1 00:00:00,556 --> 00:00:02,356 (gentle music) 2 00:00:02,356 --> 00:00:05,156 - [Narrator] Today we are all familiar with one reality, 3 00:00:06,823 --> 00:00:11,122 the one we live and breathe in every day of our lives. 4 00:00:13,456 --> 00:00:16,856 But in the future could advances in science, 5 00:00:16,856 --> 00:00:20,156 open the door for new kinds of reality? 6 00:00:20,156 --> 00:00:22,890 - I wanna take you on one of my favorite experiences. 7 00:00:22,890 --> 00:00:24,122 - Wow. 8 00:00:24,122 --> 00:00:25,756 I'm 80 years old, 9 00:00:25,756 --> 00:00:28,089 and I've never been in a hot air balloon, 10 00:00:28,089 --> 00:00:30,556 but yet I was up in a hot air balloon today. 11 00:00:30,556 --> 00:00:32,089 That's magnificent. 12 00:00:32,089 --> 00:00:34,456 - [Narrator] Could something that looks like a game, 13 00:00:34,456 --> 00:00:38,156 actually provide the key to changing our lives 14 00:00:38,156 --> 00:00:39,389 in the real world? 15 00:00:39,389 --> 00:00:40,923 - Now we're friends. 16 00:00:40,923 --> 00:00:43,356 - [Priscilla] I think about how my life might be different 17 00:00:43,356 --> 00:00:45,289 if I had not started playing VR. 18 00:00:45,289 --> 00:00:46,790 - [Priest] We are gathered here tonight. 19 00:00:46,790 --> 00:00:49,556 - It was one of the greatest times of my life. 20 00:00:49,556 --> 00:00:51,423 (crowd cheering) 21 00:00:51,423 --> 00:00:52,456 - [Priscilla] I love you. 22 00:00:53,389 --> 00:00:57,010 (uplifting dramatic music) 23 00:01:03,823 --> 00:01:05,923 - [Narrator] Writing a new chapter 24 00:01:05,923 --> 00:01:07,423 in the history of the universe 25 00:01:08,289 --> 00:01:09,556 on 'Life 2.0.' 26 00:01:14,823 --> 00:01:17,489 (playful music) 27 00:01:19,523 --> 00:01:22,856 - Some people have a negative reaction to virtual reality 28 00:01:22,856 --> 00:01:25,010 because they say it's for children. 29 00:01:25,010 --> 00:01:28,356 You put on goggles, and you see a video game, 30 00:01:28,356 --> 00:01:30,656 and you score points, and that's it. 31 00:01:32,122 --> 00:01:36,189 But you see, this is just the beginning of a new technology, 32 00:01:36,189 --> 00:01:38,890 which is gonna expand our horizon. 33 00:01:38,890 --> 00:01:42,690 For example, think of something as simple as the boat. 34 00:01:44,189 --> 00:01:47,823 When the boat was first created, it was a toy, 35 00:01:47,823 --> 00:01:49,856 but eventually it became the way 36 00:01:49,856 --> 00:01:53,156 we began to colonize the entire planet Earth. 37 00:01:54,623 --> 00:01:58,122 So just because virtual reality looks like a toy, 38 00:01:58,122 --> 00:02:00,589 don't underestimate its potential. 39 00:02:05,790 --> 00:02:07,356 - The foundation of human connection 40 00:02:07,356 --> 00:02:09,623 is really shared positive experiences. 41 00:02:11,289 --> 00:02:12,523 - Hello! 42 00:02:12,523 --> 00:02:14,656 - Hi, there. I'm Kyle. 43 00:02:14,656 --> 00:02:16,222 And I see the future of virtual reality 44 00:02:16,222 --> 00:02:17,723 as the perfect tool set 45 00:02:17,723 --> 00:02:20,690 to spark human connections through shared experiences. 46 00:02:21,923 --> 00:02:24,456 - [Narrator] Kyle Rand has a unique mission 47 00:02:24,456 --> 00:02:27,723 to introduce the elderly to virtual reality. 48 00:02:30,656 --> 00:02:33,010 - About five years ago, my grandmother, 49 00:02:33,010 --> 00:02:35,523 she was diagnosed with her second round of cancer, 50 00:02:35,523 --> 00:02:39,010 and it put us as a family in this really hard situation 51 00:02:39,010 --> 00:02:41,356 of having to figure out how to take the best care of her 52 00:02:41,356 --> 00:02:42,589 and how to make sure 53 00:02:42,589 --> 00:02:44,056 that she really had access to a good life. 54 00:02:45,556 --> 00:02:47,156 We ended up moving her into a senior living community, 55 00:02:47,156 --> 00:02:49,222 and she did not have a good experience, 56 00:02:50,289 --> 00:02:51,556 but we saw was that 57 00:02:51,556 --> 00:02:53,890 she was spending all of her time in her room. 58 00:02:53,890 --> 00:02:55,423 She wasn't really stimulated. 59 00:02:56,623 --> 00:02:59,623 And when you contrast that to her whole life, 60 00:02:59,623 --> 00:03:01,289 she was a college professor. 61 00:03:01,289 --> 00:03:03,256 She was a brain cancer survivor. 62 00:03:03,256 --> 00:03:05,222 She loved hosting family events. 63 00:03:05,222 --> 00:03:08,389 She like had this really, really vibrant personality. 64 00:03:08,389 --> 00:03:09,589 And then to see her 65 00:03:09,589 --> 00:03:12,056 just spending day in and day out in her room, 66 00:03:12,056 --> 00:03:13,690 it hit her hard, 67 00:03:13,690 --> 00:03:15,890 going from having a full life 68 00:03:15,890 --> 00:03:19,189 to being super-under-stimulated. 69 00:03:19,189 --> 00:03:21,222 Dementia kind of took her really fast. 70 00:03:22,423 --> 00:03:23,890 Seeing my grandma go through this, 71 00:03:23,890 --> 00:03:26,556 realized social isolation was a really serious problem. 72 00:03:30,010 --> 00:03:32,122 - [Narrator] Kyle isn't the only one 73 00:03:32,122 --> 00:03:34,056 who's begun noticing a problem. 74 00:03:35,456 --> 00:03:39,256 - AARP released a study that correlated the negative impacts 75 00:03:39,256 --> 00:03:42,389 of social isolation to be as detrimental to one's health 76 00:03:42,389 --> 00:03:44,756 as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 77 00:03:44,756 --> 00:03:46,010 What a lot of people don't realize 78 00:03:46,010 --> 00:03:47,690 is that being lonely is actually leading 79 00:03:47,690 --> 00:03:50,923 to mortality increases within this population. 80 00:03:50,923 --> 00:03:53,690 So if we can find a way to get people to talk, 81 00:03:53,690 --> 00:03:54,890 get people to connect, 82 00:03:54,890 --> 00:03:56,823 we can actually extend their life-span. 83 00:03:58,010 --> 00:04:00,056 - [Grace] (laughs) Can we get started? 84 00:04:00,056 --> 00:04:02,956 - [Narrator] Kyle came up with an innovative idea. 85 00:04:02,956 --> 00:04:06,256 Why not use virtual reality - Mind if I help? 86 00:04:06,256 --> 00:04:07,790 - [Narrator] to create experiences 87 00:04:07,790 --> 00:04:10,523 that senior citizens can enjoy together, 88 00:04:10,523 --> 00:04:12,790 thereby sparking friendships 89 00:04:12,790 --> 00:04:14,389 that could improve their health? 90 00:04:15,556 --> 00:04:17,623 - [Kyle] But it was this crazy concept, right, 91 00:04:17,623 --> 00:04:20,790 using this cutting edge technology for this population 92 00:04:20,790 --> 00:04:23,289 that is stereotyped as super-tech-averse. 93 00:04:24,222 --> 00:04:25,723 All right. - Perfect. 94 00:04:25,723 --> 00:04:27,323 - Everyone was like, 'This is never going to work.' 95 00:04:33,122 --> 00:04:34,389 - [Narrator] At the Whitney Place, 96 00:04:34,389 --> 00:04:36,690 assisted living and memory care facility 97 00:04:36,690 --> 00:04:38,656 in Natick, Massachusetts, 98 00:04:38,656 --> 00:04:42,189 the promise of virtual reality is already beginning. 99 00:04:42,189 --> 00:04:44,189 - All right, welcome everybody. 100 00:04:45,156 --> 00:04:47,156 I'm going to put this headset on. 101 00:04:47,156 --> 00:04:48,189 Comfy? - That's fine. 102 00:04:48,189 --> 00:04:49,756 - Perfect. 103 00:04:49,756 --> 00:04:52,256 - [Narrator] Kyle Rand and Grace Andruszkiewicz 104 00:04:52,256 --> 00:04:54,923 are about to guide a group of senior citizens 105 00:04:54,923 --> 00:04:57,089 through their first VR session. 106 00:04:58,456 --> 00:05:01,122 - I think the stereotype behindseniors being tech averse 107 00:05:01,122 --> 00:05:02,556 is a bit wrong. 108 00:05:02,556 --> 00:05:05,189 It's really that people don't respond well 109 00:05:05,189 --> 00:05:07,323 to poorly designed interfaces. 110 00:05:07,323 --> 00:05:08,523 Is it loading right now? 111 00:05:08,523 --> 00:05:10,456 So anytime you take some interface 112 00:05:10,456 --> 00:05:13,983 that was designed for kids and you put it on someone 113 00:05:13,983 --> 00:05:16,489 who is less experienced with technology, 114 00:05:16,489 --> 00:05:18,489 they're going to have a more frustrating time. 115 00:05:18,489 --> 00:05:20,856 Does everyone see the butterflies? 116 00:05:20,856 --> 00:05:23,423 So what we did is we kind of redesigned the headset 117 00:05:23,423 --> 00:05:25,790 so that staff within the community, they have a tablet, 118 00:05:25,790 --> 00:05:27,623 so they're able to kind of control the experience, 119 00:05:27,623 --> 00:05:29,289 and the residents really get to focus 120 00:05:29,289 --> 00:05:31,456 on what they're experiencing. 121 00:05:31,456 --> 00:05:33,389 Where do we want to go today? 122 00:05:36,156 --> 00:05:37,790 - [Johann] Italy. 123 00:05:37,790 --> 00:05:40,056 - You want to go to Italy? 124 00:05:40,056 --> 00:05:42,656 (gentle music) 125 00:05:48,890 --> 00:05:51,156 - Oh, isn't that beautiful? 126 00:05:52,923 --> 00:05:55,256 - [Narrator] VR headsets display images 127 00:05:55,256 --> 00:05:57,790 that appear to be life-size. 128 00:05:57,790 --> 00:06:00,389 - That's magnificent. Look at it. 129 00:06:00,389 --> 00:06:03,323 - [Narrator] When the users move their head or their eyes, 130 00:06:03,323 --> 00:06:05,489 the headsets track their motion, 131 00:06:05,489 --> 00:06:07,983 causing the images to move with them. 132 00:06:07,983 --> 00:06:08,823 - Oh wow. - Oh. 133 00:06:10,423 --> 00:06:12,156 - [Narrator] And creating the sensation 134 00:06:12,156 --> 00:06:13,856 that they are really there. 135 00:06:14,756 --> 00:06:16,356 - Even at the Trevi Fountain, 136 00:06:16,356 --> 00:06:18,623 you just wanted to go down the steps, 137 00:06:18,623 --> 00:06:20,122 - I kept putting my foot down 138 00:06:20,122 --> 00:06:22,156 because I thought I was going to go down the step. 139 00:06:24,256 --> 00:06:28,122 - The reality of it. I mean, that word is so apropos. 140 00:06:31,856 --> 00:06:33,289 - [Johann] Isn't that lovely? 141 00:06:33,289 --> 00:06:34,122 - It is beautiful. 142 00:06:34,122 --> 00:06:35,356 - Yep, it certainly is. 143 00:06:39,690 --> 00:06:42,356 - I want to take you on one of my favorite experiences. 144 00:06:42,356 --> 00:06:44,690 Has anyone ever gone on a hot air balloon ride? 145 00:06:45,890 --> 00:06:47,323 No? Do you guys want to try that? 146 00:06:47,323 --> 00:06:48,156 - Sure. - Yes. 147 00:06:56,089 --> 00:06:57,589 - Wow. 148 00:06:57,589 --> 00:06:58,589 - What do you think? 149 00:06:59,756 --> 00:07:01,323 Don't get scared if you look down. 150 00:07:03,289 --> 00:07:06,690 - With both hands, I had gripped on the chair. 151 00:07:06,690 --> 00:07:08,589 (laughs) 'Cause we were up so high. 152 00:07:12,389 --> 00:07:14,589 - By allowing people to go experience the world again 153 00:07:14,589 --> 00:07:15,890 and do it together. 154 00:07:15,890 --> 00:07:16,890 What are you seeing? 155 00:07:18,010 --> 00:07:19,890 - [Johann] Dolphins all around us swimming. 156 00:07:21,289 --> 00:07:22,222 - [Kyle] They started talking about what they're seeing, 157 00:07:22,222 --> 00:07:23,823 what they're experiencing. 158 00:07:23,823 --> 00:07:25,323 - [Johann] Oh, they're so big. 159 00:07:25,323 --> 00:07:27,723 - [Kyle] That leads to them starting to share stories. 160 00:07:27,723 --> 00:07:30,289 (chatting over one another) 161 00:07:30,289 --> 00:07:32,289 When they take the headset off. 162 00:07:32,289 --> 00:07:33,890 - [Grace] Welcome back. 163 00:07:33,890 --> 00:07:35,589 - Welcome back. 164 00:07:35,589 --> 00:07:37,589 That conversation that started with the headset was on, 165 00:07:37,589 --> 00:07:38,423 it continues. 166 00:07:40,323 --> 00:07:41,656 - [Johann] That was wonderful. Thank you so much. 167 00:07:41,656 --> 00:07:44,756 - My pleasure. Thanks for joining us. 168 00:07:44,756 --> 00:07:45,589 - Oh, no. 169 00:07:47,623 --> 00:07:52,122 Really, your opportunity to do this was incredible. 170 00:07:52,122 --> 00:07:53,656 It really. - An eye opener. 171 00:07:53,656 --> 00:07:55,256 I loved the balloons. 172 00:07:55,256 --> 00:07:57,289 - To see how high up they go. 173 00:07:57,289 --> 00:07:58,756 - They sure did. 174 00:07:58,756 --> 00:08:01,956 - It brings out conversations you don't definitely have. 175 00:08:01,956 --> 00:08:03,623 - (laughs) Yeah, exactly. 176 00:08:07,356 --> 00:08:09,623 - People are really starting to pay attention 177 00:08:09,623 --> 00:08:11,523 to the problems with social isolation. 178 00:08:12,489 --> 00:08:13,983 And that's not just seniors. 179 00:08:15,156 --> 00:08:17,323 That's people who have long stays in hospitals, 180 00:08:18,823 --> 00:08:20,323 people with major depression. 181 00:08:21,983 --> 00:08:26,983 There are people of all ages, all types who are isolated. 182 00:08:28,389 --> 00:08:31,523 - [Narrator] Kyle foresees a future in which virtual reality 183 00:08:32,923 --> 00:08:36,256 will be used to connect people all around the world. 184 00:08:38,823 --> 00:08:42,010 But could VR really helps spark meaningful relationships, 185 00:08:43,523 --> 00:08:46,356 or could the future of virtual reality 186 00:08:46,356 --> 00:08:50,790 actually mean the end of real human-to-human interaction? 187 00:08:55,356 --> 00:08:58,122 (dramatic music) 188 00:09:01,656 --> 00:09:04,623 Already technology has all but eliminated 189 00:09:04,623 --> 00:09:06,790 the distances between us. 190 00:09:06,790 --> 00:09:10,222 At almost any time in almost any place, 191 00:09:10,222 --> 00:09:11,690 you can pick up a device 192 00:09:11,690 --> 00:09:14,623 and connect with anyone in the world. 193 00:09:14,623 --> 00:09:16,256 - Most of us are connected 194 00:09:16,256 --> 00:09:18,489 to some sort of social media platform. 195 00:09:19,923 --> 00:09:24,089 We use these applications almost every single day. 196 00:09:25,589 --> 00:09:26,823 - [Narrator] But even though 197 00:09:26,823 --> 00:09:30,222 we're all connected more than ever before, 198 00:09:30,222 --> 00:09:32,823 are we really plugged into one another? 199 00:09:34,256 --> 00:09:38,089 - I feel like social media has all but destroyed that, 200 00:09:38,089 --> 00:09:40,690 human feeling terror, interaction with other people. 201 00:09:40,690 --> 00:09:43,890 This feeling of having to compete with everybody, 202 00:09:45,756 --> 00:09:48,323 it just feels subhuman to me. 203 00:09:54,589 --> 00:09:55,756 - [Narrator] Priscilla Wadsworth 204 00:09:55,756 --> 00:09:58,623 suffers from generalized anxiety disorder. 205 00:10:00,389 --> 00:10:03,556 - I grew up in a small town in Alabama. 206 00:10:06,056 --> 00:10:08,089 I was actually not very popular. 207 00:10:09,983 --> 00:10:11,756 I was kind of the outcast, 208 00:10:11,756 --> 00:10:16,122 and that probably helped fuel my social anxiety 209 00:10:16,122 --> 00:10:17,923 later into adulthood. 210 00:10:17,923 --> 00:10:20,623 - [Narrator] Today, she works as a sports artist, 211 00:10:20,623 --> 00:10:24,623 drawing popular Alabama football personalities. 212 00:10:24,623 --> 00:10:27,423 I just do all the drawing at home and all the shipping, 213 00:10:27,423 --> 00:10:30,589 and that definitely contributed to becoming a hermit 214 00:10:30,589 --> 00:10:33,656 because I think the more that I stayed to myself, 215 00:10:33,656 --> 00:10:36,489 the harder it was to go out and meet people. 216 00:10:42,122 --> 00:10:45,056 I first heard about VR through different YouTubers. 217 00:10:45,056 --> 00:10:46,456 - All right, let's go ahead and try this. 218 00:10:46,456 --> 00:10:48,189 - I remember seeing that and thinking like, 219 00:10:48,189 --> 00:10:50,256 'Wow, I really want to try that.' 220 00:10:51,589 --> 00:10:54,010 when I was little, I was really into video games, 221 00:10:55,890 --> 00:10:57,189 and I used to think like, 222 00:10:57,189 --> 00:10:59,956 'Wow, I would love to like be in the game.' 223 00:10:59,956 --> 00:11:01,456 - This just looks flawless. 224 00:11:03,189 --> 00:11:07,189 - It just so happened that they sold the Oculus at Best Buy. 225 00:11:08,323 --> 00:11:10,556 It was about $700 or something. 226 00:11:10,556 --> 00:11:12,010 And I was like, 227 00:11:12,010 --> 00:11:14,823 'Okay, it's expensive. Let me think about this.' 228 00:11:14,823 --> 00:11:16,523 I got like right to the door, I was like, 229 00:11:16,523 --> 00:11:18,790 'Who am I kidding? I'm just going to go get it.' 230 00:11:24,389 --> 00:11:25,623 - [Narrator] Priscilla went home 231 00:11:25,623 --> 00:11:28,790 and started playing a game called 'Rec Room.' 232 00:11:28,790 --> 00:11:31,256 It's designed to mimic the 'Rec Room' feeling 233 00:11:31,256 --> 00:11:32,690 of a YMCA 234 00:11:34,389 --> 00:11:37,089 where you can play a bunch of different games 235 00:11:37,089 --> 00:11:38,222 with other people. 236 00:11:41,256 --> 00:11:42,823 - The first time that I played, 237 00:11:42,823 --> 00:11:44,690 and I realized that all of these characters out there 238 00:11:44,690 --> 00:11:47,656 are real people and I'm like, 'Oh, Oh no.' 239 00:11:47,656 --> 00:11:50,523 'Cause, you know, I just, 240 00:11:50,523 --> 00:11:53,856 I had spent so time for so many years, 241 00:11:53,856 --> 00:11:57,089 mostly just keeping to myself, I kind of thought like, 242 00:11:57,089 --> 00:11:58,983 'Okay, like catch my breath. It's okay. 243 00:12:00,423 --> 00:12:03,589 Just go back out there and play.' 244 00:12:04,723 --> 00:12:06,523 - [Narrator] Priscilla took a deep breath 245 00:12:06,523 --> 00:12:08,556 and entered a game. 246 00:12:08,556 --> 00:12:11,790 (players chatting) 247 00:12:11,790 --> 00:12:13,983 And for the first time in her life, 248 00:12:13,983 --> 00:12:17,556 something that had rarely happened in the real world 249 00:12:17,556 --> 00:12:21,723 suddenly began to materialize in this virtual world. 250 00:12:23,010 --> 00:12:24,456 - A Walker. 251 00:12:24,456 --> 00:12:27,723 I found myself being able to be really relaxed 252 00:12:27,723 --> 00:12:30,790 and be myself just right off. 253 00:12:30,790 --> 00:12:33,222 And usually it takes me a really long time 254 00:12:33,222 --> 00:12:36,323 to do that with people to really be myself. 255 00:12:36,323 --> 00:12:39,856 I actually was able to make my first friend pretty fast. 256 00:12:39,856 --> 00:12:41,323 - Now we're friends. 257 00:12:41,323 --> 00:12:44,890 - [Priscilla] From there, it just seemed like it snowballed. 258 00:12:44,890 --> 00:12:46,790 And I just kept adding friends, 259 00:12:46,790 --> 00:12:49,089 just meeting people I thought were funny. 260 00:12:49,089 --> 00:12:50,656 - You got a new hat. 261 00:12:50,656 --> 00:12:52,623 - And it was really fun. 262 00:12:56,489 --> 00:12:57,923 I honestly felt like 263 00:12:57,923 --> 00:13:00,122 it was one of the greatest times of my life. 264 00:13:02,890 --> 00:13:04,423 I felt like I belonged. 265 00:13:06,289 --> 00:13:09,856 And I felt like there were a lot of other people like me. 266 00:13:09,856 --> 00:13:11,256 - [Narrator] By connecting her to people 267 00:13:11,256 --> 00:13:14,356 she would have never met in the real world, 268 00:13:14,356 --> 00:13:16,356 virtual reality opened up 269 00:13:16,356 --> 00:13:19,156 an entirely new reality for Priscilla. 270 00:13:20,890 --> 00:13:23,556 And soon it would lead to an unexpected 271 00:13:23,556 --> 00:13:27,056 and life-altering event in her real-world life. 272 00:13:27,056 --> 00:13:30,389 - [Priest] We are gathered here tonight. 273 00:13:32,256 --> 00:13:34,856 (gentle music) 274 00:13:37,756 --> 00:13:39,723 - Found out about VR by accident. 275 00:13:39,723 --> 00:13:42,156 And I was just looking around for something to buy. 276 00:13:42,156 --> 00:13:44,690 I was on Amazon, just browsing to see what was hot. 277 00:13:46,089 --> 00:13:48,656 And the HTC VIVE popped up. 278 00:13:49,823 --> 00:13:51,690 I figured why not give it a shot? 279 00:13:53,256 --> 00:13:55,589 - [Narrator] Mark Gebbia is a website designer. 280 00:13:57,690 --> 00:13:59,956 Like Priscilla, he works from home 281 00:13:59,956 --> 00:14:01,656 and mostly keeps to himself. 282 00:14:03,589 --> 00:14:05,122 - I grew up as a military brat. 283 00:14:05,122 --> 00:14:07,389 My mother was in the Navy. So we moved around a lot. 284 00:14:19,423 --> 00:14:21,389 Those earlier experiences 285 00:14:21,389 --> 00:14:22,956 definitely turned me into an introvert. 286 00:14:25,690 --> 00:14:28,122 But when I finally discovered virtual reality, 287 00:14:28,122 --> 00:14:30,556 I was floored, and I couldn't leave VR. 288 00:14:30,556 --> 00:14:31,983 I was in there eight hours a day, 289 00:14:31,983 --> 00:14:34,156 every day for the first like three weeks. 290 00:14:38,623 --> 00:14:40,089 That's where I met Priscilla. 291 00:14:43,256 --> 00:14:45,323 - We had become friends in 'Rec Room' 292 00:14:45,323 --> 00:14:46,623 because we played together 293 00:14:46,623 --> 00:14:49,256 and just joke around and have fun. 294 00:14:49,256 --> 00:14:50,489 - Oh, nice. 295 00:14:50,489 --> 00:14:52,122 - This is going to be a standoff. 296 00:14:52,122 --> 00:14:54,723 We'd start meeting up on certain days of the week 297 00:14:54,723 --> 00:14:57,089 and playing different games together. 298 00:14:57,089 --> 00:14:58,856 - Getting to know the people in VR is different 299 00:14:58,856 --> 00:15:01,122 than any other medium. 300 00:15:01,122 --> 00:15:01,956 I got it. 301 00:15:01,956 --> 00:15:03,589 I think it helps a lot 302 00:15:03,589 --> 00:15:06,256 that it's completely disconnected from the real world. 303 00:15:06,256 --> 00:15:07,423 No one knows who you are. 304 00:15:07,423 --> 00:15:09,323 So you have no expectations on you. 305 00:15:09,323 --> 00:15:11,556 - When you're playing a game like 'Rec Room,' 306 00:15:11,556 --> 00:15:15,010 everybody has pretty much the same body type. 307 00:15:15,010 --> 00:15:17,756 I mean, you can change your outfit and your hair, 308 00:15:17,756 --> 00:15:21,723 but nobody's being judged on how they look right out. 309 00:15:22,856 --> 00:15:25,756 - You are kind of hidden behind this shroud. 310 00:15:27,056 --> 00:15:27,890 You got it. 311 00:15:27,890 --> 00:15:29,423 - Sorry, sorry. 312 00:15:29,423 --> 00:15:31,623 - [Mark] But the mic picks up your voice so clearly 313 00:15:31,623 --> 00:15:34,010 that it sounds like someone's right next to you, 314 00:15:34,010 --> 00:15:35,890 and it gets your body language. 315 00:15:35,890 --> 00:15:38,356 So it makes it easier to get to know someone. 316 00:15:38,356 --> 00:15:40,756 - Grab my hand. Don't let go. 317 00:15:40,756 --> 00:15:44,323 - It feels a lot more like you're there with a person. 318 00:15:44,323 --> 00:15:46,756 And I feel like that's a really important thing 319 00:15:46,756 --> 00:15:48,756 on how people have been able to connect 320 00:15:48,756 --> 00:15:50,089 on a much deeper level. 321 00:15:51,556 --> 00:15:54,256 - [Narrator] After a couple months of chatting in the game, 322 00:15:54,256 --> 00:15:57,356 Priscilla accidentally sends Mark a message 323 00:15:57,356 --> 00:16:01,656 that will move their virtual friendship into the real world. 324 00:16:01,656 --> 00:16:04,690 - I ended up sending a message to Mark 325 00:16:04,690 --> 00:16:06,010 instead of somebody else. 326 00:16:07,189 --> 00:16:09,222 I realized that when he responded, of course. 327 00:16:10,489 --> 00:16:13,056 That was the first time that Mark and I 328 00:16:13,056 --> 00:16:15,456 had a more in-depth conversation 329 00:16:15,456 --> 00:16:18,010 other than surface level stuff in 'Rec Room.' 330 00:16:20,389 --> 00:16:22,690 - We ended up talking for hours every day, 331 00:16:22,690 --> 00:16:24,556 just typing to each other 332 00:16:24,556 --> 00:16:27,489 and continued hanging out in 'Rec Room.' 333 00:16:27,489 --> 00:16:29,256 Hey, how you doing? 334 00:16:29,256 --> 00:16:30,456 - Hi. 335 00:16:30,456 --> 00:16:31,423 - Long time no see. 336 00:16:32,823 --> 00:16:36,289 - We both started to realize there could be something there. 337 00:16:36,289 --> 00:16:40,723 And I think it took two weeks for us to get it in our minds 338 00:16:40,723 --> 00:16:41,856 that we wanted to get married, 339 00:16:41,856 --> 00:16:43,983 even though we hadn't met in person, 340 00:16:43,983 --> 00:16:45,723 which I know that sounds really, really crazy. 341 00:16:45,723 --> 00:16:50,523 But I remember the night that it was brought up, I said, 342 00:16:50,523 --> 00:16:53,489 'There's something really weird that I'm thinking about, 343 00:16:53,489 --> 00:16:55,289 and I'm really scared to say it.' 344 00:16:56,756 --> 00:16:59,983 And he said something like, 'I think I know what it is.' 345 00:17:02,189 --> 00:17:04,289 Couple of weeks later, he flew to Alabama. 346 00:17:05,890 --> 00:17:09,423 He proposed on the first night that we met in person. 347 00:17:09,423 --> 00:17:11,556 And then we got married four days later. 348 00:17:13,289 --> 00:17:16,289 (gentle music) 349 00:17:16,289 --> 00:17:18,222 - [Mark] The wedding was pretty simple. 350 00:17:20,289 --> 00:17:22,489 - [Priscilla] We went to a gazebo in a park. 351 00:17:24,010 --> 00:17:25,983 - [Mark] Had a nice little 10-minute ceremony 352 00:17:25,983 --> 00:17:27,289 with our own vows. 353 00:17:29,089 --> 00:17:31,356 - [Priest] Love is patient. Love is calm. 354 00:17:32,890 --> 00:17:34,010 Love never fails. 355 00:17:35,523 --> 00:17:36,983 - [Narrator] A few days later, 356 00:17:36,983 --> 00:17:40,010 the real celebration takes place 357 00:17:40,010 --> 00:17:42,623 back in the world where it all began. 358 00:17:44,010 --> 00:17:46,010 - [Priest] We are gathered here tonight 359 00:17:46,010 --> 00:17:49,656 to celebrate the joining of Priscilla Olivia Wadsworth 360 00:17:49,656 --> 00:17:51,890 and Mark Daniel Gebbia. 361 00:17:53,356 --> 00:17:55,156 - [Mark] We want to do the VR ceremony 362 00:17:55,156 --> 00:17:58,189 because everyone in our 'Rec Room' friend group 363 00:17:58,189 --> 00:18:00,010 was aware of the romance. 364 00:18:00,010 --> 00:18:02,656 We wanted to include them in something. 365 00:18:02,656 --> 00:18:05,256 - [Priest] Mark and Priscilla have some vowels 366 00:18:05,256 --> 00:18:06,823 that they would like to recite. 367 00:18:08,056 --> 00:18:11,890 - The VR wedding was even more special 368 00:18:11,890 --> 00:18:14,222 than the real life wedding. 369 00:18:14,222 --> 00:18:17,156 - [Mark] Priscilla Olivia Wadsworth, on this day forward, 370 00:18:17,156 --> 00:18:18,556 I promise to give you all of my love 371 00:18:18,556 --> 00:18:21,489 and never let you feel alone in life again. 372 00:18:21,489 --> 00:18:22,956 - [Priest] I love you, Mark. 373 00:18:22,956 --> 00:18:25,356 And I promise I'll love you for the rest of my life. 374 00:18:26,589 --> 00:18:29,189 - [Priest] For the first time in 'Rec Room,' 375 00:18:29,189 --> 00:18:30,423 Mr. and Mrs. Mark Gebbia. 376 00:18:32,010 --> 00:18:35,010 (everyone cheering) 377 00:18:38,323 --> 00:18:40,122 - [Narrator] Priscilla and Mark 378 00:18:40,122 --> 00:18:41,890 might just be the first couple in the world 379 00:18:41,890 --> 00:18:44,723 to meet in virtual reality, 380 00:18:44,723 --> 00:18:49,423 build a relationship there and tie the knot there. 381 00:18:49,423 --> 00:18:50,589 - [Priscilla] I love you. 382 00:18:51,756 --> 00:18:54,010 - [Narrator] For now, they are one of a kind. 383 00:19:00,156 --> 00:19:03,983 But in the future, could it become normal for all of us 384 00:19:03,983 --> 00:19:07,323 to start living more or even most of our lives 385 00:19:07,323 --> 00:19:08,823 in this new reality? 386 00:19:15,823 --> 00:19:18,856 - [Host] By strapping on 3D visual display goggles 387 00:19:18,856 --> 00:19:20,823 and specially censored gloves, 388 00:19:20,823 --> 00:19:23,890 one can be immersed into new worlds. 389 00:19:25,923 --> 00:19:28,256 - [Narrator] In just a few decades, 390 00:19:28,256 --> 00:19:31,489 advances in virtual reality have exploded. 391 00:19:32,790 --> 00:19:35,656 - [Host] What is unique about virtual reality 392 00:19:35,656 --> 00:19:39,323 is that the user has complete control over the environment. 393 00:19:40,756 --> 00:19:42,256 - [Narrator] In the future, 394 00:19:42,256 --> 00:19:45,556 it's poised to play an even greater role in our lives. 395 00:19:46,723 --> 00:19:48,556 - The positive side of virtual reality 396 00:19:48,556 --> 00:19:53,556 is of course enormous, but there is a dark side. 397 00:19:55,856 --> 00:19:58,923 When virtual reality reaches fruition, 398 00:19:58,923 --> 00:20:01,956 I think that virtual reality will be so realistic, 399 00:20:01,956 --> 00:20:05,456 so lifelike and so preposterous 400 00:20:05,456 --> 00:20:09,056 that some people may prefer to live in that world 401 00:20:09,056 --> 00:20:11,289 rather than live in the real world. 402 00:20:12,656 --> 00:20:14,956 - And you can see virtual worlds being created 403 00:20:14,956 --> 00:20:17,189 where people just kind of escape. 404 00:20:17,189 --> 00:20:19,256 It could be moving in that direction. 405 00:20:20,756 --> 00:20:22,010 I like to think 406 00:20:22,010 --> 00:20:23,556 that they'll just try to use the virtual reality 407 00:20:23,556 --> 00:20:27,256 as a way of augmenting the world that we have, 408 00:20:29,556 --> 00:20:31,256 as well as giving people the opportunity 409 00:20:31,256 --> 00:20:35,122 to experience things that they ordinarily wouldn't. 410 00:20:36,589 --> 00:20:39,489 - I think about how my life might be different a lot, 411 00:20:39,489 --> 00:20:41,956 actually, if I had not started playing VR. 412 00:20:45,056 --> 00:20:46,222 I really wonder where I would be. 413 00:20:46,222 --> 00:20:49,189 Would I still be an Alabama? 414 00:20:49,189 --> 00:20:51,956 Instead, I'm married and living in Seattle. 415 00:20:55,222 --> 00:20:56,423 - There's so much in the media 416 00:20:56,423 --> 00:20:58,856 that portrays cutting edge technology 417 00:20:58,856 --> 00:21:00,890 as something that's dangerous. 418 00:21:00,890 --> 00:21:03,623 But I think what we've seen in our approach really 419 00:21:03,623 --> 00:21:05,923 is that virtual reality is a tool 420 00:21:05,923 --> 00:21:09,389 that can be used to form new connections. 421 00:21:09,389 --> 00:21:10,690 - That's magnificent. Wow. 422 00:21:13,790 --> 00:21:15,010 - [Kyle] There's tons of research 423 00:21:15,010 --> 00:21:17,122 behind the use case of VR for empathy, 424 00:21:17,122 --> 00:21:18,790 and if you can get people to experience, you know, 425 00:21:18,790 --> 00:21:21,189 other cultures, other parts of the world 426 00:21:21,189 --> 00:21:22,623 and understand the difficulties and the problems 427 00:21:22,623 --> 00:21:24,456 that other people are experiencing, 428 00:21:24,456 --> 00:21:27,089 then they might have a desire to help those people. 429 00:21:29,790 --> 00:21:32,389 - You see technology spreads information, 430 00:21:32,389 --> 00:21:34,010 it spreads knowledge. 431 00:21:34,010 --> 00:21:36,323 Knowledge spreads empowerment. 432 00:21:37,956 --> 00:21:42,356 So realize the tremendous possibilities for education 433 00:21:44,423 --> 00:21:46,623 for seeing things with new eyes, 434 00:21:48,010 --> 00:21:49,983 for exploring new worlds. 435 00:21:51,723 --> 00:21:53,656 That's the promise of virtual reality. 436 00:21:55,323 --> 00:21:58,122 (dramatic music)