addressed if it is to succeed.”

  • Inadequate Image Resolution
  • Time Lag Between the User and the Virtual Reality System’s Response
  • Limited Position Tracking Systems
  • Cumbersome Equipment
  • Interpretation of Body Movements
  • Total Representation of the Senses
  • Simulation Sickness
  • Cost Factors

She concludes: “Moreover, by the turn of the century, it is predicted that this technology will be widely available for business and home use.” The century turned 10 years ago and I’ll leave it to the readers to decide how many of these Limitations and Drawbacks have been overcome.