Virtual reality (VR) is technology that is created to improve users connect to create a real environment. On a computer, VR is user experience it through sight and sound. The growth and advancement of technology are improving how people have connected with one other no matter the distance (Earnshow, 2017). The VR has been used in video games and gaming technology, but also it is taking place in digital social media. The social media companies are developing technologies such as headsets, headphones and most importantly social virtual reality which will improve interpersonal connections. The social VR technology is capable of allowing users to show their facial expressions and share pictures, video and enable users to play games online. For instance, Oculus has developed VR apps such as Oculus Rooms (Earnshow, 2017). Thus, the social VR will enable friends and people to socialize on the comfort of their beds.
Therefore, the virtual reality technology has the potential to influence communication. This technology will change how people interact and convey their intended messages with each. Thus, it does not only how people interact, business-to-business communication but also it will change how advertisers communicate with their clients (Earnshow, 2017).
Impact of Virtual Reality on Digital Societies
1.2.1 Business to Business
Facebook and other social Medias platform have changed the way people interact online with one another. Therefore, Facebook being one of the biggest social media has taken first step to introduce social VR (Sherman and Craig, 2018). This technology aims to change how people socialize and interact with one another. It will change the way businesses operate. For instance, social VR will enable business people to sit in a room and hold a meeting with one another when they are across the world. Thus, the technology will help social media companies to be used not only as a marketing platform but an interactive platform for business communities.
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1.2.2 Communication Improvement
The social VR will not only allow users to have convenience but also will allow people to get closer to one another. For instance, globalization has led to the growth of companies that have branches all over the world; thus, the VR will improve how employees communicate with one another (Sherman and Craig, 2018). The technology will help to improve how people share ideas and connect with each other in different social, cultural and business context. Also, the social VR will improve the relationship between the users through a virtual experience. Therefore, this technology allows individuals to humanize the people they are interacting with on another side of the phone or computer.
1.2.3 Business to Consumer
The growth of the use of the social VR will revolutionize interaction between business and consumer through creating a social marketing experience. Business looks for clients through advertising and marketing; thus, the social VR will enable consumers to interact with an advertisement that has an emotional response (Merchant et al, 2014 34). Therefore, the VR will create abilities to allow the viewer to connect interaction more than the video level. It will offer all immersive experiences that have a deeper connection. The social VR will change the future communication by making it possible for the people to share their emotions and feelings.
2.1 Green Computing Techniques that can Reduce Data Center Energy Consumption
2.1.1 Energy Consumption in a Data Center
The digital revolution has improved the way we communicate, and data storage and usage. For a digital revolution to work, servers are an important aspect of the technology growth, but there are consuming a lot of energy. Servers require power to integrate and process data. This power causes heat, and it has to be cooled to keep the servers working. The efficient cooling systems consume a lot of energy. Therefore, to reduce the energy consumptions in a data center, there is need to employ green computing techniques.
2.2 Green Computing Techniques
Green computing is a concept that defines methods that will effectively and efficiently work while consuming less power. There are different green computing techniques that can help us in reducing energy consumption in the data center facilities. They include:
2.2.1 Virtualization and Consolidate
This technique involves consolidating different applications onto servers. This will increase emergency efficiency use by decreasing server energy use as well as reduce cooling requirements. Consolidating fewer servers will help reduce energy consumption by approximately 10% to 40% (Lefèvre and Pierson, 2018).
Also, virtualization helps in lowering energy consumption. Virtualization is achieved by optimizing power and making sure that cooling systems are in line with a lighter load to make sure Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) doesn’t rise.
2.2.2 Use a Containment System
Most of the data centers normally mix hot and cold air. This limits the efficiency of the cooling systems. Thus, the containment system technique helps in separating hot and cold air in the cooling system. To achieve this, you need to do this by supplying vents in the cold aisle, while returning vents to hot aisle along with hard enclosure to ensure cold or hot aisle are contained (Gai et al, 2016 57). This increases efficiency and effectiveness of the cooling systems. Also, the technique raises return temperatures making CRAC units to operate more effectively.
2.2.3 Temperature and humidity Set points
The temperature in data centers can help in reducing energy consumption. Many data centers set their temperatures at 55°F, which against the recommendation of ASHRAE. The ASHRAE recommended that air temperatures of data center should vary between 64.4°F at lowest and 80.6°F highest point (Gai et al, 2016 55) . Thus, by increasing temperatures from 55°F, the data center will be able to save energy. The same case applies to humidity. Thus data centers should use the recommended humidity by the ASHRAE. Therefore, changing temperature and humidity to recommended set points efficiently will help in reducing power consumption.
2.2.4 Automation and Variable Frequency Drives
Variable frequency drives (VFDs) increase the effectiveness of power consumption of cooling equipment by ensuring the cooling systems operates at the required speed. This helps in cooling supply to match the necessary load. Therefore, this makes the systems to use less power by limiting over-cooling in a data center. The automation systems allow the managers to control and monitor different aspects of the center such as HVAC, security and other systems in the automated application. Thus, automation and VFDs entail a comprehensive technique that helps in monitoring and controlling different aspects of the data center, thus ensuring energy consumption regulation as a priority objective (Ahmed & Rank, 2016).
References
Ahmad, I. and Ranka, S. eds., 2016. Handbook of Energy-Aware and Green Computing-Two Volume Set. CRC Press.
Earnshaw, R.A. ed., 2014. Virtual reality systems. Academic press.
Gai, K., Qiu, M., Zhao, H., Tao, L. and Zong, Z., 2016. Dynamic energy-aware cloudlet-based mobile cloud computing model for green computing. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 59, pp.46-54.
Lefèvre, L. and Pierson, J.M., 2018. Introduction to special issue on sustainable computing for ultrascale computing.
Merchant, Z., Goetz, E.T., Cifuentes, L., Keeney-Kennicutt, W. and Davis, T.J., 2014. Effectiveness of virtual reality-based instruction on students’ learning outcomes in K-12 and higher education: A meta-analysis. Computers & Education, 70, pp.29-40.
Sherman, W.R. and Craig, A.B., 2018. Understanding virtual reality: interface, application, and design. Morgan Kaufmann.
