The technology of virtual reality (VR) became popular among the mass user only a few years ago, and before that it was considered something extremely unusual and expensive both to develop and to use. Until now, not everyone knows what VR is, where this technology is used and how to immerse yourself in this world on your own, spending a minimum amount of money.
The concept of VR
You can guess that VR stands for Virtual Reality, that is, virtual reality. It allows a person with the help of a special device to immerse himself in the virtual world, which will be very similar to the real one in terms of visual perception. Of course, physical gadgets will complement it by reproducing vibrations, air vibrations or making surround sound, but this is already more an addition than the main components of virtual reality.
In VR mode, the user can both play the game and watch a video recorded in 360-degree mode. This means that when you turn your head, you can see what is happening behind or from the side, and this is the main component of such an immersion. In games, a person interacts with objects and the outside world using the keyboard, mouse, or other controllers. When you buy a special set for VR, it comes with gamepads, which you can see in the following image.
Virtual reality glasses
The main requirement for immersion in virtual reality is the need to use special glasses that transmit all the information that happens on the screen. They use lenses that allow you to focus on what is happening and feel the world as real. VR goggles come in different shapes and sizes, are set up in different ways, and come with other devices, such as gamepads and special scanners, which need to be installed in the room so that the movements and positions of the body are read more clearly during the game.
Such VR glasses or helmets show almost the same picture in both lenses, but from slightly different angles. This is necessary so that the brain, when processing images, superimposes them on top of each other and forms a single whole, providing the necessary immersion in virtual reality.
What is virtual reality
In this article, we are not talking about augmented reality (AR) – a completely different technology in which the virtual world interacts with the real one. This technology is being implements in various applications, but is still in its infancy. Virtual reality is divids into two types:
- video recorded in 360-degree format;
- specially designed games.
The video is first recorded on the corresponding camera, and then divided into two pictures for viewing in VR glasses. There are also special helmets into which a regular smartphone is insert.
In the case of games, developers specifically make sure that the user feels completely immersed. VR not only allows you to look around as if watching a video, but also allows you to interact with the environment. You can move items, walk, and use weapons to kill bots.
Immersive VR Devices
You already know about the helmet/glasses of virtual reality, so let’s focus on other devices. Controllers are the next important component. They not only read the movements of your hands when you wave them, for example, when you strike a blade in a game. But they also recognize which fingers are currently bent or which point of the controller is under pressure. So you can realistically shoot and control different objects.
Next come the cameras (the same scanners) that determine the position of the player in space while using VR. When they are installing, boundaries are indicated that cannot exceed. Cameras also interact with controllers, participating in the reading of movements. All this will come in handy during games, when virtual reality is use with full immersion. But these functions are useless for watching videos.
You have just learned that virtual reality is a modern technology, designed mainly for entertainment. But it can also use for other purposes, such as for physical education or in the treatment of diseases. The range of VR possibilities is practically unlimited and will only get better every year.
