Scientists create 'virtual Vegas'
9th January, 2008
Researchers from the University of Guelph in south-western Ontario have reportedly built a virtual Las Vegas in a bid to better understand the minds of heavy gamblers.
The 360-degree image of the city has been projected inside a giant sphere which can be entered to allow those taking part in the experiment to feel like they are in the gambling hub.
It is big enough for two people to stand inside and will be used to study why gamblers often fall into a trance-like state when they hit the casinos.
Virtual-reality viewers will be able to hear the sound and see the sites of 17 actual casinos which currently exist in Vegas.
Karen Finlay, a professor of marketing and consumer studies at the university, said: "We started out by looking at the environment of the casino and identifying elements of the design that induce certain emotions which could impact the way someone gambles."
She added: "Obtaining the panascope allows us to immerse people in that setting and get a little bit closer to the reality of actually being in a casino.
"[It's] a positive thing for us because we can then say, with a greater certainty, that we're actually tapping into the way people would act and feel in a casino setting."
