Dr. Schaub, 4:00
R10
VIRTUAL REALITY IN THE MILITARY: DESENSITIZATION AND THE
ETHICAL SOLUTION
Ian Whiten (iww2@pitt.edu)
THE ETHICAL SITUATION: VIRTUAL
REALITY CAUSING DESENSITIZATION
Five years from now, I, Ian Whiten, have recently
graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and have
attained a job working for the United States government as a
computer engineer. My job is to work with the military and
other engineers on the virtual reality system the military
uses. The system consists of one of the most popular virtual
reality technologies – the Head-mounted Display. On my
first day, in a meeting with the other engineers, the problem
is presented. The United States military wants my colleagues
and I to modify the virtual reality system so soldiers do not
suffer from desensitization. It violates the engineering codes
of ethics, which is a major issue for all of the engineers
involved in the system. It is a problem that will take a lot of
work, and a well-thought-out process, to solve.
Virtual reality is “an illusory environment, engineered to
give users the impression of being somewhere other than
where they are” [1]. In other words, with the use of
technology, virtual reality can transport people to a virtual
world where they can interact with objects and people that
are not really there. Virtual reality has many applications,
including being used to treat stroke patients. One of its main
uses, however, is in the United States military. The military
uses virtual reality technology as a training system, mainly
for soldiers who are going into combat situations. The
military has been using virtual reality (mainly Headmounted Displays) for years, but there is a problem that
needs to be solved – one that deals with its ethics.
HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY
TECHNOLOGY
Virtual reality technology “attempts to re-create an actual
experience, combining vision, sound, touch, and feelings of
motion engineered to give the brain a realistic set of
sensations” [1]. A Head-mounted Display (HMD) is
basically a computer display mounted on someone’s head.
Usually, these Head-mounted Displays are mounted in a
helmet, or in a pair of goggles. Head-mounted displays were
developed so that no matter the direction the user looks, his
or her point of view changes, just as though he or she were
using his or her eyes. Almost all HMDs have two different
screens for each eye, which activates the eyes’ depth cues,
which give the image they are viewing a three-dimensional
quality. HMDs have many parts and pieces that allow it to
function efficiently.
University of Pittsburgh, Swanson School of Engineering 1
Submission Date 2013-10-29
Parts and Pieces of a Head-mounted Display
Head-Mounted Displays are commonly Liquid Crystal
Displays (LCD), which are also common in modern day
televisions. LCD monitors are “compact, lightweight,
efficient, and inexpensive” [2]. HMDs are equipped with a
tracking system, which “measures the HMD’s position and
orientation” [3]. The information that the tracking device
gives is what allows the Head-mounted Display to
continuously update the virtual world according to the
HMD’s movement. Most HMDs also include speaker or
some other audio device to give the user audio to go along
with the video display. Lastly, Head-mounted Displays do
not work well with wireless systems. These systems “lack
the response time necessary to avoid lag or latency issues”
[2]. In other words, wireless systems can cause the HMD to
respond slowly to changes in the user’s head position, which
could create a problem for the user. These are the parts and
pieces that allow the Head-mounted Display to work
efficiently.
THE ENGINEERING CODE OF ETHICS
As a member of the engineering profession, I am
“expected to exhibit the highest standards of honesty and
integrity” [4]. This statement comes directly from the
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of
Ethics. As an engineer, I am held to high regards in my
community and around the country. With this responsibility,
there is a code of ethics I should follow in order to be a
trustworthy engineer, and these ethics should factor in to my
decision on what to do with the desensitization problem in
the United States military virtual reality system. The NSPE
Code of Ethics has many canons and standards that the
professional engineer must follow. They include “holding
paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public” [4].
This means that above all else, the safety of the public
comes first. Therefore, if a design is not safe, it cannot be
built or must be improved upon. The desensitization of US
soldiers is not healthy for the soldiers. Another canon is
engineers must “perform services only in areas of their
competence” [4]. This means that engineers should only
work on projects in their own realm of education. For
example, a mechanical engineer should not be working on
the next “big thing” in biomedical technology, unless it has a
mechanical aspect. Since I am a computer engineer, and I
am working on virtual reality (a computer engineering
specialty), it is ethical for me to solve the problem of
desensitization. Along with the NSPE Code of Ethics, each
engineering society has its own code of ethics as well.
Ian Whiten
the tracking system and microphone. Though on the
“outside” of the boot camp everything looks successful and
promising, there is a harsh situation that must now be faced:
the desensitization of the young soldiers.
ACM Code of Ethics
Within each engineering discipline there are codes of
ethics. As a computer engineer dealing with virtual reality, I
have to follow both the standards presented by the NSPE
Code of Ethics and the Association for Computer Machinery
Code of Ethics. Though the codes are similar, there are some
minor differences between them. When dealing with
computers, confidentiality of users is important. In the ACM
Code of Ethics, it states that “it is the responsibility of
professionals to maintain the privacy and integrity of data
describing individuals” [5]. One of the main similarities in
the codes is the necessity to cause no harm to individuals.
This includes the physical, mental, and emotional well-being
of the individual using the technology. This leads back to my
situation: the desensitization of military personal using
virtual reality as a training tool.
The Ethical Situation: Desensitization
Desensitization means that “a person is no longer affected
by extreme acts of behavior such as violence and fails to
show empathy or compassion as a result” [8]. This is the
problem that my colleagues and I have to solve. By using the
virtual system in military training, there is no interaction
with the “people” that the soldiers are fighting and killing.
The soldiers cannot feel compassion for them because they
are not real human beings. So, when they do this in the
battlefield, they continue to feel no compassion because it is
still almost like a game to them. In some soldiers, it is shown
that they “actively seek this type of scenario for the
adrenaline rush and sense of power” [8]. In other words,
some soldiers actively look for this scenario to feel good and
get a sense of authority.
The major ethical issue that my colleagues and I first
discuss is the fact that it violates one of the major ethical
canons: that the technology can cause no harm to the person.
The HMD simulations that the soldiers are being put through
causes a negative change in mental behavior, which is
unethical. There are other smaller ethical situations too. One
of them is that engineers must “contribute to society and
human well-being” [5]. I posed this question – are we really
contributing to human well-being when many soldiers in the
United States military are being desensitized? The answer is
no. We are hurting society by, in effect, brainwashing the
soldiers to believe that killing is ethical, and that there are no
consequences to killing. This is extremely unethical.
VIRTUAL REALITY IN THE MILITARY:
APPLICATIONS AND ETHICAL
SITUATION
The other engineers and I call a meeting immediately
after presented with the problem. Before discussing the
unethical situation of desensitization, we first discuss how
virtual reality is used in the military.
Virtual Reality Applications in the Military
The military has been using virtual reality systems for
some time now in training young soldiers. The United States
Navy and Air Force were two of the earliest departments to
use virtual reality training. They used the Head-mounted
Displays, but at the time, the HMDs were not linked to a
virtual environment. They were linked to a camera. Today,
however, “the military uses VR techniques not only for
training and safety enhancement, but also to analyze military
maneuvers and battlefield positions” [6]. There is a virtual
boot camp, which is a normal boot camp that soldiers
typically participate in individually, however it takes place
in a virtual environment. At these boot camps, young
soldiers work in skill stations to successfully participate in
battle: survival skills, physical fitness training, weapons
drills, and many others that are pertinent in order to make a
great trooper. There is also a team building section in the
virtual boot camp. This includes “team tactics for combat
situations where soldiers learn skills necessary to navigate
and deal with these situations” [7]. They plan an assault on a
military target, as well as dealing with hostile environments.
The soldiers use the Head-mounted Displays mentioned
earlier to complete the boot camp. These are used with a
weapon controller, similar to a gun. The military HMD uses
the same parts and pieces that a normal one uses, including
Why do Ethics matter?
Some people asked me why this is an important issue.
Why not let them be desensitized? They say it could make
the soldiers be more effective in combat. It may make them
more effective in combat, but it could lead to problems when
the combat and fighting is over. Soldiers who experience
desensitization are always looking for violence, which could
lead to violence once the soldier returns to the United States.
There have been many cases in history that show why ethics
is important in engineering technology. One of the most
famous involves the space shuttle Challenger. A mechanical
engineer, Dr. Roger Boisjoly, advised delaying the launch of
the Challenger because of “a design flaw in the rocket
boosters that made it dangerous to launch at low
temperatures” [9]. Dr. Boisjoly’s decision was overruled by
a team overseeing the launch. A few days later, the world
watched as the Challenger exploded a few seconds after
takeoff, killing all seven crew members on board. Even
though his decision was overruled, Dr. Boisjoly went against
many people’s thoughts and opinions because it was his
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Ian Whiten
ethical decision to be honest. As you can see, ethics is an
important issue in all engineering problems.
current combat simulation. However, it would negate the
effects of desensitization. The new program would allow a
soldier to develop morals, as it would allow he or she to see
the effects that the killings have on the “relations” of the
virtual people he or she kills. The second way to solve the
desensitization problem would not even involve a new
program or technology. I could implement an ethical/moral
workshop into the virtual reality program. Psychologists
could be hired to conduct the workshops, and it would make
sure the soldiers, even though they are participating in the
combat simulations, learn the morals and ethics that all
human beings should have.
At the present moment, I believe the best decision for the
entire military would be for me to engineer a new computer
program that teaches the morals and values that all humans
should have. I have compared both the disadvantages and
advantages of both possible decisions, and this one is the
better of the two. With implementing an ethical workshop,
many psychologists would have to be hired, and they would
all have to work with me to develop a program that would be
both time efficient and effective. This would be a financial
burden, and it would take a lot of time to implement in the
current military program. With me building and constructing
a new computer program, it can be built within a matter of
weeks. The only necessary person to be hired would be a
psychologist to work with me in making sure that the
program completely negates the desensitization the soldiers
are experiencing. I can use the computers and other
technologies available to me as a US government employee
to get started immediately. Also, as soon as it is completed,
it can be implemented right away into the current military
virtual reality program. This, by far, is the best decision for
the entire military.
Another way of looking at the Engineer and Ethics
Engineering is a profession that discovers new ideas and
creates and develops new technology. While contemplating
the problem of desensitization, I looked at the problem
another way. Maybe this isn’t a problem at all. I have to
consider, as an engineer, that it is my job to develop new
ideas, even if that includes violating the code of ethics.
According to Deborah G. Johnson, a member of the
Department of Science, Technology, and Society at the
University of Virginia, that it may be time to acknowledge
that “negotiation with moral notions and beliefs is an
ordinary part of science and engineering” [10]. By saying
this, she is showing that engineering can shape, and even
disrupt, the society that we live in. Engineers typically do
not disrupt society, but engineers have to realize that we are
also shaped by society. For example, the culture the engineer
works in, and the financial situation, all play a part in an
engineer’s decision. As an engineer, I have to consider this
assumption when deciding on what to do with my current
ethical situation.
FINAL DECISIONS TO THE
DESENSITIZATION PROBLEM
After reevaluating the problem of desensitization in the
Head-mounted Display virtual reality system in the United
States military, and looking at the ethical situations that
surround it, I have some major decisions to make as an
engineer. My first decision is to decide whether to, like
Deborah G. Johnson, ignore the ethics of engineering and
just accept the fact that as an engineer, I am going to both
shape and disrupt society. I could also just accept the fact
that society completely shapes the way engineers work.
However, even though I must consider this decision, it is not
the proper one to make. As a professional engineer, I should
follow the code of ethics, as it shows I am guided by
honesty, will not be influenced by others’ interests, and I
will devoid all deceptive acts, especially ones that may cause
harm to human beings. This first decision may also be my
most important, as it shows I will abide by the ethics of
engineering.
Since the virtual reality training the military participates
in is mostly simulation-based, “formative experiences occur
in interaction with a virtual world where there are no
consequences for action” [11]. The young soldiers cannot
learn morals because of the current training they are
participating in. As an engineer, my job is to solve the
problem. There are two ways in which I could potentially
solve the problem. One way is developing a new simulation
program. This program would be incorporated into the
THE RIGHT ETHICAL DECISION
The best decision, by looking at all the facts and ethics, is
to create a new program that can be incorporated in the
Head-mounted Displays of the current United States military
program. The new program would be positive for the wellbeing of humanity, and it would show I am honest by
admitting there was a problem and trying to fix it. It would
also be the most inexpensive, which would make the
authority figures very happy. This was the right decision, for
me, the professional engineer, to make.
Ethics is important in the engineering process. By
viewing the ethics that professional engineers should follow,
and looking at all the facts, the correct decision was made.
Therefore, in my ethical scenario, the unethical problem was
admitted, solutions were brought forth, and the best one was
made. That is the engineering process that worked for me,
and the ethics were a major part of it. Therefore, in five
years, I, a professional engineer, solved, using ethics, the
problem of desensitization in the military.
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Ian Whiten
REFERENCES
[1] “Enhancing Virtual Reality.” (2012). NAE Grand
Challenges
of
Engineering.
(Online
article).
http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/cms/8996/9140.aspx
[2] J. Strickland. “How Virtual Reality Gear Works.”
Howstuffworks.
(Online
Article).
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/othergadgets/VR-gear1.htm
[3] F. Steinicke, G. Bruder, S. Kuhl, P. Willemsen, M.
Lappe, K. Hinrichs. (July 2011). “Natural Perspective
Projections for Head-Mounted Displays.” IEEE. (Journal
Article).
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=5
620907
[4] “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National Society
of
Professional
Engineers.
(Online
Article).
http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html
[5] “ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.”
Association for Computing Machinery. (Online Article).
http://www.acm.org/about/code-of-ethics
[6] J. Strickland. (February 2013). “How Virtual Reality
Military Applications Work.” Journal of Ambient
Intelligence and Humanized Computing. (Journal Article).
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12652-0110052-4
[7] “Virtual reality army training.” Virtual Reality. (Online
Article). http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-military/armytraining.html
[8] “Virtual Reality and Ethical Issues.” Virtual Reality.
(Online
Articles).
http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtualreality/ethical-issues.html
[9] (May 2012). “The Importance of Understanding
Engineering Ethics.” American Society of Civil Engineers.
(Online Article). http://www.asce.org/Ethics/A-Question-ofEthics/2012/May-2012/
[10] D. Johnson. (December 2010). “The role of ethics in
science and engineering.” Science Direct. (Journal Article).
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S01677799
10001393
[11] J. Summers. (December 3rd, 2010). “The Ethical
Promise and Challenge of Simulation-based Military
Training.” Capital Commentary. (Online Article).
http://www.capitalcommentary.org/technology/ethicalpromise-and-challenge-simulation-based-military-training
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my writing instructor, Keely
Bowers, who provided helpful instructions on how to write
the paper. I would also like to thank Beth Newborg for
explaining the assignment clearly. I would like to thank the
Pitt librarian who came into the classroom and showed us
the library website. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my
roommate Shayne for proofreading it for me.
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Ian Whiten
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