The first experiment CUSAC will perform is the simplest. It will probe the role of the observer. It is composed of nothing more than the classical double slit experiment using electrons as the particle.
Introduction:
It is assumed that any virtual reality (VR) exists for some purpose, and that this purpose is served by providing its “players” with a virtual environment in which to interact.
In a multiplayer VR, each player receives a data-stream from the computer defining the current state of the observed VR including the choices of interactive players.
Because it is an interactive VR, the players must also send data to the computer describing their present choices.
Because this VR must be computed by and within a finite system, the calculation should be rendered to each player as efficiently and parsimoniously as possible.
If optimally parsimonious, then the data generated to produce the VR will be computed only at the moment that information is required by a “player”.
Thus, the VR and all its interaction exist only in the minds of the players — thus defining the critical role of the observer (player) within the VR. Until information is processed by one or more players defining a change in the VR, that change cannot be actualized in the VR.
(The following experiment setup diagrams, are used only to illustrate the concepts, not to define the actual physical setup.)
This experiment is so simple, it must have been done, at least informally, many times but we cannot find it clearly and directly represented in the literature. To resolve long standing and deeply held arguments, this experiment needs to be done, if for pedagogical reasons only.
In this, and the remaining experiments,
- BD represents a binary distribution.
- DPD represents a diffraction pattern distribution.
- PPD represents a particle distribution.
- DPD and PPD represent particle impact patterns found on the result screen.
- PPD1 and PPD2 represent particle pattern distributions for slit 1 and 2 respectively.
- SVD represents a single value distribution.
- R represents a data recorder.
- D represents a detector.
Probability distributions that represent the particle generator are:
- PΔt-pg = probability distribution of the time between consecutive “particles” and
- Pvel = probability distribution of the velocity of material particles.