Understanding Virtual Reality Technology

Virtual Reality Technology, what is it?

To put it in a very simple form, virtual reality is an involvement with a virtual world rather than the real world. Today’s world is surrounded by computerized technology with thousands of gaming apps creating virtual characters and objects to make the games more interesting. Coming to the exact definition of virtual reality technology, one can say that this is a fast-growing technology where users feel virtually free to use computer software and hardware at its best. Initially, this technology had its users adorn themselves with computer equipment like joysticks, special gloves, goggles, earphones, etc.

This equipment is used to make the players feel more at ease literally taking them away from the physical world and allowing them to enter into a virtual world, a world where animated characters are seen as humans.

The main components of this virtual environment

1. It offers a tracking system to the users that offer continuous information on the orientation and position of his/her movements.
2. It keeps its user addicted to the virtual reality world and silently blocks out any sensory or contradictory impressions of the real world.
3. Its sound system is also designed to produce simulated and high-quality sound fields.
4. It offers devices like earphones tracked gloves etc. that are fitted with push buttons enabling users to have specified interaction with virtual objects.

Besides playing a major role in the gaming world, virtual reality technology has also a list of useful and lucrative ways of assisting humans. For example:

1. Cures phantom pains in victims of amputations:

The most painful part of amputee victims is phantom pain, it is a pain wherein the victim is able to feel the missing limb but is not in a position to control or see it. Hence, a virtual representation of the limb is possible which allows the victim to see and feel the amputated limb because of the electrodes that are fixed to the base of the amputated limb.

• It is also used to soothe burn victims who undergo very painful therapy for burns. The snowball games, that victims are allowed to play, get them engrossed with the game and hence forgetting the pain of the burn.

• It helps in treating children suffering from autism by teaching them to fine-tune motor skills, social cues and also to practice world lessons like safe roads and street crossing.

• Surgical students can use this technology to practice surgical techniques. Students today have a great opportunity of the 3D simulation of birth by a woman and practice how to deal with abnormal births and other types of surgery that require cutting and sewing patients. Virtual reality technology allows them to feel and experience an operating theatre effect.

Summing up the facts and uses of virtual reality technology, it is a boon to the world of science and also to the computer technology world. With its modern gaming techniques, it has captured the attention of the entire world and is vigorously developing into a lucrative business, thus putting the use of computer hardware and software at its peak. To cite a simple quote by Palmer Luckey during an interview

“Any real virtual reality enthusiast can look back at VR science fiction. It’s not about playing games … The Matrix, Snow Crash, all this fiction was not about sitting in a room playing video games. It’s about being in a parallel digital world that exists alongside our own, communicating with other people, playing with other people.”

PALMER LUCKEY, interview, re/code, June 19, 2015

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