Virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that uses special equipment like 3D head-mounted displays and pose tracking to make users feel like they are inside a different world. People can use VR for fun, like playing video games, or for important learning, such as training doctors, safety workers, or the military. It’s also used in businesses for things like virtual meetings.

Right now, most VR systems use either virtual reality headsets or rooms with many screens to create realistic images, sounds, and feelings. When someone wears a VR headset, they can look around, move, and interact with objects in the make-believe world.

VR is a big part of what experts call the reality-virtuality continuum. This means it’s different from other technologies like augmented virtuality and augmented reality. VR works with auditory and video feedback and sometimes uses haptic technology to give users more sensations.

Etymology

The word "virtual" means something that seems real but isn't actually there. People have used this idea since the 1400s. In 1938, a French writer named Antonin Artaud used the phrase "la réalité virtuelle," which means "virtual reality." The term "virtual reality" became well-known in the 1980s, thanks to Jaron Lanier and the film Lawnmower Man.

Forms and methods

Further information: Immersion (virtual reality) and Reality–virtuality continuum

Virtual reality can be made in different ways. One way is through simulation-based virtual reality, like driving simulators. These make you feel like you are driving by showing what happens when you use the controls and adding matching sounds and movements.

Another way is avatar image-based virtual reality. People can join a virtual world as a character or use a video of themselves.

Head-mounted displays, such as virtual reality headsets, fully involve users. They show separate pictures for each eye, add sound, and follow head movements. These headsets often have special controls for use in the virtual world. Augmented reality mixes digital things with the real world by adding extra pictures to what you see. Mixed reality brings together real and virtual worlds to make new places where both can work together.

History

The idea of virtual reality began with early art and inventions. In the 1950s, Morton Heilig imagined a place called the "Experience Theatre" that could use all your senses. He made a device called the Sensorama in 1962 to test this idea.

In 1968, Ivan Sutherland made one of the first head-mounted displays, called The Sword of Damocles. It was a simple way to show computer pictures in 3D.

From the 1970s to the 1990s, virtual reality was mostly used for training doctors, flying planes, designing cars, and helping the military practice. Artists and scientists kept making new virtual worlds, like the Aspen Movie Map.

The words "virtual reality" became well-known in the late 1980s, thanks to Jaron Lanier. He started a company and made early VR devices. In the 1990s, the first VR headsets for everyday people started to appear, like Sega's VR headset and Virtuality's arcade system.

In the 2000s, interest in VR grew slowly. But around 2010, new headsets like the Oculus Rift started to change things. Big companies like Facebook, Google, and Sony began making their own VR products. Today, VR is used in many ways, from games to training pilots and astronauts.

Technology

See also: Immersive technology

See also: List of virtual reality headsets

Modern virtual reality headsets use parts from smartphones, like gyroscopes and motion sensors, to follow your head and hand movements. They have small HD screens that show two different pictures, one for each eye, to make the world look real. These parts have helped make VR cheaper, leading to projects like the 2012 Oculus Rift.

VR also uses special cameras called omnidirectional cameras to catch scenes from every angle. These can record 360 interactive photography and 360 video. To make virtual worlds feel real, VR needs special displays like headsets and special tools like motion controllers and optical tracking sensors. Some VR systems even use wired gloves or omnidirectional treadmills to let users feel and move in the virtual world.

Visual immersion experience

Virtual reality makes you feel like you are in a different world. It uses special displays and tracking systems to do this. These displays need to have high resolution so things look clear and real. The distance between tiny dots on the screen, called pixels, is important. If the pixels are too close together, our eyes can’t see them separately, so the image looks smooth.

Another important part is how fast the screen updates, called the refresh rate. Faster updates make the experience feel more real because there is less delay between when you move and what you see on the screen. But faster screens need more powerful computers to work well. Finally, how much of the virtual world you can see — called the field of view — also affects how much you feel part of the world. Our eyes can see a wide area, and good VR systems try to match that width to make the experience feel complete.

Main article: Field of view

Applications

Virtual reality is most often used for fun, like in video games, 3D cinema, and social virtual worlds. It is also popular in theme parks and amusement rides, where it makes stories and games more exciting.

Besides entertainment, virtual reality helps with learning and training. It lets people practice skills safely, such as in medical training or learning to use machines. Schools and universities use it to study subjects like anatomy or geography in a hands-on way. Virtual reality can also help people face their fears or anxiety with special therapy programs.

Medical uses of VR

Virtual reality (VR) is a helpful tool for medical training. It lets doctors and students practice surgeries in a safe place before working on real patients. For example, research shows that VR training helps doctors improve their skills and do surgeries faster.

VR simulations, like LapSim, let surgeons practice important skills. These simulations feel real and help surgeons learn without putting patients at risk. New studies show that VR and Augmented Reality (AR) can help surgeons see medical images, like CT scans, while focusing on the patient. This technology gives custom practice and helps track how well a surgeon is doing. But, there are still challenges to make these tools better and more affordable.

Concerts

Many famous musicians have performed concerts in virtual reality for fans around the world. In 2020, Jean Michel Jarre gave a concert in VRChat. Later that year, a new platform called FutureStages was created for virtual events. Popular artists like Justin Bieber, Foo Fighters, and Post Malone have also held concerts that fans could enjoy from their homes using virtual reality.

Other musicians such as Billie Eilish and Imagine Dragons have performed in virtual spaces too. These virtual concerts let fans watch performances together in a special online world.

Concerns and challenges

Virtual reality (VR) can sometimes cause health and safety problems. Users might feel sick, get headaches, or have eye strain, especially after using VR for a long time. This happens because the brain gets mixed signals from what the eyes see and what the body feels. Some people might also trip or bump into things because VR headsets can block out the real world. Because of these risks, it is advised that children should not use VR headsets.

There are also privacy concerns with VR. Because VR systems track a user’s movements and reactions, they can collect a lot of personal data. This information could be used for marketing or even shared without the user’s permission. Companies are working to protect this data, but it is still a challenge, especially with VR being used around the world.