Unexplored worlds have always attracted man, and with the development of technology, he has learned to create them himself. Today, traveling to another dimension with the help of special glasses is not an invention of optimistic science-fiction writers. Anyone can move into a world of adventure, to become a party to the war or turn an empty room into the hall of a magnificent palace. Virtual Reality (or VR) technology can help.
Virtual reality (aka Virtual Reality) is a specially created by human hands with the help of computer technology artificial reality, transmitted through the senses: vision, hearing. Unlike AR, VR fully immerses a person in an artificially simulated world. In order to transmit images, sound and other elements of the complex, in addition to special software, sensors, headphones, glasses or helmet, and various controls are needed. We will talk about virtual reality and its main areas of application.
History of virtual reality technology
Development of VR began in the 1960s. The task of scientists was to create a program and device that allows you to put a person in an environment indistinguishable from the real, but subject to different laws. While the augmented reality was of interest to military personnel, the virtual reality was more attractive to creative people. In particular, filmmakers.
The first prototype of such a device was created by Morton Heylig. His “Sensorama” looked more like a bulky slot machine. Visitors to the attraction could ride a motorcycle down a city street. During the ride, people not only saw the scenery flashing along the road, but also felt smells, sounds, and vibrations. This created an immersive effect that was magnificent at the time. The first Sensorama is still in working order, and it even has its own website.
But the development of virtual reality did not stop there. Ivan Sutherland, in 1967, invented and designed a helmet powered by a computer. Another difference was that the image for the first time changed depending on the tilt and rotation of the head. When the technology for creating virtual reality developed sufficiently, more serious scientists became interested in it. In particular, from the military sector, where they decided to use virtual reality to train airborne troops.
Instead of photo and video shooting, computer graphics were used to create virtual landscapes. Created in the 1970s, the Aspen Movie Map allowed you to take a walk through a small American town modeled on a computer. In the 1980s, it became possible to add controls to VR, and at the end of the decade, the term “virtual reality” itself appeared. It was coined by Jaron Lanier. Literature of the cyberpunk genre, meanwhile, was gaining popularity, reflecting mankind’s dreams of more realistic computer simulations.
When the technology reached such a level of development that the creation of virtual reality became almost generally available, there were a lot of spheres where it was actively used. The development of VR specialists are engaged in the benefit of medicine, the military complex, construction organizations and cultural and entertainment institutions. Very much in demand virtual reality in the gaming industry. Films and books are being made about virtual reality, which contributes to its popularization.