“The Simulation of Reality” as a Media Topos: Tracing the Historical Trajectory of VR

Abstract

Purpose: This study argues that contemporary VR technology reflects a longstanding media topos: the simulation of reality. To support this claim, the historical trajectory of VR technology is traced across eight stages, from the 19th-century panoramas to contemporary VR. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on a review of canonical scholarly works on VR, from which eight stages are identified as the trajectory of the simulation of reality topos. Drawing on Erkki Huhtamo’s media archaeological approach, a topos is understood as a recurring cultural pattern that shapes how media technologies are perceived. For each stage, the study examines the key technological developments using available sources, including patents, technical research by innovators, and publicity materials. Findings: Recreating and simulating physical reality have often been presented as a novelty of VR and promoted as its primary affordance. However, this analysis reveals that VR is only a 21st-century manifestation of a centuries-long endeavor. This study shows that VR technology is not a novel development; rather, it is a continuation of earlier technological and discursive efforts, shaped by a specific sociotechnical imaginary and topos. Research limitations/implications: One limitation of this study is its focus on canonical texts and mainstream technologies, which leaves peripheral forms outside its scope. Future research could examine these forms. Practical implications: Practitioners may benefit from understanding how cultural and social expectations shape perceptions of VR as a device for simulating reality. Originality/value: This study is the first to examine VR through the lens of the simulation of reality topos, situating it within a historical trajectory rarely considered in previous research.

Keywords

• VR
• Virtual Reality
• Topos
• Media Archeology
• Simulation

Bir Medya Toposu olarak Fiziksel Gerçekliğin Simülasyonu: VR Teknolojisinin Tarihsel İzleği

Abstract

Amaç (Purpose): Bu çalışma, çağdaş VR (sanal gerçeklik) teknolojisinin, medyada uzun süredir var olan bir toposu—gerçekliğin simülasyonunu—yansıttığını ileri sürmektedir. Bu iddiayı desteklemek amacıyla, VR teknolojisinin tarihsel gelişimi 19. yüzyıl panoramalarından günümüz VR uygulamalarına kadar uzanan sekiz aşama üzerinden izlenmektedir. Tasarım/Yöntem (Design/methodology/approach): Çalışma, VR üzerine temel kabul edilen akademik eserlerin incelenmesine dayanmaktadır. Bu inceleme sonucunda, gerçekliğin simülasyonu toposunun gelişim çizgisini oluşturan sekiz aşama belirlenmiştir. Erkki Huhtamo’nun medya arkeolojisi yaklaşımından hareketle, topos kavramı medya teknolojilerinin nasıl algılandığını şekillendiren tekrar eden kültürel bir örüntü olarak ele alınmaktadır. Her bir aşamada, patentler, yenilikçi araştırmacıların teknik çalışmaları ve tanıtım materyalleri gibi mevcut kaynaklar kullanılarak temel teknolojik gelişmeler incelenmiştir. Bulgular (Findings): Fiziksel gerçekliğin yeniden yaratılması ve simüle edilmesi çoğu zaman VR’ın bir yeniliği olarak sunulmuş ve temel imkânı (affordance) olarak tanıtılmıştır. Ancak bu analiz, VR’ın aslında yüzyıllara yayılan bir çabanın 21. yüzyıldaki bir tezahürü olduğunu göstermektedir. Buna göre VR teknolojisi bütünüyle yeni bir gelişim değil; belirli bir sosyo-teknik tahayyül ve topos tarafından şekillendirilen önceki teknolojik ve söylemsel çabaların bir devamıdır. Araştırma sınırlılıkları/çıkarımlar (Research limitations/implications): Çalışmanın bir sınırlılığı, kanonik metinlere ve ana akım teknolojilere odaklanması nedeniyle çevresel (peripheral) formları kapsam dışı bırakmasıdır. Gelecek çalışmalar bu alanlara yönelerek daha kapsamlı bir değerlendirme sunabilir. Uygulamalı çıkarımlar (Practical implications): Uygulayıcılar, VR’ın gerçekliği simüle eden bir araç olarak algılanmasının kültürel ve toplumsal beklentiler tarafından nasıl şekillendiğini anlamaktan fayda sağlayabilirler. Özgünlük/değer (Originality/value): Bu çalışma, VR’ı gerçekliğin simülasyonu toposu perspektifinden ele alan ilk araştırmadır ve onu daha önceki çalışmalarda nadiren dikkate alınan tarihsel bir süreklilik içinde konumlandırmaktadır.

Keywords

• VR
• Sanal Gerçeklik
• Topos
• Medya Arkeolojisi
• Simülasyon

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