vR

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated, immersive, interactive environment that simulates a three-dimensional world. VR experiences are typically delivered through a head-mounted display that presents stereo imagery and tracks the user’s head movements, along with controllers or tracking systems that capture body movements to interact with the scene.

Key technologies include high-refresh-rate displays, wide field of view, motion tracking, and spatial audio. Most systems combine a display, tracking sensors (head, hand, or body), and input devices. Tracking can be outside-in using external sensors or inside-out with cameras on the headset. Latency and resolution are critical for immersion.

History: early experiments in the 1960s laid the groundwork, but consumer VR gained momentum in the 2010s with devices such as head-mounted displays that connect to PCs or run standalone. The ecosystem has since grown to include console-based and mobile options, with increasing emphasis on comfort and accessibility.

Applications span gaming, training and simulation (medicine, aviation, industrial design), education, architecture, virtual tourism, and therapy. VR is used for safe practice in hazardous environments, remote collaboration, and experiential learning, with ongoing research into more natural interaction and social presence.

Challenges include motion sickness for some users, cost, content availability, and hardware requirements. Privacy and safety considerations arise from data collected by sensors and cameras. Future trends point to higher resolution, foveated rendering, improved tracking, standalone devices, and more widespread social and collaborative VR experiences.