B.

TECH (COMP) 4TH SEM

ROLL NO. - 14BCS0036
JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA

VIRTUAL REALITY

INTRODUCTION
While pressing the keys of keyboard or keypad to convert the lost games to
last moment victories the chances are that the person has encountered
the virtual reality. These games involve with the characters or objects and
with the amplification of the involvement, one feels a part of this virtual
world. By using 3D imagery with a head mounted device (HMD) and high
quality surrounding sound equipments, these games creates more
involvement in the virtual world and consequently shut down the cues of real
world. This is virtual reality, which has applications far beyond gaming.

DEFINITION
The definition of virtual reality comes, naturally, from the definitions for both
virtual and reality. The definition of virtual is near and reality is what we
experience as human beings. So the term virtual reality basically means
near-reality. This could, of course, mean anything but it usually refers to a
specific type of reality emulation.
Virtual reality (VR) also referred to as immersive
multimedia or computer-simulated reality is an artificial environment
that is created and presented to the user in such a way that the user
suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. The user becomes part
of this virtual world or is immersed within this environment and in there, able
to manipulate objects or perform a series of actions.
Virtual Reality replicates an environment that simulates a physical
presence in places in the real world or an imagined world, allowing the user
to interact with that world. Virtual realities artificially create sensory
experience, which can include sight, hearing, touch and smell, of which the
former two of these are primarily experienced. VR provides a different way
to see and experience information, one that is dynamic and immediate.

VR ENVIRONMENT
In a virtual reality environment, a user experiences immersion, or the
feeling of being inside and a part of that world. He is also able

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to interact with his environment in meaningful ways. The combination of a

sense of immersion and interactivity is
called telepresence.
Computer scientist Jonathan Steuer defined it as
the extent to which one feels present in the
mediated environment, rather than in the
immediate physical environment. In other words, an effective VR experience
causes one to become unaware of real surroundings and focus on his
existence inside the virtual environment.
Following are the main components of a virtual environment:
1. The visual displays that immerse the user in the virtual world and
block out contradictory sensory impressions from the real world.
2. The graphics rendering system that generates the ever changing
images at 20 to 30 frames per second.
3. A tracking system that continuously informs the position and
orientation of the users movements.
4. The database construction and maintenance system to build and
maintain a detailed and realistic model of the virtual world.
5. A sound system that can produce high quality directional sounds
and simulated sound fields.
6. Devices like tracked gloves with pushbuttons to enable users to
specify their interactions with the virtual objects.

HOW VIRTUAL REALITY WORKS

The software program for the game is the major element which runs with the
help of the computer system and the interfaced input output devices. Every
Character and environment within the game behaves closely to reality as per
the code written for them. The code facilitates characters and environment
to interact with the other characters controlled by the input devices. The
code is interpreted by the processor which handles the input output
devices accordingly. This is the simplest example of how VR works. The
working of more immersive virtual reality environment is quite similar to
working of the game besides the fact that a number of advanced input and
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output devices along with a high performance processor are added to

increase the immersion. The processor executes the processes quickly
according to the input given by the user and output is presented to the user
in a way that user feels itself a part of the environment and its objects.

TYPES OF VIRTUAL REALITY

Broadly speaking, there are three major classifications of virtual reality:
1.Non-Immersive (Desktop) Systems:
Non- immersive systems, as the name
suggests, are the least immersive
implementation of VR techniques. It
involves displaying a 3-dimensional virtual
world on a regular desktop display without
use of any specialized movement-tracking
equipment. The virtual environment (VE) is viewed through a portal or
window by utilizing a standard high resolution monitor. Many
modern computer games can be used as an example, using various
triggers, responsive characters, and other such interactive devices to
make the user feel as though they are in a virtual world.
2.Semi-Immersive Projection Systems
(Telepresence): Semi-immersive systems
are a relatively new implementation of VR
technology and borrow considerably from
technologies developed in the flight
simulation field. A semi-immersive system
will comprise a relatively high performance graphics computing system
which can be coupled with either a large screen projector system, multiple
television projection systems.
3.Fully Immersive HeadMounted Display (HMD)
Systems: All fully immersive
systems will give a sense of
presence that cannot be equaled
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by the other approaches discussed earlier. Its

just like Hypothetical virtual reality that is as
immersive as consensus reality. Its more likely
to be produced using a Brain-computer
interface. An intermediate stage may be
produced by "Virtual Space" using a headmounted display with head tracking and
computer control of the image presented to the helmet. The sense of
immersion depends on several parameters including the field of view of
the HMD, the resolution, the update rate, and contrast and illumination of
the display.

AUGMENTED REALITY vs VIRTUAL REALITY

Augmented reality is the blending of virtual reality and real life, as
developers can create images within
applications that blend in with contents
in the real world. With AR, users are
able to interact with virtual contents in
the real world, and are able to
distinguish between the two.
On the contrary, Virtual reality is all
about the creation of a virtual world
that users can interact with. This virtual
world should be designed in such a way that users would find it difficult to
tell the difference from what is real and what is not. Furthermore, VR is
usually achieved by the wearing of a VR helmet or goggles similar to the
Oculus Rift.
Both Augmented and Artificial reality mainly differ in following aspects:
1. Purpose: Augmented reality enhances experiences by adding virtual
components such as digital images, graphics, or sensations as a new
layer of interaction with the real world. Contrastingly, virtual reality

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creates its own reality that is completely computer generated and

driven.
2. Delivery Method: Virtual Reality is usually delivered to the user
through a head-mounted, or hand-held controller. This equipment
connects people to the virtual reality, and allows them to control and
navigate their actions in an environment meant to simulate the real
world. Augmented reality is being used more and more in mobile
devices such as laptops, smart phones, and tablets to change how the
real world and digital images, graphics intersect and interact.

VR DEVICES
Some of the popular devices and technologies used to experience virtual reality are:

1. Most up-to-date virtual realities are displayed

either on a computer screen or with an HD VR
special stereoscopic displays, and some
simulations include additional sensory
information and focus on real sound through
speakers or headphones targeted towards VR users.
2. A head-mounted display (HMD) is a device,
worn on the head that has a small display optic
in front of one eye (monocular HMD) or each eye
(binocular HMD) to reproduce a stereoscopic
vision. Training with HMDs involve a wide range
of applications from driving, welding and spray
painting, flight and vehicle simulators,
dismounted soldier training and medical procedure training.

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3. Haptic technology is a tactile feedback

technology involving that the man-machine
interface system should be capable of recording
the movements of the human hand and also of
replicating virtual forces. Some
advanced haptic systems now include tactile
information, generally known as force feedback in medical, gaming
and military applications.
4. CAVE (Cave Automatic Virtual Environment)
is a surround-screen, surround-sound, projectionbased VR system. Illusion of immersion is
created by projecting 3D computer graphics into
a cube composed of display screens that
completely surround viewer.
5. VR 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 or omni-directional
treadmills.

6. A 3D scanner is a device that analyses a realworld object or environment to collect data on

its shape and possibly its appearance (i.e.
color). The collected data can then be used to
construct digital, three dimensional models.
They are extensively used for the
entertainment industry in the production of movies and video games,
design, documentation of cultural artifacts involved in the design.

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VR APPLICATION
1. MILITARY: Virtual reality has been adopted by
the military this includes all three services
(army, navy and air force) where it is used for
training purposes. This is particularly useful for
training soldiers for combat situations or other
dangerous settings where they have to learn
how to react in an appropriate manner. A virtual reality simulation
enables them to do so but without the risk of death or a serious injury.
2. EDUCATION: Education is another area which has adopted virtual
reality for teaching and learning situations,
using seminars,projectors 3-D modeling and
many more. VR enables the learners to
visualize experience, forsee and effectively
learn better thereby minimizing the
misconceptions in the subject. The learners can
interact with the objects in that environment in order to discover more
about them.
3. MEDICAL:
a. Rehabilitation and help to disabled people: Its also possible to
create dialogue on hand gestures between a
deaf real
human and a deaf virtual human with the
use of
Sign Language. Muscular Dystrophy
patients can learn to use a wheelchair
through VR.
b. Psychiartry: With the advent of realistic
virtual humans, it is possible to recreate situations in a Virtual
World, immersing the real patient into virtual scenes. Therapists
may also use VR to treat people who are afraid of heights.
c. Medicine: With the simulation of the entire physiology of the
human body, the effects of various illness or organ replacement
are visible. The surgeon using an HMD and Data Gloves may
have a complete simulated view of the surgery. For medical
students learning how to operate, the best way would be to start
with 3D virtual patients.

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4. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN: Many areas of

design are typically 3D. For example, the
design of a car shape, where the designer
looks for sweeping curves and good
aesthetics from every possible view.
5. GAMING: In gaming, through users
gestures or some i/o devices, motions are
tracked and the objects in the game are
moved according to the movements. In the
same way a simulated, three-dimensional
world is created around the user in which
he/she could interact with objects, people,
and environments. The immersive
environment can be similar to the real
world in order to create a life-like
experiencefor example, in simulations for pilot or combat training
or it can differ significantly from reality, such as in VR games.

PROs AND CONS OF VR

PROS:
1. VR redefines the idea of communication, expanding it from people you
know in real life to anyone connected to the internet. This means that
relationships will begin to be formed more based off interests than
general location.
2. Many different field can use VR to train people in a way that would
usually put them at risk. This is used most notably in the fields of
medicine, law enforcement, architecture and aviation.
3. Those who are not able to fully experience reality, such as disabled
people, could explore the Virtual World and still experience a full life.
4. VR makes tourism and visiting sites more easy by giving a detailed
view of the original place, e.g. Virtual tour.
5. VR provides a chance to experience things that are impossible in real
life as if you were actually there e.g. fighting zombies in a game.
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CONS:
1. Those who do not have access or cannot afford this technology will be
left out. Could further separate social classes in Information Age based
societies.
2. Communication using this technology would be susceptible to
deception.
3. Due to the fast paced development of Virtual Reality and online worlds,
there is a lack of laws regarding these worlds. Users can say and do
things in these worlds that is illegal in reality. Also, users may be less
inhibited than in real life due to a sense of anonymity, and may act in a
way that is socially unacceptable
4. Many people may become addicted to living in these virtual worlds,
and as a result forget or neglect their responsibilities in real life.
5. Technology is still developing and there are still many flaws to be
worked to.
6. Some people have been known to have motion sickness due to using
the VR headset.

CHALLENGES TO VIRTUAL REALITY

Virtual Reality faces a number of Challenges, most of which involve technical
matter and simulation sickness due to Virtual Reality.

Users might become disoriented in a purely virtual environment,

causing balance issues.

A computer latency might affect the simulation, providing a less than

satisfactory end-user experience.

The complicated nature of HMD and input systems such as specialized

gloves and boots may require special training to operate, and

navigating the real environment might prove dangerous without
external sensory information.
Virtual Reality has been considered an inefficient method for

navigating non-geographical information.

Another major obstacle in observing Virtual Reality is experiencing
headaches due to eye strains.

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RSI (Repetitive Strain Injuries) may also result from the repeated use of
handset gloves.

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES

Science, Fiction, Literature and film

have explored a range of futuristic

VR technologies and the experiential
opportunities they may offer.
Virtual
experience
and
virtual

identities via memory implants.

Recording and sharing experiences.
Different
possible
and
highly

enriched game scenarios.

Use of VR for deception and control.

CONCLUSION
Virtual Reality is at a critical design phase. More of this technology is yet to
be experienced.
VR offers a new way to interact with the imaginary world that would have
been impossible in real world. VR is changing our life. In the coming decades,
eventually VR will increasingly become an indispensable part of our life.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality (Wikipedia - Virtual Reality)
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality
(Wikipedia
Augmented Reality)
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_virtual_reality (Wikipedia Methods of VR)
4. http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality (Virtual Reality Site)

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5. http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/virtual-reality (WhatisTechTarget
- Defining VR)
6. http://www.engineersgarage.com/articles/virtual-reality-environment
(Article on VR)
7. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/virtualreality1.htm (Working of VR)
8. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2010532/virtual-reality-more-virtualthan-real.html (Article on VR)
9. http://www.theguardian.com/technology/virtual-reality (Latest trends
on VR)

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