Back to (Virtual) Reality: the basics of VR

The new Lion King remake, employee training, and PTSD therapy…what do these have in common? VR!

Are you interested in knowing how virtual reality works? What can VR be used for? What are the differences between the many headsets currently available?

Keep reading to find the answers to these questions and more!

How does virtual reality work?

VR reproduces a ‘real’ environment using software, it does this by tricking the visual cortex and parts of the brain that perceive motion using stereoscopic displays (Head Mounted Displays or HMDs) and motion tracking. Images are made 3D by stereoscopic lenses, a 2D image in angled twice for each eye creating the illusion of depth. In some HMDs, barrel distortion mimics the spherical shape of the eye to create this illusion. Both are not available in all HMDs. VR can generate sound, images, and interact with other senses depending on the model and game to create an immersive experience.

There are three technical elements that make VR work:

Tracking: measures body movements
Rendering: inputs the proper sights, sounds, touch, other sensations into a 3D model
Display: Replaces the physical senses with digital information

For an immersive experience a minimum frame of 60 fps is required but most top of the line equipment can produce 90-120 fps. It is important to block out all outside stimuli for greater effect. Lag time or latency should be < 50 milliseconds otherwise quality decreases and nausea can occur.

The type of headset dictates what hardware is required. Both tethered and mobile headsets require additional hardware to run VR software.

Computer
Console
Headset/Smartphone
Input Device: This is how your movements are tracked while using a VR headset.
- Head Tracking: Plots head movements into x,y,z axes (pitch, yaw, and roll)
- Motion Tracking: Uses infrared sensors or a controller to detect hand movements
- Eye-tracking: uses the movement of your eyes to track movements.
- Haptic Tracking: smartphones, controllers, and even gloves are used to track movements.

Types of HMDs

Mobile Headsets: Uses your smartphone such as Google Daydream View or Google Cardboard.
Stand-alone Headsets: everything is built in to the headset such as Oculus Go.
Tethered Headsets: requires a PC such as Oculus Rift, Vive, or Playstation VR.

Who is VR for?

Everyone! How you want to use VR will dictate the optimal headset for your purposes.

Google Cardboard is best for beginners or those who are curious about VR but not looking to invest heavily.

Playstation VR and Vive are optimized for gaming and playing VR games.

Even older adults can get in on the action!

Other uses are listed below.

What can VR be used for?

VR is mostly associated with playing video games but it has many uses in a wide variety of fields! Listed below are just a few uses for VR outside of gaming.

VR Training in Sports
PTSD Therapy
Medical residents to experience surgery
Design and prototyping in Engineering
Virtual Exhibits at Museums
VR rides at theme parks and other entertainment parks
Heritage Sites
- Virtual Tours and walkthroughs of monuments, historical buildings, old towns & villages, archaeological digs
Visualization/ Models/Simulations in Science disciplines
Flight, battlefield, and vehicle simulations for the military
Medic training
Learning Bedside manner for doctors
Solutions for dealing with phobias
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Training Employees
Helping students learn by presenting complex data that would otherwise be inaccessible (like showing the solar system or night sky)
Film-making
- Disney’s New Lion King Is the VR-Fueled Future of Cinema

Where can I buy a headset?

These are the major headsets but there are many more available to purchase!

Name	Type	Available to Purchase	Where to get Software
Google Daydream View	Mobile Headset	Google Store Verizon Best Buy Walmart	Google Playstore Apple App Store
Samsung Gear VR	Mobile Headset	Best Buy	Google Playstore Apple App Store
Google Cardboard	Mobile Headset	Google Store Amazon	Google Playstore Apple App Store
Oculus Go	Standalone	Oculus.com Amazon Best Buy NewEgg	Oculus App
Lenovo Mirage	Standalone	Amazon	Google Playstore
Oculus Rift	Tethered	NewEgg Best Buy Microsoft Amazon	Oculus App
Vive	Tethered	Vive.com Amazon NewEgg	SteamVR
Samsung HMD Odyssey+	Tethered	B&H Microsoft
PlayStation VR	Tethered	Amazon BestBuy Gamestop	Gamestop PlayStation Store