ABSTRACT
Virtual reality (VR) is the term commonly used to describe a novel human-computer interface that enables users to interact with computers in a radically different way. VR consists of a computer-generated, multi-dimensional environment and interface tools that allow users to:
1. Immerse themselves in the environment 2. Navigate within the environment 3. Interact with objects and other inhabitants in the environment
The experience of entering this environment — this computer-generated virtual world — is compelling. To enter, the user usually dons a helmet containing a head-mounted display (HMD) that incorporates a sensor to track the wearer’s movement and location. The user may also wear sensor-clad clothing that likewise tracks movement and location. The sensors communicate position and location data to a computer, which updates the image of the virtual world accordingly. By employing this garb, the user “breaks through”the computer screen and becomes completely immersed in this multi-dimensional world. Thus immersed, one can walk through a virtual house, drive a virtual car, or run a marathon in a park still
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under design. Recent advances in computer processor speed and graphics make it possible for even desktop computers to create highly realistic environments. The practical applications are far reaching. Today, using VR, architects design office buildings, NASA controls robots at remote locations, and physicians plan and practice difficult operations.
