Virtual Reality
Introduction
Technological advancements are essential to the development of any nation. In fact, lack thereof compromises the overall potential of a region being self-sustainable. With this in mind, it is worth mentioning that the progressions in science and technology over the years fostered the development of virtual reality. Popularly referred to as VR, this marvel is a computer technology that replicates realistic human environments and simulates the user’s physical presence to fit the setting presented by the system thus allowing interaction. Currently, most of the virtual reality presentations are conveyed on a computer monitor or a head-mounted display, also known as a virtual reality headset. Many companies have ventured into virtual reality innovations and the current trends raise the levels of optimism about the performance of this technology in the future. Ong and Andrew (164) argue that the focus of multimedia presentations will greatly be revolutionized with the introduction of computer-simulated reality. Additionally, the application areas of this technology range from entertainment, content development, architecture, and surgery. As such, one is justified to claim that virtual reality is the future of multimedia presentation, and it will have a great impact on the global economy. This paper evaluates the history of virtual reality, its features, workability, relevance and emerging trends in this innovation. For a fact, virtual reality has made exemplary advancements over the century and it has a promising future.
The birth of virtual reality can be traced back to the first half of the twentieth century. According to Biocca and Mark (142), this period does not mark a significant advancement in the technology, but it enhanced the realism of the innovation. Precisely, Weinbaum Stanley developed a short story about magical spectacles. In the narrative, he described a virtual reality system based on a holographic recording of fictional events through senses of touch and smell. Later in the 1950s, Morton Heling described a theater experience that could emulate the virtual reality feel. This proposition supposed that the on-screen activities of a movie could be augmented by physical effects such as shaking and smoke. Almost a decade later, the first workable virtual reality headset was created. However, its application was not very intriguing as it only worked in a specific environment and displayed static images. Before the 1990s, more innovation had been made and it was possible to represent a 3-D model location on a head mounted display. However, the physical interaction with the system was limited. Before the end of the twentieth century, Sega pioneered the implementation of VR into the gaming industry through the development of supported arcade games. This innovation pioneered a revolution to the operational boundaries of virtual and augmented reality.
How is virtual reality achieved?
The success of a virtual reality system is mainly based on the coordination of the components of the computer setup. In simpler terms, the prerequisites of a VR system, headgear, body suit, and software, have to work jointly to process every bit of detail to enhance realism. However, due to the simplicity of achieving a virtual reality environment in the modern society, body suits have been replaced with special gloves and Omni-directional treadmills. These devices stimulate the human senses simultaneously to create the intended illusion of reality. The complexity of the human body system would lead one to dispute the workability of this technology. Precisely, Ong and Andrew (168) argue that the coordination of the sense of sight, smell and touch would enable one discern that the virtual reality environment is unrealistic and pleasant. Nonetheless, this is not the case. In fact, the computer hardware and software generating the virtual environment work jointly in perfect synchronization to eliminate any instance of lost concentration. For example, the display mounted on the headgear is fitted with accelerometers and gyroscopes to widen the visual field in the virtual environment. As a result, the brain of the VR user is compelled to interpret the presentation as a realistic environment.
http://heavy.com/tech/2015/07/best-vr-virtual-reality-headset-glasses-goggles-oculus-rift-specs-review/
The features of a virtual reality system
The different types of virtual reality systems share the same characteristics. This situation is largely accredited to the fact that they utilize an identical mechanism to generate three-dimensional figures on the mounted display. The image presented appears life-sized to the user thereby enhancing the level of realism achieved by the representation. The VR systems are made of two major components, software and hardware. These components work jointly to process information and create an immersive environment for the user. Aside from that, the position of the picture on the display changes as the VR user navigates in the physical and virtual environment. According to Biocca and Mark (231), the primary reason for this form of synchronization is to create a seamless change in perception once the person in the virtual environment makes any body movement. This provision ensures that the virtual environment is both enjoyable and realistic. Since the virtual setting has to provide real-time responses for maximum effectiveness, the VR gear is fitted with sensors to record the changes in the movement of the user. There is minimal latency in the processing of the data within the VR system. This feature further makes the computer-generated environment realistic. When there is a latency between the processing and output time, the VR experience becomes less enjoyable and unrealistic since the individual feels that they are in a virtual environment. The diagram below is an illustration of the processes and components of a VR system.
Components of a virtual reality system
The application areas of virtual reality
The importance of this technology to the development of the world is undisputed. In fact, the application areas of virtual and augmented reality enhance the performance of these fields thereby fostering innovation. For instance, the potential entertainment benefit would be greater immersion and enhanced realism. As such, the film industry would generate more revenues than it currently does, create employment thereby nurturing its growth. Moreover, there are more professional application areas of virtual reality including architecture and medicine. According to Ong and Andrew (164), virtual reality can be used to simulate the development of prototypes. In some situations, this technology can be used to test the performance of specific machinery without endangering human life. In surgery, students can conduct virtual operations on human beings through the simulated environment generated by virtual reality systems. In instances where an advancement is impractical, expensive or too dangerous VR and can be used to complete the tasks. The Oculus Rift developers anticipate that as the cost of virtual reality goes down and the product becomes mainstream, the world would embrace its implementation in education (Biocca and Mark 193). By redefining how human beings interact with computer systems, virtual reality is bound to transform the global perspective about technology in the future.
http://www.gputechconf.com/virtual-reality-track
Emerging trends in virtual reality
In the last decade, multiple innovations have been made to make the virtual reality setup more compact and affordable. For instance, Google launched the Google cardboard to familiarize the public with the virtual environment. This innovation inspired multiple companies to venture into the development of VR gear that is compatible with smartphones. As such, the utilization of virtual reality with smartphones has been a standard emerging trend. On the other hand, virtual reality has been primarily investing in the gaming industry. With the development of the Oculus Rift, other companies have engaged themselves in similar activities to match the success of this pioneer. Finally, augmented reality has taken to a new level. This form of the virtual environment is more intuitive and easier to access as opposed to virtual reality. As the development of the equipment facilitating virtual reality becomes cheaper than it currently is, the implementation of augmented reality in the home entertainment system is bound to happen.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the advancements in technology nurtured the development and optimization of virtual reality. Specifically, the level of user navigation and realism has been heightened since the twentieth century to the current period. As the prices of virtual reality reduce and the product becomes more mainstream, it would be easier to incorporate the conveniences of this technology to the health sector, content development, the armies, and education. Since the procedures used it the generation of the 3-dimension imagery is similar in all virtual reality scenarios, its integration with other forms of computer generated environments would be seamless. Additionally, the performance of the augmented reality systems would be optimal due to the compatibility with virtual reality. The performance of the global economy would be better as it would be easier to achieve more through simulation. Dealing with dangerous experiments would be lesser challenging since the computer-generated environment will help the experts minimize the severity of their challenges. Without a doubt, virtual reality has made exemplary advancements over the century and it has a promising future.
Works Cited
Biocca, Frank, and Mark R. Levy, eds. Communication in the age of virtual reality. Routledge, 2013.
Ong, Soh K., and Andrew Yeh Chris Nee. Virtual and augmented reality applications in manufacturing. Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.
