Virtual Reality refers to real-space and stereoscopic views/images projected into a viewer’s field of view, whereby the images are generated by a realistic 3-D computer model and then displayed optically using a VR headset or VR glasses, or projected either into the physical environment, or onto the retina of a human user.
History and Functions of Virtual Reality
During the 1990s, the term Virtual Reality (VR) became a popular way to describe any computer-generated environment in which the user felt (or believed) that he/she had been transported into another realm or digital world that was (in some sense) entirely separate from his/her real-world body.
Put simply, the computer-simulated presence inside a false, imaginary, magical, or multi-dimensional reality. Because VR-Systems often use stereoscopic headsets and three-dimensional graphics; the term has come to be associated with 3-D simulations; or Virtual Reality Perspective(s).
VR optically immerses a person into the virtual world, and some people have claimed that VR constitutes a new form of human experience; a form that is as important as film, theatre, and literature etc. It is a technology that can be applied to every type of human activity and be used to mediate in every human transaction (possibly). By totally perspectively immersing the consumer into the illustration itself, combined with the nonlinear, free-association format of hypertexts; VR offers a conjoining of mind, body, and physical/digital realities.
Questions Rasied By Virtual Reality
Many questions are raised by VR. What is the status of the Virtual Reality perspective experience? Does it represent a pull away from, or else towards, the real world? Are VR simulations more or less real than our ordinary experiences? What is the nature of the beholder’s share in viewing spatial reality; and is anything truly real. Is the virtual a mere hollow reflection of the world, or does it magnify/enhance spatial reality and allow us to perceive more of the world?
Taken together with all these transformations, we notice that VR is a potentiality to see reality anew, to don a set of psychedelic ‘glasses’. Virtual Reality perspective transforms personal reality. But the transformation is by no means obvious, specific, or singular. A VR simulator must be able to manipulate the senses, overriding their normal functions; so that we can experience an environment partially or entirely different from the one that we are actually located in.
VR allows us to see how everything fits together to form (potentially) one universe/human-reality. It may provide views into the world as it exists at the molecular scale, or on the vast scale of colliding galaxies (for example); and/or give us x-ray glasses from which to see inside the human body, etc. When immersed ‘inside’ complex scientific models, the user gains an appreciation of previously unnoticed facts and/or may solve problems that were too intricate or obscure to solve normally.
Ultimately,VR may become an all-embracing mixture of Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR). Mixed-Reality is when the virtual is blended with the real almost imperceptibly; where information-views and are ever present/available; to everyone and by/from everyone. Perhaps no headsets will be required, for brain/body-implants, wearables, and projected scenes may follow us everywhere we go (by new perspective methods/systems).
Virtual Reality Camera
Within a Virtual Reality or 3-D gaming world, an expansive digital 3-D model, or a VR photography environment (ref. virtual-reality photography), a virtual reality camera is the interactive viewing of panoramic spaces/scenes, often encompassing a 360-degree view or a spherical view.
Virtual Reality Headset
A head-mounted device with 3-D displays and positional tracking provides a virtual reality environment, commonly used in video games and simulations. VR headsets feature stereoscopic displays, stereo sound, and sensors for head pose tracking.
Spatial Reality
Another way of characterising optical perspective <IMAGING CLASS> is to say that it works to form images of a spatial reality, being one of four different kinds:
- Physical Reality: the so-called physical world or actual reality that comprises the physical universe.
- Mathematical Reality: the modelled world or a mathematical abstraction of physical reality.
- Artificial Reality: a human-made representation of a physical, mathematical, or imaginary reality; examples include drawings, paintings, photographs, movies, computer models/ graphics, and Virtual Reality systems.
- Imaginary Reality: a spatial reality in the human mind.
An optical reality is (potentially) composed of one or more images of a spatial reality—each typically seen from a single viewpoint, whereby said images can (potentially) be used to infer information about the nature of spatial reality contained 3-D forms. Unfortunately, there is no universal way to unambiguously identify the structure of said 3-D forms (the equivalence problem); and we must resort to contextual factors. One such method is linear perspective, which allows encoding/decoding of an optical reality using known metric grid(s) to map/ represent/comprehend a spatial reality.
Spatial Augmented Reality
Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) enhances the physical environment by projecting digital information directly onto surfaces or objects, rather than using hand-held screens or head- mounted displays. This creates shared, interactive experiences where virtual elements seamlessly blend with the real world, often used in mapping, industrial design, and exhibitions.
Multi-Directional Perspective
Multi-directional perspective is any perspective image/view in which the spatial scene is captured, projected, or viewed, from multiple optical lines-of-sight, aspects, angle(s)-of-vision, or viewing direction(s); whereby each view is taken from the same, or else a different station point, but is viewed along a different line-of-sight. The resultant multi-view perspective is (often) combined into a single image space and projected (for example) onto the internal or external surface of a sphere (sphere of vision – looking-around; or sphere of revolution – looking-at perspective), and so the main type is spherical perspective (sphere of vision or sphere of revolution).
Another type of unlimited viewpoint perspective is Virtual Reality, in which the user is free to adopt any station point and viewing angle whatsoever within the image space. Several types of multi-directional perspective are possible, including viewpoints separated in time or combined motion viewpoints, as in Cinema or a CAD system. It is also important to realise that we can classify multi-directional and multi-view perspectives into two types: first, multi-view perspectives of the overall scene or a perspective panorama; and second, multi-view perspectives of individual objects within the scene (see multi-view types A and B).
Mono-scopic and Sterescopic Virtual Reality
Mono-stereoscopic refers to the difference between monoscopic and stereoscopic virtual reality (VR). Monoscopic VR uses one image for both eyes, while stereoscopic VR uses two images, one for each eye.
Monoscopic VR
- Simplicity: Monoscopic VR is simple and accessible.
- Cost: Monoscopic VR is cheaper than stereoscopic VR because it requires fewer cameras and equipment.
- Flexibility: Monoscopic VR can be experienced on a phone or headset.
- Depth: Monoscopic images convey no sense of binocular depth.
Stereoscopic VR
- Immersion: Stereoscopic VR provides a more immersive experience with realistic binocular depth perception.
- Depth information: Stereoscopic VR uses two lenses to capture similar information from slightly different angles. This allows the brain to calculate depth using binocular vision.
- Cybersickness: Stereoscopic VR may increase the chances of cybersickness.
Mixed Perspective
A combination of image and projection perspective types, in particular a physical interaction between them, includes a cinema projector, hologram and a Virtual Reality system, in which a projector produces an image in the real world environment.
Consider that a perspective image <IMAGING CLASS> is projected backward from a physical reality onto a picture plane, which is an example of imaging perspective. However, this same physical reality typically contains one or more light sources – of the natural and artificial types – which produce a variety of optical lighting and shading effects; whereby often visible light-beams and shadows are cast onto various spatial objects, surfaces, and structures within the environment: each being an example of <projection perspective>.
Ergo, what at first you think of as an example of imaging perspective is comprised of, and contains, many examples of projection perspective!
Immersive Display
An immersive display works by merging the physical world with a film-based, digital, or simulated reality.
One example is Virtual/Augmented Reality, which provides stereoscopic exploration of unlimited-angle representations of spatial forms, and others are spherical, and volume displays that place the viewer ‘inside’ the image by one method or another, or that allow the viewer to obtain multi-angular views of uni-angular or multi-angular spatial objects/scenes. Lenticular, light-field, physical-screen 3-D displays, rotating-display holograms, and real-space 3- D displays are other types of immersive displays.
Head Mounted Display
A display device, worn on the head or as part of a helmet, headset, or glasses, that has a small display optic in front of one (monocular HMD) or each eye (binocular HMD).
HMDs have many applications, including gaming, aviation, engineering, and medicine. Virtual Reality headsets are a type of HMD that track 3-D position and rotation to provide a virtual environment to the user. Three degrees of freedom or 3-DOF VR headsets typically use an Inertial Measurement Unit IMU for tracking position/rotation, etc. A six degrees of freedom or 6DOF VR headset typically uses sensor fusion from multiple data sources, including at least one IMU. A related term is optical head-mounted display (OHMD), a wearable display that reflects projected images and allows a user to see through it.
Digital Metaverse
The digital metaverse refers to virtual worlds where users are represented by avatars and interact with one another in 3-D.
The term metaverse originated in the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash as a portmanteau of “meta” and “universe”, and is a single/universal Internet that is available as an immersive virtual world. Ergo, the metaverse is linked to virtual reality (VR) systems and augmented reality (AR) headsets and/or immersive screens, etc.
Digital Multiverse
Refers to the rise of simulation, Virtual Reality, and Virtual Worlds, whereby a new digital multiverse emerges in competition with the traditional physical universe. Henceforth, the real and the simulated; the physical and the imaginary; which were once clearly separated, are now being deliberately superimposed, mixed, confused, and melded to the extent that the two worlds are integrated in our everyday experience.
Shared Virtual Space
A shared virtual space is a digital environment where users can interact in real time, regardless of their physical location. This is made possible by virtual reality (VR) technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
Characteristics
- Users can interact with each other in real time
- Users can see and hear the same thing in the same position
- Users can point or look at an object and both know what they are looking at
- Users can appear as avatars of any form
- Users can move around by foot or vehicle
Examples
- Virtual meeting rooms: Users can collaborate and share knowledge in a virtual space
- Shared workspaces: Users can work together on projects and exchange ideas
- Online gaming environments: Users can compete in virtual worlds
Benefits
- Users can foster teamwork, knowledge sharing, and socialisation •
- Users can eliminate geographical boundaries
- Users can interact with each other in a more immersive way
Future
- AI and spatial computing technologies make virtual environments more realistic and responsive
- Virtual experiences could become more common for education, entertainment, advertising, sales, and customer engagement
Telepresence
Telepresence is a technology that allows users to feel like they are physically present in a remote location. It uses video, sound, and touch to create a sense of being in another place.
How it works
- Video and microphones: Telepresence uses video cameras and microphones to transmit the user’s senses to the remote location.
- Telerobotics: Can involve using robots to perform actions in a remote location.
Applications
- Remote control: Can be used to remotely control machines, such as robots.
- Minimally invasive surgery: Can be used to perform minimally invasive surgeries remotely.
- Hazardous environments: Can be used to explore hazardous environments.
- Business travel: Telepresence could reduce the number of business-related trips, which could help the environment.
Related terms
- Telepresence is also known as virtual presence (ref. Virtual Reality).
Transportive Virtual Reality
Transportive Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of VR to: A) simulate transportation systems, including driving, logistics, and maintenance; or B) to seemingly transport a person to another virtual place for entertainment or communication purposes.
Applications
- Advanced manufacturing: VR can be used as an aid to advanced manufacturing.
- Driving simulations: Can be used to simulate driving conditions and road user behaviour. This helps road authorities improve their response to incidents and educate road users.
- Remote diagnostics: VR can be used to troubleshoot and diagnose problems with equipment remotely. Technicians can interact with a virtual model of the equipment to test solutions.
- Warehouse planning: VR can be used to visualise a warehouse and plan the layout of traffic routes and loading of vehicles.
- Training: VR can be used to train people for various roles in transportation, such as operating a control room.
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