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Overview of Virtual Reality Technology�

Historically, the term Virtual Reality was born in 1989 in an interview with Jaron Lanier "A Portrait of the Young Visionary.” Burdea, G. C., & Coiffet, P. (2003).

Before Lanier, some people and institutions were doing some work in the perspective of VR. In 1963, Ivan Sutherland's doctoral these: “SKETCHPAD: stereo HMD, position tracking, and graphics engine” was the beginnings of VR.

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What is Virtual Reality (VR)?

According to Jonathan Steuer, most popular definitions of virtual reality make reference to a particular technological system (Steuer, 1993).

“System usually includes a computer capable of real-time animation, controlled by a set of wired gloves and a position tracker, and using a head-mounted stereoscopic display for visual output.” (Steuer, 1993).

“A computer-generated, immersive, multi-sensory information program which tracks a user in real time” (Burdea & Al, 2003). �
Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer modelling and simulations which help a person in interacting with artificial 3D environment that shows reality with help of some interactive devices worn in form of googles, headsets, gloves or body suits which can send and receive information (Gandhi et al. 2018).

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How does Virtual Reality work?�

The Virtual Reality system works on the following principle:

It first tracks the physical movements in the real world, then a computer redraws the virtual world to reflect those movements. The updated virtual world is sent to the out-put (to the user in the real world).

In this case, the output is sent back to a head mounted display. Hence, the user feels "immersed“ (plunged, absorbed, engaged or occupied) in the virtual world as if they are in the virtual world itself as all they can watch is their rendered movements (movements sent in) in virtual environment.

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Types of Virtual Reality (VR)�There are many types of Virtual Reality, considering the following:�

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Architecture for Virtual Reality (VR)�

Main components present in architecture of virtual reality are:
Kernel system
Simulation
Driver Software packages
Audio Devices
Visual Output devices
Interaction devices
Tracking Devices
Speaker
Head phones

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Where is NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in this Technology called VR? �

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What devises used for VR? �Devices that are used for virtual reality are as follows:�

1- Head Mounted Display (HMD)
HMD is a device similar to helmet or a face mask that holds the visual

and auditory displays. In HMD, projector ray’s feeds real time images to

small screens attached inside helmet that the user wears.

HMD device consist of two small miniature display screens and an optical system. These two components take the images from the screens to the eyes, presenting a stereoscopic imaging. Others use a single larger display to provide higher resolution, but without the stereoscopic vision.

HMD provides virtual images by continuously tracking the position and orientation of the user`s head. This allows viewer to look around and walk through the surrounding virtual environment. However, HMDs have cables which restrict our movement.

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What devises used for VR? (continued)

2- Cave
The Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) is an

immersive virtual reality facility designed for the exploration of and

interaction with spatially engaging environments.

Basically, the CAVE’s comprises of four projection surfaces on which

images are projected with uniquely immersive design.

In addition, including projection on the ceiling gives a fuller sense of being enclosed in the virtual world.

Furthermore, projection on all six surfaces of a room allows users to turn around and look in all directions. This helps user to interact with virtual environment with better sense of full immersion.

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What devises used for VR? (continued)

3- Gloves
Pinch glove enables natural interaction with objects.

It uses hand-signs to execute actions. It continuously tracks the

motion of the user’s hand and limb and accordingly gives signal to the transmitter.

4- 3D Mouse
A 3D mouse has two parts as vertical and horizontal part. Each part has some buttons. With different combinations of these buttons the user can produce different positions in the 3D environment.

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What devises used for VR? (continued)

5- Space Ball

6- Video camera and shadows

7- Voice recognition

8- Biological sensors

9- Full body suits

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How does VR market growth look like?�

Due to increasing advancement in technologies and to fulfill growing need of customers; Virtual reality is nowadays considered most immerging and efficient technology, which has not only overcome limitations of augmented reality but also made human life simpler and easier (Gandhi et al. 2018). According to Gandhi et al., some of the growing needs of virtual reality are as follows:
Simulate the real world dynamically by use of computer software, hardware and virtual world integration technologies.
Can pretend to have physical presence in places in the real world as well as in imaginary worlds.
Without any real danger; we can be part of the action on the virtual safe environment.
Virtual reality can help us to visualize working environment where people cannot go especially mars or low temperature environment by making same atmospheric conditions by use of computer graphics software and use of headsets, gloves etc. and make them feel same physical presence.

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How does VR market growth look like? (Continued)

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Benefits of Virtual Reality (VR)

Virtual reality is nowadays used in wide range of applications. Some of very important area of use is as follows:
Business

Virtual reality is being used in a number of ways by the business community which include:
Virtual tours of a business environment.
Training of new employees.
A 360 Degree view of any product.

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Benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) (Continued)

Training and simulation
Virtual reality environments have been used for training simulators.
The usage of VR in a training perspective is to allow professional conduct training in a virtual

environment where they can improve upon their skills without the consequence of failing the operation.

Virtual environment produces realistic readings on the instrument panel and the motion of the trainer on the pedestal combined to produce a sensation similar to actually flying on instruments at night.

The pilot could receive visual feedback both inside and outside the cockpit.

Examples include flight simulators, battlefield simulators for soldiers, Para trooping, combat training for the military. Three views of military applications of VR are: 1- As a simulation of reality. 2- As an extension of human senses through telepresence to reduce exposure to hazards and increase stealth (infiltration). 3- As an information enhancer through augmented reality. Smart weapons and remotely-piloted vehicles were developed because many aspects of combat operations are very hazardous and riskier if the combatant seeks to improve his performance.

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Benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) (Continued)

Engineering and design

Virtual Reality is most popularly used in engineering and designing process.
It gives better understanding of the design and help to facilitate changes wherever necessary.
It helps to reduce the time and cost factor.
Examples are car designing, building construction etc.

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Benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) (Continued)

Entertainment

The entertainment industry is one of the most enthusiastic advocates of virtual reality, most noticeably in games and virtual worlds.
An example includes virtual museum, gaming, virtual theme parks, interactive exhibitions etc.
The ability to manipulate virtual objects and not just see them is central to the presentation of compelling virtual worlds.

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Benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) (Continued)

Medical

The medical application of VR was stimulated initially by the need of medical staff to visualize complex medical data particularly during surgery and for medical education and training.
Researchers are using Virtual Reality technology to create 3D models of the organs to help doctors in diagnose, pre-operative planning and intra-operative treatments.

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Benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) (Continued)

Architecture design and prototyping

An area in which virtual reality has tremendous potential is in architectural design.
Already being created are architectural "walk-throughs" that allow designers and clients to examine homes and office buildings, inside and out, before they are built.
With virtual reality, designers can interactively test a building before construction begins.
Virtual Prototyping is a relatively new technology which involves the use of VR and other computer technologies to create digital prototypes (first model, templates or framework for instance).
In mechanical engineering, Virtual Prototyping is the idea to replace physical mock-ups by software prototypes.

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Benefits of Virtual Reality (VR) (Continued)

Cultural Heritage

Digital preservation of cultural assets and digital restoration of their original appearance.
Users virtually enter the virtual space and they get a feeling of being a part of the virtual environment.
To improve such a feeling, various navigation paradigms are applied.

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��Limitations of Virtual Reality (VR)�Similar to many advantageous technologies; besides benefits, applications, and opportunities that VR offers, there exist unavoidable challenges and disadvantages also. In fact, use of virtual reality technologies offers both technical and cultural challenges. Instead of avoiding completely these challenges, we can try our best to minimize them. Reasons of VR’s unavoidable challenges are: �

Technical Challenges
All features or functions of virtual environment can only be streamed by streaming all data to the user live over the Internet with minimal local caching of frequently used data (Gandhi et al. 2018). This means that user must have a minimum of 300 kilobits per second of Internet bandwidth for basic functionality, and 1Megabit per second for getting better performance.
Due to the proprietary communications protocols, it is impossible to make use of a network proxy or caching service to minimize network load when many people are all using the same location. The example is when used for group activities in company or schools.
Cost is another challenging issues; as these technologies are newer, they are costlier due to which many small/medium scaled people cannot afford it.
As technologies are growing at rapid rate, many people are still unaware of such new technologies, along with its advantages, disadvantages and applications. Hence awareness has to be created among the people by conducting free seminars and demonstration. These free seminars and demonstration could be conducted virtually.
In addition to appropriate internet bandwidth and interfacing charges, there are several membership charges associated with VR. For instance, for virtual learning, premium account is necessary to purchase land and create sustained and safe learning environment for the students. Schools with limited financial resources cannot afford.
High powerful computer systems or computer systems having high powerful processor are required for creating proper virtual environment. Again, no everyone can afford high powerful computer systems or computers with high powerful processor.

Cultural Challenges
Liability issues are still question in virtual world. As we know that private land need to be purchased for virtual learning and this private land are restricted to only authorized users. However, users in public area may have to suffer violence or disruptiveness.
Everyday billions of people connect in these worlds to socialize, shop and learn. Unfortunately, many laws breaker also joined this virtual world and many criminal activities are taking placed. Common criminal cases which are occurring everyday are money laundering, exchanging of child abuse environment and terrorist attack etc.
Inventory loss issues is still present; inventory loss in which items in user’s inventory including those things which have been paid for can disappear without warning or enter a state where they will fail to enter in a world when requested (Giving an “object is missing “database error). This loss is although much less in past years, but still it’s existing.
Virtual Reality technology can also enhance the possibilities for using the media to manipulate and control beliefs and opinions (Steuer, 1993).

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Educational Applications of Virtual Reality technology including agenda for future research
Education is another area where virtual reality has been adopted for teaching and learning situations.
The advantage of this is that it enables large groups of students to interact with each other as well as within a three dimensional environment.
VR environment is implemented for teaching aid such as in virtual classroom, virtual library and virtual lab.
The objective is to introduce students to experimentation, problem solving, data gathering, and scientific interpretation (Buffalo’s Virtual Reality Laboratory).
It is able to present complex data in an accessible way to students which is both easy to learn and have fun.
Plus, these students can interact with the objects in that environment to discover more about them.
Best example where virtual reality can be more useful is for medical students to develop surgery simulations or 3D images of human body where students can explore nicely without danger. This type of technology is mostly used in the United States, United Kingdom and some countries.
The agenda for future research consists on exploring the implementation of Virtual Reality technology to enhance learning and teaching at this era where virtual learning is more required and also improve performance at the workplace.

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