Virtual Reality
Virtual Reality (VR) refers to the technology that creates and places human into an artificial world that is similar but different from the real world.[1]
As a popular technology in the 21st century, virtual reality plays an important role in a wide variety of fields, including entertainment (VR games), social connections (remote meetings) and business(virtual offices). VR related technology includes augmented reality and mixed reality.[2]
Virtual Reality Technology can be classified into three general category based on the extent of human immersion: non-immersive VR, semi-immersive VR, and fully-immersive VR simulations. The non-immersive VR includes most 3D movie and games that portray a virtual world but the user does not enter the virtual world himself or herself. The semi-immersive VR indicates VR technology which provides an immersive virtual world for the user but the user is still somewhat exposed to the real world. The fully-immersive VR simulations refers to the VR technology that enables user to fully immerse in the artificial reality without direct visual contact to the real world.[3]
| Content |
|---|
| Definition and Etymology |
| History |
| Categories |
| Technology |
| Application |
| Challenges and ethics |
Definition and Etymology
The word 'virtual' can indicate a material created by computer technology and appearing to exist but not existing in the physical world.[4] The word 'reality' describe the state of things as they actually are. [5] Combining the meaning of the two words, 'virtual reality' refers to a set of images and sounds, produced by a computer, that seem to represent a place or a situation that a person can take part in.[6]
As a relative new terminology, the word 'virtual reality' is first used by Jaron Zepel Lanier, the founder of VPL Research, to refer the first business-grade hardware, which is invented by Jaron himself, that features the use of virtual reality systems.[7]
History
Because of the debating definition of virtual reality, the origin and related prototype of virtual reality is not set. [8]The following history description of virtual reality will only include the development of modern virtual reality that fully creates a virtual world with real-world applications.
1960s
In 1962, Morton Heilig created a multi-sensory simulator that was able to prerecorded film in color and stereo with the augmentation of wind, scent and sound to provide virtual experiences for users. Although this first virtual reality system was able to provide all features of a virtual world, the simulator is so primitive that it was unable to perform any interactive functions to users at all.[9]
In 1965, Ivan Sutherland put forward a ultimate concept of what a virtual reality would look like in the future: a machine that will provide interactive graphics, scent, smell, touch and all other feelings that was exactly the same as the real world feelings. Though Ivan did not use the word virtual reality, he depicted all the potential function for a modern virtual reality technology.
In 1968, Ivan Sutherland and his student Bob Sproull created the first virtual reality system realized in hardware instead of only in concept. This first virtual reality system creatively applied Head Mounted Display (HMD) technology to provide immersive simulation for the first time. Although the system shows drawback of over heaviness and inconvenience for the user, it provided some level of interactive functions than the simulator created by Morton Heilig. This first HMD system is named 'The Sword of Damocles' because of its weird appearance.[10]
1970s
In 1971, researchers at the University of North Carolina (UNC) successfully invented the first prototype of a force-feedback system. [11]
In 1977, David Em creatively applied the virtual simulator to the NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for astronomical usage, which was milestone in virtual reality applications.
- ↑ J. N. Latta and D. J. Oberg, "A conceptual virtual reality model," in IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 23-29, Jan. 1994, doi: 10.1109/38.250915.
- ↑ "Get Ready to Hear a Lot More About 'XR'". Wired. 1 May 2019. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ↑ Castronovo, Fadi, et al. "An evaluation of immersive virtual reality systems for design reviews." Proceedings of the 13th international conference on construction applications of virtual reality. Vol. 47. 2013.
- ↑ Cambridge Dictionary:https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/virtual
- ↑ Cambridge Dictionary:https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/reality
- ↑ Cambridge Dictionary: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/virtual-reality
- ↑ Sala, Nicoletta. "Virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality in education: A brief overview." Current and prospective applications of virtual reality in higher education (2021): 48-73.
- ↑ Matthew Schnipper. "Seeing is Believing: The State of Virtual Reality". The Verge. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
- ↑ Mazuryk, Tomasz, and Michael Gervautz. "Virtual reality-history, applications, technology and future." (1996).
- ↑ Druck, Aaron. "When will virtual reality become a reality." (2006).
- ↑ Mazuryk, Tomasz, and Michael Gervautz. "Virtual reality-history, applications, technology and future." (1996).
- ↑ Nelson, Ted (March 1982). "Report on Siggraph '81". Creative Computing.
