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Virtual reality

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A person using virtual reality gloves to interact with a virtual environment.

What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality, or VR, is a fun way to feel like you are in a different world. It uses special glasses called virtual reality headsets and tools to make you feel like you are inside a make-believe place. When you wear a VR headset, you can look around, move, and touch things that aren’t really there!

How Does It Work?

VR works by showing you special pictures and sounds that seem real. It can make you feel like you are flying, exploring a jungle, or even playing a game with friends who are far away. Some VR systems have rooms with many screens, and others use headsets that show different pictures for each eye. This helps your brain think you are really there.

Fun Uses of VR

People love using VR for many fun things. You can play exciting video games where you become part of the action. VR is also used in theme parks to create amazing rides and shows. Some schools use VR to help students explore places like space or the inside of a cell, making learning more exciting.

VR in Other Places

Besides fun, VR helps people learn and practice important skills. Doctors use VR to practice surgeries in a safe place before working on real patients. Pilots and astronauts also use VR to practice flying and exploring new places. Even musicians have given concerts in VR, letting fans enjoy shows from their homes!

Why Do We Love VR?

VR lets us imagine and explore new worlds without leaving our homes. It makes learning and playing more exciting and helps people practice important jobs. Even though it can sometimes make people feel a little dizzy, VR is a wonderful way to discover amazing new places and have fun!

Images

A person using a special treadmill at a virtual reality event.
An early virtual reality headset prototype from 1985, developed by NASA to test ways to display visual information for pilots and astronauts.
A special virtual reality room where engineers explore and learn about nuclear reactor designs.
An early prototype of the Oculus Rift Crescent Bay virtual reality headset.
People exploring virtual reality technology at the Mobile World Congress in 2018.
A virtual reality headset displayed at a gaming convention in Cologne, Germany.
A Samsung Gear VR headset, showing the device without its front cover or phone inserted.
A virtual reality flight training system for helicopters, showcasing advanced motion simulation technology.
A diagram showing how a person's field of view relates to the viewing area in virtual reality.

Related articles

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Virtual reality, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.