"I Cried to Dream Again”: From Reality to Hypnagogic Reverie, to Verisimilitude, to Hypnopompic Reverie, back to Reality

ABSTRACT Extended Reality (XR) refers to any scenario where a human being’s visual perception is either partially or fully receiving synthesised visual information, and includes experiences such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR). These experiences can be very disorienting, and can blur people’s perception of reality for a short period of time after the experiences are completed. This research explores the transition from reality into XR, and the transition out of XR back to reality, and to explore ways to ensure the transitions are done safely and ethically. We propose to concretize these transitions as discrete states; somewhat like the sleep process, with hypnagogic and hypnopompic states, which help transition the sleeper in and out of the sleep state. So, to achieve this for XR, when the participant initially puts on the VR googles or another XR device, we suggest creating a virtual “waiting room” where the participant is introduced to the basic of navigating XR, and they can consider for themselves whether or not this is an experience they wish to continue with (doe example, they may get motion sickness, afraid, or anxious). Once they are happy that they are comfortable, they can transition into the full XR experience. And before they leave the XR, they should return to the “waiting room” to be reminded that they are going back to reality, and if they could fly in XR, they won’t be able to once they return to reality. The benefit of this approach is that we can consider different ethical questions in each of the stage: · Pre-XR: Consider the participant, do they have any psychological or medical issues – breathing difficulties, motion sickness, vertigo, etc. Should they agree to Terms and Conditions, etc. · Into XR: What are the first images and sounds they will see? What happens if they get sick or get frightened immediately? · In XR: Consider the persuasive and/or therapeutic benefits of XR? What if synthetic images of real-life people are being used in XR? · Out of XR: What does the participant need reminding of on the way out? What are the last images and sounds they will see? · Post-XR: What security concerns are there? What is the potential for addiction? What are the long-term effects of XR and how will we monitor them? This framework allows developers of XR, as well as participants, to be forewarned and forearmed when entering into XR experiences.