We’ve all seen the “horrors” that technology can bring to our world. We’ve seen how terrifying and dystopian a future could be if we let technology take over our lives, and I think stuff like that is popular because it confirms our fears of the unknown.
But obviously, there are two sides to every coin and the other side can be just as powerful. I’ll admit to have personally give existing Virtual Reality (VR) technology a hard time. But, seeing it used to reunite a mother with her deceased child reminds me that this would have probably been impossible only a handful of years ago.
Jang Ji-sung experienced something no mother should have to go through when she lost her seven-year-old daughter Nayeon to an incurable disease three years ago. But, today, thanks to the efforts of a production team over the span of eight months, she was able to “reunite” with her daughter in VR.
The reunion, as you would expect, was an incredibly touching one, and even though I couldn’t read or understand Korean, the emotions were palpable.
The mother was equipped with a pair of VR goggles and what looks like a pair of gloves that can produce some sort of haptic feedback when the user interacts with the virtual environment.
According to Aju Business Daily, the production team set the reunion in a virtual park that was a recreation of a real park the mother and daughter had visited in the real world. They also recorded the movements of a child actor using motion capture technology to be used as a model for their virtual Nayeon.
It’s at times like these when we are reminded of how powerful technology can be as a tool for good. “Maybe it’s a real paradise,” said Jang according to Aju Business Daily. “I met Nayeon, who called me with a smile, for a very short time, but it’s a very happy time. I think I’ve had the dream I’ve always wanted.”
It’s hard to fully understand the ramifications of using technology like this. With some development, could this actually be used as a method to cope with grief? It’s hard to say, and it gets even more complicated when you ask the question of whether something like this should be regulated.
But for now, let’s just take a little time to appreciate how beautiful this moment was between mother and virtual daughter.
[VIA]
