A Comprehensive Overview of Virtual Reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated reality created by computers, allowing users to experience beyond just looking at screens. The present study provides an overview of VR and its types, instruments employed in developing VR, different areas of application, potential, and side effects. The VR technology has been changing lives worldwide in various ways, with benefits like simulation settings for training and security, and drawbacks including physiological and mental issues.

Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated reality created by the use of computers. According to
researchers, it is a way to eradicate the difference between user and machines. It allows the user
to experience beyond just looking at screens. The present study provides an overview of virtual
reality and their types. The various instruments employed in developing such VR is described.
The different area of application of VR has been described along with its potential. The VR also
have some side effects which are hard to be controlled and needs proper training and
management. Therefore different challenges faced by the VR technology has been detailed in
brief.
Introduction
Virtual reality is allowing a person to experience the virtual objects that don't exist in reality. VR
is not an old innovation and has changed the lives in a couple of years. The idea of VR was
presented by sci-fi journalists and researchers a long time back, however, is currently turning
into a drifting innovation around the world. Furthermore, since apparently, VR will starting now
and into the foreseeable future be a certain piece of the world, it is imperative to examine the
routes in which it will influence humanity. A lot of media intrigue has developed yet only a few
of the geeks know basic standards and open issues about VR. Jaron Lanier initially coined the
term Virtual Reality in 1989. VR can be fully immersive, non- immersive collaborative, web-
based or augmented. The projection in the VR is the mathematical model, and the extension of
field view is done by coupling stereoscopic displays which let the feeling of being at those
places. VR allows the use of both 3D sound and images along with the force feedback and smell

detection. VR finds its applications in various areas like human health, medicines, flight
simulations, etc.

Description
It is typical that technological advancements are changing our world now and then. It has been
observed that within 20 years the technological marvels have changed the daily routines of living
on the planet. Some of the technical advances are beyond our extent of perception, and we are
unable to comprehend and understand them correctly regarding our thinking, feeling, living and
actions.
One such technical advancements in new communication technology are virtual reality (VR). It
is a type of framework that empowers single or numerous clients to move and respond to a
computer recreated setting. It contains different gadgets, which permit consumers to detect and
control virtual items in a similar way that they are real things. VR's characteristic style is the
interaction in a manner that lets members being overwhelmed and totally immersed in the
mimicked world. The virtual universes in which members are inundated are constructed through
computational models (Luck and Ruth, 2000). There are three types of virtual realities; one is by
employing earphones, helmet, and a special gloves pair or joysticks which are managed by
computer systems and surrounded by exceptional sound and graphics. The second one is by the
use video cameras, in which cameras trace the image of the user in an artificial setting, the user
has the rights of moving the objects in such simulated worlds. The third one is developed by the
use of 3dimensional imaging technique and screen is curved in shape. The figure 1 shows total
unique users from 2009 to 2013

Figure 1: Active Virtual Reality Users (Source: KZero)
As a technical innovation, VR has influenced many lives worldwide in various ways. Three-
dimensional representation of reality allows various changes for trying great skills that some way
or another could simply cause incredible dangers where VR would be a potential alternative. VR
can altogether change the way individuals communicate through the internet developing different
immersive and practical experience entirely. As an example, Facebook integrated Oculus
innovation for 360-degree review of pictures which is just a start (Figure 1). VR is beneficial for
the people having certain disabilities to experience what they are denied of i.e. strolling, running,
investigating the world and voyaging, etc., so its incentive in these terms was difficult to belittle.

Figure 1: Oculus Rift Virtual Reality
The benefits of Virtual Reality
A viable VR develops a setting having advantages regarding training and security. VR asks the
participation of the user in concept development, problem-solving and creative expression, in a
domain that is more secure as compared to the real world (Osberg, 1993). VR can use or can be
useful in some fields like training, surgery, military, promotion and tourism.
The computers can imitate circumstances and conditions which can’t be there in the real world as
an example the visual effects we observe in the motion pictures like Harry Potter series or Avatar
along with the real life settings. In this way, VR can be utilized to empower individuals to
perform activities without influencing their present reality, including different practices and
training. For example, one can train to fly fighter jets in the simulated settings without risking
their life and squandering expensive fuel and become a future pilot. In another example,
astronauts can practice how to deal with different difficulties during their stay at outer space

environment by using computer simulation. It can be used to teach students as a medical student
how to perform successful surgery without risking anyone’s life. Such significant advantages
make the VR a successful technological advance that would enable better and cost effective
understanding of real world problems and gear up the people in dealing such situation in a better
way.
Gaming and motion picture ventures will profit by VR innovation enormously, inviting many
new clients every year developing more connections and exciting simulation-based products
targeting more customer’s to make these enterprises more profitable.
Similarly, VR can be an extraordinary in assisting and alleviating individuals with limited
capacities, like who are entirely or partially disabled. These people have limited experiences of
real life and are located to one or two places. The VR technology would help these people to feel
and explore the world around them in a way that they are not disabled anymore (Engadget). VR
permits impossible things like teleportation or flying like Superman, etc.
VR has been applied to various fields like surface modeling. It has its benefits like simulation
settings for users to see and feel the surface under his/her hand. The studies are conducted at
laboratory level only, but it is believed that these outcomes are possible to be attained at an
industrial level such the development or change in automobile types or aircraft influenced by the
virtual wind tunnel.
Challenges faced by Virtual reality
VR technology faces number of challenges like motion sickness and others related to technical
glitches. The most common symptoms associated with the use of VR is nausea, headache,
vomiting, sweating, stomach ache etc. The end user can become totally disoriented in a purely

virtual environment and may face issues associated with balance. Also, sometimes simulations
can get affected by computer latency which could develop a bad end user experience. If we look
at VR technology, its visual aspect is near to perfection but what needs to be improved is 3D
audio, body tracking, haptic and inputs.
Drawbacks of Virtual Reality
Like whatever other innovation made by man, VR also has both adverse and beneficial outcomes
as seen with other human-made changes. There are certain physiological issues associated with
the use of VR along with the mental issues, like, brainwashing, obsession, impacts of interactive
pornography or crimes, and desensitization or depreciating from the real world. A few pundits
have significant reasons to worry regarding VR is that it could become too large to form an
uncontrollable part of human lives and people may use it often to escape from reality.
Conclusion
Virtual Reality is one of the best technological advancement seen in the recent years that have
managed to affect the lives of average human. The innovation has developed through the
development of various technology like Oculus that provides the 360 degrees view of pictures.
The software development and advances in the real feel simulation from the computer programs
have made such innovation a real winner. Such programs have edges in training and providing
practice to the students or pilots to achieve better learning. It can be used for training programs in
the military or the promotion and tourism purposes. The addiction and obsession could become
apparent with such technology.

References
Evans, Clare. “How Will Virtual Reality Change Our Lives?” Engadget. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept.
2016.
Luck, Michael, and Ruth Aylett. "Applying artificial intelligence to virtual reality: Intelligent
virtual environments." Applied Artificial Intelligence 14.1 (2000): 3-32.
Osberg, Kimberley M. "Virtual reality and education: A look at both sides of the sword." Seattle,
WA: Human Interface Technology Laboratory Technical Report (1993).
Schmidt, Cory. “Here’s How VR Could Change Our Social Lives.” AndroidPIT. N.p., n.d. Web.
20 Sept. 2016.