Table of ContentsAbstract…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iAcknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iiVirtual Reality..............................................................................................................................................2

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2

Virtual Reality History..................................................................................................................................5

The Technology of VR..................................................................................................................................6

How Virtual Reality Works...........................................................................................................................8

The Virtual Reality Environment..................................................................................................................9

Virtual Reality Interactivity........................................................................................................................10

Impact.......................................................................................................................................................12

Virtual Reality Applications........................................................................................................................13

Virtual Reality Challenges and Concerns...................................................................................................20

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................22

Appendix I………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………iii

Appendix II……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iv

References………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………v

Virtual Reality

Introduction

Virtual reality also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated

environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in

imaginary worlds. Most current virtual reality environments are primarily visual experiences,

displayed either on a computer screen but some simulations include additional sensory

information, such as sound through speakers or headphones. Some advanced systems now

include tactile information, generally known as force feedback, in medical and gaming

applications. Furthermore, virtual reality covers remote communication environments which

provide virtual presence of users with the concepts of telepresence and telexistence or a virtual

artifact (VA) either through the use of standard input devices such as a keyboard and mouse, or

through multimodal devices such as a wired glove, the Polhemus, and omnidirectional

treadmills. The simulated environment can be similar to the real world in order to create a

lifelike experience—for example, in simulations for pilot or combat training—or it can differ

significantly from reality, such as in VR games. In practice, it is currently very difficult to create

a high-fidelity virtual reality experience, due largely to technical limitations on processing

power, image resolution, and communication bandwidth; however, the technology's proponents

hope that such limitations will be overcome as processor, imaging, and data communication

technologies become more powerful and cost-effective over time.

Virtual reality is often used to describe a wide variety of applications commonly associated with

immersive, highly visual, 3D environments. The development of CAD software, graphics

hardware acceleration, head mounted displays, database gloves, and miniaturization have helped

popularize the notion. There are seven different concepts of virtual reality are identified:

simulation

Interaction

Artificiality

Immersion,

Telepresence,

Full-body immersion

Network Communication.

People often identify VR with head mounted displays and data suits.

Virtual reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user

in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. On a computer,

virtual reality is primarily experienced through two of the five senses:

Sight

Sound

The simplest form of virtual reality is a 3-D image that can be explored interactively at a

personal computer, usually by manipulating keys or the mouse so that the content of the image

moves in some direction or zooms in or out. More sophisticated efforts involve such approaches

as wrap-around display screens, actual rooms augmented with wearable computers, and haptics

devices that let you feel the display images.

Virtual reality can be divided into:

The simulation of a real environment for training and education.

The development of an imagined environment for a game or interactive story.

Popular products for creating virtual reality effects on personal computers include Bryce,

Extreme 3D, Ray Dream Studio, trueSpace, 3D Studio MAX, and Visual Reality. The Virtual

Reality Modelling Language (VRML) allows the creator to specify images and the rules for their

display and interaction using textual language statements.

Technological advancement in graphics and other human motion tracking hardware has

promoted pushing "virtual reality" closer to "reality" and thus usage of virtual reality has been

extended to various fields. The most typical fields for the application of virtual reality are

medicine and engineering. The reviews in this book describe the latest virtual reality-related

knowledge in these two fields such as: advanced human-computer interaction and virtual reality

technologies, evaluation tools for cognition and behavior, medical and surgical treatment,

neuroscience and neuro-rehabilitation, assistant tools for overcoming mental illnesses,

educational and industrial uses In addition, the considerations for virtual worlds in human society

are discussed. This book will serve as a state-of-the-art resource for researchers who are

interested in developing a beneficial technology for human society [5].

Virtual Reality HistoryThe concept of virtual reality has been around for decades, even though the public really only

became aware of it in the early 1990s. In the mid 1950s, a cinematographer named Morton

Heilig envisioned a theatre experience that would stimulate all his audiences’ senses, drawing

them in to the stories more effectively. He built a single user console in 1960 called the

Sensorama that included a stereoscopic display, fans, odor emitters, stereo speakers and a

moving chair. He also invented a head mounted television display designed to let a user watch

television in 3-D. Users were passive audiences for the films, but many of Heilig’s concepts

would find their way into the VR field.

Philco Corporation engineers developed the first HMD in 1961, called the Headsight. The

helmet included a video screen and tracking system, which the engineers linked to a closed

circuit camera system. They intended the HMD for use in dangerous situations -- a user could

observe a real environment remotely, adjusting the camera angle by turning his head. Bell

Laboratories used a similar HMD for helicopter pilots. They linked HMDs to infrared cameras

attached to the bottom of helicopters, which allowed pilots to have a clear field of view while

flying in the dark. [2].

In 1965, a computer scientist named Ivan Sutherland envisioned what he called the “Ultimate

Display.” Using this display, a person could look into a virtual world that would appear as real

as the physical world the user lived in. This vision guided almost all the developments within the

field of virtual reality. Sutherland’s concept included:

A virtual world that appears real to any observer, seen through an HMD and augmented

through three-dimensional sound and tactile stimuli

A computer that maintains the world model in real time

The ability for users to manipulate virtual objects in a realistic, intuitive way

It is a suspension system to hold the HMD, as it was far too heavy for a user to support

comfortably. The HMD could display images in stereo, giving the illusion of depth, and it could

also track the user’s head movements so that the field of view would change appropriately as the

user looked around.

The Technology of VR

The input and output points of contact define the human-computer interface. The study of user

interface is known by a variety of terms; e.g., human-computer interaction (HCI), human

factors,If an interface is defined as where two different worlds meet, it would appear that the

more dissimilar the two worlds the greater the need for a well-designed interface. Standard

graphical user interfaces, (GUIs), such as Windows and the Macintosh OS have evolved over

years of research and testing. These typically rely on a metaphor of a virtual desktop with files,

folders, a calculator, and a trash can. While it is doubtful that anyone who currently uses a

Windows or Macintosh operating system feels as though he is immersed in a virtual desktop,

operating systems of the future may attempt to do just that.

Interface tools used for interactive media include the keyboard, mouse, touch screen, and

joystick. For more advanced applications, such as VR, the technology becomes more

complicated. The hardware that makes immersive VR, as it is generally understood, possible

includes; 1) a head-mounted display (HMD) that presents a wide-angle stereoscopic visual

environment, 2) an audio system that provides three-dimensional sound, and, 3) a data glove

and/or body-suit and tracking device to gather input data from the user. Other options for input

devices include the wand and 3D mouse. At this level, the interface begins to change the nature

of user involvement. Sensory data gathered from and provided to the user creates an operating

environment that masks the underlying technology. According to John Walker, former CEO of

Auto Desk, VR is the ultimate in human-computer interaction and the conclusion to its historical

progression (cited in Chesher).

VR is principally about getting human data into and out of a computer with as little distortion as

possible. The most transparent, but still futuristic, approach is the one described by William

Gibson in his 1984 novel Neuromancer. In this cyberpunk novel, information cowboys "jack-in

to the Matrix" using a wet-wired neural implant to bypass the external sense organs altogether.

While this vision seems far from reality, retinal-scanning laser technology that can scan high-

resolution images directly onto the optic nerves is currently in development at the HIT Lab in

Seattle, Washington.

The development and increased capacity of computer processing technology has made computer-

generated imagery possible on a level necessary for true VR. Photorealistic texture-mapped 3-D

imagery that respond with minimal lag time to the users gaze or gestures has been possible for

only a short time, and affordable for an even shorter time. The computer chips necessary to

perform such feats becomes smaller, more reliable, and less expensive every year. At the same

time, 3-D audio systems have advanced to bring the same level of realism to the auditory

dimension.

The data glove is an input device that is worn on the hand and that allows the user to gesture,

point, motion, or even "pick up" virtual objects. Fiber optic sensors measure the position and flex

of the hand and supply this information to the computer. As with all VR hardware, early versions

of the devices were costly. VPL Research's DataGlove sold for approximately US $8000 in the

early 1990s. Interestingly, Mattel briefly offered a similar glove called the PowerGlove for its

NES game system. The price of the PowerGlove was only US $80.

Another sense that has been the target of VR research has been that of touch. Haptic interfaces

that provide information to the fingertips and other sensitive areas are used to give the user a

sense of the tactile qualities of the virtual world. Force feedback systems take this a step further

by providing realistic information about the behavior of the virtual device. For example, the

joystick used to fly a plane or the steering wheel used to direct a car should transmit information

back to the operator for a fully realistic experience. Motion platforms, used both by NASA and

by immersive amusement park VR rides, convey a sense of bodily motion with "carefully

calibrated movements, vibrations and jolts". [2]

How Virtual Reality Works

When we hear the word virtual reality (VR), we may imagine someone wearing a clunky helmet

attached to a computer with a thick cable. If this applies to you, you're likely a computer scientist

or engineer, many of whom now avoid the words virtual reality even while they work on

technologies most of us associate with VR. Today, you're more likely to hear someone use the

words virtual environment (VE) to refer to what the public knows as virtual reality. [4]

Naming discrepancies aside, the concept remains the same - using computer technology to create

a simulated, three-dimensional world that a user can manipulate and explore while feeling as if

he were in that world. Scientists, theorists and engineers have designed dozens of devices and

applications to achieve this goal. Opinions differ on what exactly constitutes a true VR

experience, but in general it should include:

Three-dimensional images that appear to be life-sized from the perspective of the user

The ability to track a user's motions, particularly his head and eye movements, and

correspondingly adjust the images on the user's display to reflect the change in

perspective

The Virtual Reality Environment

Other sensory output from the Virtual Environment System should adjust in real time as a user

explores the environment. If the environment incorporates 3-D sound, the user must be

convinced that the sound’s orientation shifts in a natural way as he maneuvers through the

environment. Sensory stimulation must be consistent if a user is to feel immersed within a

Virtual Environment. If the VE shows a perfectly still scene, you wouldn’t expect to feel gale-

force winds. Likewise, if the VE puts you in the middle of a hurricane, you wouldn’t expect to

feel a gentle breeze or detect the scent of roses. [10]

Lag time between when a user acts and when the virtual environment reflects that action is called

latency. Latency usually refers to the delay between the time a user turns his head or moves his

eyes and the change in the point of view, though the term can also be used for a lag in other

sensory outputs. Studies with flight simulators show that humans can detect a latency of more

than 50 milliseconds. When a user detects latency, it causes him to become aware of being in an

artificial environment and destroys the sense of immersion.

An immersive experience suffers if a user becomes aware of the real world around him. Truly

immersive experiences make the user forget his real surroundings, effectively causing the

computer to become a non entity. In order to reach the goal of true immersion, developers have

to come up with input methods that are more natural for users. As long as a user is aware of the

interaction device, he is not truly immersed.

Virtual Reality InteractivityImmersion within a virtual environment is one thing, but for a user to feel truly involved there

must also be an element of interaction. Early applications using the technology common in VE

systems today allowed the user to have a relatively passive experience. Users could watch a pre-

recorded film while wearing a head-mounted display (HMD). They would sit in a motion chair

and watch the film as the system subjected them to various stimuli, such as blowing air on them

to simulate wind. While users felt a sense of immersion, interactivity was limited to shifting their

point of view by looking around. Their path was pre-determined and unalterable. [8]

Today, we can find virtual roller coasters that use the same sort of technology. Disney Quest in

Orlando, Florida features Cyber Space Mountain, where patrons can design their own roller

coaster, then enter a simulator to ride their virtual creation. The system is very immersive, but

apart from the initial design phase there isn't any interaction, so it's not an example of a true

virtual environment.

Interactivity depends on many factors. The three of these factors are

Speed range mapping.

Speed is defined as the rate that a user's actions are incorporated into the computer model and

reflected in a way the user can perceive.

Range refers to how many possible outcomes could result from any particular user action.

Mapping is the system's ability to produce natural results in response to a user's actions.

Navigation within a virtual environment is one kind of interactivity. If a user can direct his own

movement within the environment, it can be called an interactive experience. Most virtual

environments include other forms of interaction, since users can easily become bored after just a

few minutes of exploration. When a virtual environment is interesting and engaging, users are

more willing to suspend disbelief and become immersed. [7]

True interactivity also includes being able to modify the environment. A good virtual

environment will respond to the user's actions in a way that makes sense, even if it only makes

sense within the realm of the virtual environment. If a virtual environment changes in outlandish

and unpredictable ways, it risks disrupting the user's sense of telepresence.

Impact

There has been an increase in interest in the potential social impact of new technologies, such as

virtual reality. Virtual reality will lead to a number of important changes in human life and

activity.

Virtual reality will be integrated into daily life and activity, and will be used in various

human ways.

Techniques will be developed to influence human behavior, interpersonal

communication, and cognition.

As we spend more and more time in virtual space, there will be a gradual "migration to

virtual space", resulting in important changes in economics, worldview, and culture.

The design of virtual environments may be used to extend basic human rights into virtual

space, to promote human freedom and well-being, and to promote social stability as we

move from one stage in socio-political development to the next.

Virtual Reality Applications

Some architects create virtual models of their building plans so that people can walk through the

structure before the foundation is even laid. Clients can move around exteriors and interiors and

ask questions, or even suggest alterations to the design. Virtual models can give you a much

more accurate idea of how moving through a building will feel than a miniature model.

Car companies have used VR technology to build virtual prototypes of new vehicles, testing

them thoroughly before producing a single physical part. Designers can make alterations without

having to scrap the entire model, as they often would with physical ones. [6] The development

process becomes more efficient and less expensive as a result.

Virtual environments are used in training programs for the military, the space program and even

medical students. The military have long been supporters of VR technology and development.

Training programs can include everything from vehicle simulations to squad combat. On the

whole, VR systems are much safer and, in the long run, less expensive than alternative training

methods. Soldiers who have gone through extensive VR training have proven to be as effective

as those who trained under traditional conditions.

In medicine, staff can use virtual environments to train in everything from surgical procedures to

diagnosing a patient. Surgeons have used virtual reality technology to not only train and educate,

but also to perform surgery remotely by using robotic devices. The first robotic surgery was

performed in 1998 at a hospital in Paris. The biggest challenge in using VR technology to

perform robotic surgery is latency, since any delay in such a delicate procedure can feel

unnatural to the surgeon. Such systems also need to provide finely-tuned sensory feedback to the

surgeon.

VR arcade games:

There are various available ranges of interactive virtual reality games including virtual

shoot ups or virtual reality combat (such as boxing), motor racing etc. We also have

available golf simulators allowing you to play a whole round or just a one or two

(depending on time constraints).

The image here describes that the person can assume himself to be sitting inside car with

a head mounted display and can drive the car and feel the pleasure of playing the game. [5]

Game pods:

The Game POD offers the ULTIMATE arcade driving experience in the comfort of your own home.

Designed in 1998, it is the original and still the best driving games console furniture on the

market today.

the Game POD can put all the controls at your fingertips.

Developed and tested in conjunction with professional race drivers the GamePOD games seat is

the Choice of Champions. So whether you want to be the next Lewis Hamilton, race against the

computer or race other drivers online around the world, the GamePOD race rig puts you in the

driving seat for a realistic real-life driving experience.

Some examples of Game pods are

GamePOD GT1 steering wheel game.

GamePOD GT2 racing game chair with genuine ‘FIA Approved’ race bucket seat

GamePOD GTX which is a fully wired gaming chair and comes complete with wheel, games

console and screen. The GamePOD offers you the ULTIMATE arcade driving experience in the

comfort of your own home. [8]

Virtual car: Car companies have used VR technology to build virtual prototypes of new

vehicles, testing them thoroughly before producing a single physical part. Designers can

make alterations without having to scrap the entire model, as they often would with

physical ones. The development process becomes more efficient and less expensive as a

result.

Flight-simulation system: Flight Simulator is another example of using virtual reality. It

uses headset and view tracking device for flight simulator for example Vuzix VR920 and

TrackIR.

Virtual surgery: Virtual surgery refers to a virtual reality simulation of surgical

procedures.Such simulations are used to practice often dangerous surgical procedures

without the need for an actual patient. The virtual reality simulation is used as an analog

for the actual surgery where doctors can practice on a virtual patient before performing

the surgery.Types of surgeries commonly simulated are laparoscopic surgery where the

surgeon cannot physically see the operation being performed. Virtual surgery uses a

computer screen displaying a 3-dimensional graphic of the organs being operated on.

Various surgical tools or gloves are connected to motion sensors and haptic or tactile

feedback mechanisms where the user can physically feel the difference in simulated

tissue and organs. The user can "perform surgery" upon the virtual organs by

manipulating the tools, which are also displayed on the screen as the user moves them,

and the tools also provide force-feedback and collision detection to indicate to the user

when they are pushing on or moving some organs or tissue. By inputting data from

computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans the patient

can be replicated in the virtual environment. The advantages of this type of simulation is

surgeons can practice operations multiple times without the use of cadavers or animals. [6]

Architectectural Walktrough: One of the most obvious application of Virtual Reality

was the so familiar architectural walkthrough. It isclosely compatible with what is

basicVirtual Reality system. That is, to let the user explore a 3D scene in real

time,showing exactly what this user wanted to see, on demand, without having previously

computed it.

The real-time aspect of such systems revealed to be very appreciated by the users as it

enabled them to show, in much more details and realism, their designs to others.

The communication power of these kinds of tools is a major point of interest that will surely

keep this application, one of the most used and successful one of Virtual Reality.

The illustrations in the image show typical scenes of architecture virtual reality systems.

Construction & maintenance of nuclear power plants: Ongoing research aims to

determine if virtual reality technology can be effectively used to reduce construction and

maintenance costs of the next generation of nuclear power plants. The tool provides the

designer of an intervention with a humanoid 3D model, or mannequin, that can be loaded

into the desired environment and will be used by the designer as if he was manipulating a

puppet, making it move around the environment and perform different kinds of actions,

adopting varied postures, interacting with the objects in the environment and

manipulating tools and equipment. A combination of a graphical user interface (GUI) and

a voice recognition system, together with the selected design mechanisms, has proven to

offer good enough interaction possibilities for this kind of desktop virtual environment.

Study and treatment of phobias (e.g., fear of height): Another medical use of VR

technology is psychological therapy. Dr. Barbara Rothbaum of Emory University and Dr.

Larry Hodges of the Georgia Institute of Technology pioneered the use of virtual

environments in treating people with phobias and other psychological conditions. They

use virtual environments as a form of exposure therapy, where a patient is exposed --

under controlled conditions -- to stimuli that cause him distress. The application has two

big advantages over real exposure therapy: it is much more convenient and patients are

more willing to try the therapy because they know it isn't the real world. [7]

Virtual Reality changes Real-Life Behavior : Cutting down a virtual redwood with a

virtual chainsaw may lead you to save trees by recycling more paper. That finding is an

example of how real-world behavior can be changed by immersing people in virtual

reality environments -- a notion that is at the heart of work under way in Stanford's

Virtual Human Interaction Lab.

Soldiers Get Virtual Reality Therapy for Burn Pain: Produced by Joyce Gramza

Edited by James Eagan It's pain you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, lets alone our

veterans. But now soldiers enduring treatment for severe burns are being offered a high-

tech way of fighting the pain. University of Washington researcher Hunter Hoffman has

developed a cool virtual reality game that has actually been shown to make the

excruciating rehabilitation fun.

Virtual Reality Challenges and Concerns

The big challenges in the field of virtual reality are developing better tracking systems, finding

more natural ways to allow users to interact within a virtual environment and decreasing the time

it takes to build virtual spaces. While there are a few tracking system companies that have been

around since the earliest days of virtual reality, most companies are small and don’t last very

long. Likewise, there aren’t many companies that are working on input devices specifically for

VR applications. Most VR developers have to rely on and adapt technology originally meant for

another discipline, and they have to hope that the company producing the technology stays in

business. As for creating virtual worlds, it can take a long time to create a convincing virtual

environment - the more realistic the environment, the longer it takes to make it. It could take a

team of programmers more than a year to duplicate a real room accurately in virtual space.

Another challenge for VE system developers is creating a system that avoids bad ergonomics.

Many systems rely on hardware that encumbers a user or limits his options through physical

tethers. Without well-designed hardware, a user could have trouble with his sense of balance or

inertia with a decrease in the sense of telepresence, or he could experience cybersickness, with

symptoms that can include disorientation and nausea. Not all users seem to be at risk for

cybersickness -- some people can explore a virtual environment for hours with no ill effects,

while others may feel queasy after just a few minutes. [9]

Some psychologists are concerned that immersion in virtual environments could psychologically

affect a user. They suggest that VE systems that place a user in violent situations, particularly as

the perpetuator of violence, could result in the user becoming desensitized. In effect, there’s a

fear that VE entertainment systems could breed a generation of sociopaths. Others aren’t as

worried about desensitization, but do warn that convincing VE experiences could lead to a kind

of cyber addiction. There have been several news stories of gamers neglecting their real lives for

their online, in-game presence. Engaging virtual environments could potentially be more

addictive.

Another emerging concern involves criminal acts. In the virtual world, defining acts such as

murder or sex crimes has been problematic. At what point can authorities charge a person with a

real crime for actions within a virtual environment? Studies indicate that people can have real

physical and emotional reactions to stimuli within a virtual environment, and so it’s quite

possible that a victim of a virtual attack could feel real emotional trauma. Can the attacker be

punished for causing real-life distress? We don’t yet have answers to these questions.

Conclusion

The concept of VR has captured the imaginations of people from a diverse spectrum of modern

culture. Diverse cultures ranging from cyberpunk to the military collaborated in bringing VR to

life. Still, we have already entered the realm of virtual reality. In some aspects, although not in

all, virtual environments are already as good as real ones. True virtual reality may not be

attainable with any technology we create. The Holodeck may forever remain fiction.

Nonetheless, virtual reality serves as the Holy Grail of the research".As VR has both good and

bad aspects, so we must pay attention to the overuse of the technology.

One aspect that is predominant in each of these application is the fact that they all try to enhance

a system that is already successful in its own area of expertise. The use of Virtual Reality is

successful when it brings something new, when it adds value to the whole experience while

maintaining the viability and usefulness of a product. These are all, in fact, general

recommendations that are valid for VR systems as well as any other type of systems.

For a VR application to be successful, it must add content to the information presented to the

user. Too often, we see poor Virtual Reality application that were designed only to visually

impress the user with colorful images and animations. Most of the time, these systems have a

short life because they were not really thought to facilitate resolving a particularly difficult task,

but more to showcase a "cool" technology.

Appendix I

Abbreviations

VR virtual reality

VE virtual environment

GUI graphical user interface

VRML virtual reality modeling language

HMD head mounted display

CT computerized tomography

Appendix II

Definitions

HMD: It is a display device , worn on the head or as a part of the helmet, that has a small

display optic in front of the eye.

VE: It is a computer generated, three dimensional representation of a setting in which the user

of the technology perceives themselves to be and within which interaction takes place.

Telepresence: It refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were

present , to give the appearance of being present at a place other than their true location.

References

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[3]. Biocca, Frank. (1992b). Virtual reality technology: A tutorial. Journal of Communication.

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[4]. Bolter, J. D. (1996). Virtual reality and the redefinition of self. In L. Strate, R. Jacobson, and

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[5]. http://faculty.colostate-pueblo.edu/samuel.ebersole/336/eim/papers/vrhist.html.

[6]. http://www.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/virtual-reality7.html.

[7]. http://vresources.org/applications/applications.shtml.

[8]. http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/01/17/exergaming-brain-virtual-reality.html.

[9]. http://searchcio-midmarket.techtarget.com/definition/virtual-reality.

[10]. http://www.virtualrealitytherapy.net/