Digital Divide caused by Virtual reality and oculus rift

The theory Digital divide describes a gap between those who have regular access to information technology such as computers and the Internet. It also describes those with the skills to make use of those technology and those who do not, given that they are from the same geographical area or community.

In short it is an economic and social inequality between groups of persons.

Research suggests that the digital divide is more than just an access issue and cannot be alleviated merely by providing people with computers, Internet and Oculus Rifts. There are at least three factors contribute towards the digital divide, they are information accessibility, information utilisation and information receptiveness. This means an individuals need to know how to make use of the information and communication tools once they exist within a community.

In short, in order to prosper, individuals need to know how to make this technology work for them.

In order to make Virtual Reality or Virtual Reality goggles one needs an enormous amount of skills. However one does no need to know how Virtual reality works in order to make use of it.

As a overly simplified example, given an individual has access basic 3d modelling skills one could make simple games of exploration using Virtual reality technologies. Using this methodology one could market their game and make the technology work for them. For the above to happen there is a considerable education gap to overcome.

Technologies such as Internet, emails and computers are currently readily available. With in this technology bubble exist a niche for Virtual Reality. Being already so niche with high levels of education needed to take advantage of Virtual reality, it is my opinion that Virtual reality is widening the Digital Divide gap. At the very least it is certainly influencing this phenomenon.

picture taken from http://louiseelphick.wordpress.com/ nov 16 2014