Chapter 1. Introduction to Virtual Reality
1.1. What is Virtual Reality?
When we speak of “virtual reality” (VR) we refer to a computer simulation that creates an image of a world that appears to our senses in much the same way we perceive the real world, or “physical” reality. In order to convince the brain that the synthetic world is authentic, the computer simulation monitors the movements of the participant and adjusts the sensory display or displays in a manner that gives the feeling of being immersed or being present in the simulation. Concisely, virtual reality is a means of letting participants physically engage in some simulated environment that is distinct from their physical reality.
Virtual reality is a medium, a means by which humans ...
Get Developing Virtual Reality Applications now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
