Virtual Reality Explorations

Early in 2006, the WoK web site was launched to provide a place for gathering material related to its main topic, Ways of Knowing, starting from scientific insights, and asking ourselves the question "What else is true?" The first offerings took the form of short essays, dialogues and interviews.

In the fall of 2006, we added a new dimension by initiating a form of joint research, involving one of the WoKers, Piet Hut, and a steadily growing group of volunteers. Starting with one volunteer in September, we reached three in November as part of the WoK Experiment, and we continued with six volunteers in the WoK Practice Intensive, from January until April, 2007.

In the spring of 2007, we began to explore virtual reality as a new medium for conducting our interactions with volunteers. Our first activity was the organization of a series of six lectures in the virtual world of Videoranch, while exploring interactions with the audience through the text chatting option there. Subsequently, we began to explore the virtual world provided by Qwaq Forums, with similarities to Second Life but geared more towards collaborative research in both business and academic settings. Unique features of Qwaq are the use of stereo voice transmission, and the ability of people present in a room to use white boards and shared web browsers to write and discuss visual content.

In 2008, we have begun holding meetings in both Qwaq and Second Life. Recent and current forums are listed below:

• a weekly series of virtual seminars, centered around Guest Lectures;
• thrice-weekly research sessions, the Lab Project (currently implemented via Working Hypothesis chats in the Garden);
• Qwaq -- Second Life Liaison. And for Piet's first Second Life interview, see: http://www.ugotrade.com/2008/01/15/exploring-reality-in-virtual-worlds-with-piet-hut/
• a weekly discussion session, following up on the Guest Lectures;
• a weekly reading group, concentrating on informal discussion of a series of WoK-related readings;
  
• a series of weekly presentations by Steven on various Science/Spirituality topics;
• a virtual reality "Play as Being" exploration run by Piet in Second Life, which offers four daily meetings: 1 am, 7 am, 1 pm and 7 pm PT. You have a good chance of seeing Piet (Pema Pera in Second Life) during three of these four meetings, when he is not asleep—details depending on the time zone he happens to be in. You may enter via Piet's Weblog page: http://playasbeing.wordpress.com/.

For a complete listing of current WoK Virtual Reality forums, see our VR Events Schedule.

We have openings for volunteers interested in joining WoK's VR Explorations. Inquiries should be addressed to the WoK Editor.