OUR VIRTUAL FUTURE
Risto Linturi, principal researcher, Helsinki Telephone Corp.
ABSTRACT
Virtual reality technologies will enable us to see what we wish whether based on physical reality or not. This will give us better methods to control our surroundings and be informed of what happens around us. Simultaneously it gives us pleasant virtual friends which trye to lure us away from the reality. Many of us will become addicted.
Future bit realm will be economically very important but it will not know of any physical state boarders. This will lead to weakening of states and creation of globally governed structures. Bit realm will resemble a strange mixture of wild west and feodal age structures.
Luckily current western hedonistic values can be expected to give way to a new rise of community values as networking continues. This is caused by increasing transparency and networking both of which discourage antisocial behaviour models.
Helsinki Telephone Corporation is developing a local broadband island “Helsinki Arena 2000” which enables the citizens of Helsinki to fully take active part in supplying information to other citizens and to interact with each other whether in business, hobby, or civil service content. The project includes a fully detailed 3D model of Helsinki with real time information and links for logistic and other applications and navigational purposes. This project aims to increase social cohesion, active participation and feeling of belonging to the community.
Risto Linturi -profile
Risto Linturi is a senior consultant and part time principal researcher for Helsinki Telephone Corporation. Previously he worked as Helsinki Telephones Technology Director. Mr Linturi has published succesful short term trend analysis for computer industry since 1984. Since 1995 Mr Linturi has concentrated on the longer term effects of information society on our daily life and our society as a whole. Interviews covering his views and information society projects he has initiated have been published widely in leading newspapers and electronic media in over 20 countries. These include New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Guardian, Time, International Herald Tribune, Der Spiegel, BBC4, ABC, French TV, MSNBC, Architectural Record, Wired, Bombay Times and Nikkei Shingyo Shimbun. Mr. Linturi has given over 10 thousand lectures on computing and information society issues. He has written over 300 articles and co-authored five books. His most recent book with Mr. Ilkka Hannula covers 100 miniature scenarios covering the years 2000 to 2020. Mr. Linturi lives in Helsinki in a newly built automated house with his wife, two daughters, an Irish Wolfhound and three hundred microprocessors directing lights, ventilation, doors and media devices for energy efficient and convenient life. His best known project is well on its way to become an identical but virtual and media democratic twin of Helsinki called Helsinki Arena 2000. Mr. Linturi has been a member in several international and national information society bodies including the National Information Society Forum (gov. appointed), Australian Virtual Opportunity Group (gov. invitation), UNESCO Inforights committee (official delegate). He is also a board member in several information technology companies and has consulted major international companies on their technology strategies and future scenarios.