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A Study of Virtual Reality

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 International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, Volume 4(3), ISSN: 2394-9333
www.ijtrd.com
A Study of Virtual Reality
1
Kundalakesi.M, 2Swathi T, 3Ashapriya B, 4Sruthi R
1
MMS(IT&M)., M.Phil., Assistant professor, 2,3,4II MSc SS,
1,2,3,4
Department of BCA and MSc SS, Sri Krishna College of Arts and Science, Kuniamuthur, Coimbatore, India

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) is a powerful and interactive  Architectural Walk-through

technology that changes our life unlike any other. Virtual  Development and Maintenance
reality, which can also be termed as immersive multimedia, is  Data Visualisation and Concept Visualisation
the art of simulating a physical presence for the audience in  Operations in dangerous or remote environments
places both real and imaginary. It usually involves two senses  Training and simulation
namely sight and sound. The key property that distinguished  Sales and Marketing
VR from all previous media types is “presence”. Presence is the
 Entertainment and Leisure
psychological sense of „being there‟, of actually being
 Enhanced Realities[vi]
immersed in and surrounded by in the environment. This
 human factors and ergonomic studies
discussion is an attempt to give an overview of the current state
of environment-related VR, with an emphasis on live VR  simulation of assembly sequences and maintenance
experiences. The technology, art and business of VR are tasks
evolving rapidly. The various fields of VR are discussed to get  aid for the handicapped
a better view about it. The next development based on virtual  study and treatment of phobias (e.g., fear of height) [5]
reality is augmented reality. B. Types of Virtual Reality Environments:
Keywords: Multimedia, Sight and Sound, Presence There are numerous types of virtual reality environments, each
I. INTRODUCTION with their own level of immersion and features. Some of them
are below:
“VR is a very high end computer interface that evolves real
time simulation and interface through numerous sensorial  Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality
channels. These sensorial modalities are visual, aural, tangible,  CAVE Fully Immersive Virtual Reality
smell, taste and other senses.”[1]The first traces of virtual  Collaborative Virtual Environments
reality came from theshort story "Pygmalion's Spectacles" in
Depending on the kind of environment, the level of immersion
1935by Stanley G. Weinbaum‟s is recognized as one of the first
will differ. For instance, a semi-immersive environment does
works of science fiction that see the sightsof virtual reality. It
not aim for complete immersion, which allows it to operate at
describes a goggle-based virtual reality system with
costs much less than the CAVE. On the other hand, total
holographic demo of fictional experiences including aroma and
rendezvous is not possible, which the CAVE can easily
feel. [3]A very important feature of virtual reality is the
accomplish. Collaborative environments are a special instance
environment in which it takes place and must be vigilantly
in which they may or may not aim for complete immersion but
engineered to achieve a realistic experience. For example, if
the main goal is to share a virtual experience with real people.
even the least of elements in a virtual reality environment is out
The type of virtual reality environment chose when it is totally
of place, the entire experience can be smashed. For the it to be
dependent on budget and the goals of the project. For example,
believable, it must achieve at least some height
the air force practices a virtual reality flight simulator as a
of immersion.[2]Immersion is one of the main goals of virtual
training tool. This is one example of a semi-immersive virtual
reality and when a virtual environment is created, it should be
reality environment. A fully immersive environment would just
created with a view in the path of immersion. When immersion
not be necessary.
happens, the factual world can often be forgotten. [2] Some
characteristics of virtual reality are: A fully immersive environment, on the other hand, would be
needed for total rendezvous and are a consistent source for
 A simulated environment. research into various principled issues surrounding virtual
 Involves in computer-generated graphics. reality.[2]
 3-dimensional.
 Very interactive. C. Definition of immersion and presences in virtual reality
 Involves in the use of human senses. There are several research papers describe the
 exists in several different forms. [4] definition of Immersion and Presences. Most of them mention
II. VIRTUAL REALITY presence to the subjective sensation of “being there”
experienced. So I can conclude that:
A. Applications and key areas:
 Immersion is an account of the ability of computer
Virtual reality applications can be classified as: displays to deliver a virtual environment to users.
1. The simulation of real environments such as the inner  Presence is an account of user‟s particular psychological
of a building or a spacecraft often with the purpose of response to a virtual environment.
training or education. The components of immersion are limited to software and
2. The development of afictional environment, typically hardware of the system. In another hand, different users can
for a game or educational adventure. [6] experience different levels of presence with the similar virtual
Areas in which Virtual Reality applications are commonly used reality system depending on life experience: memory, ability,
are: past experience, emotional stare, and another factor. [1]
 Design Evaluation (Virtual Prototyping)
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 International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, Volume 4(3), ISSN: 2394-9333
www.ijtrd.com
Interacting with a virtual environment is another key factor of surgery to remove a brain tumour using an augmented reality
a VR experience. Virtual reality system must able to capture system; a video image superimposed with 3-D graphics helped
inputs from users for changing the virtual environment the doctor to see the site of the operation more effectively. [8]
endlessly such as the visual display of a virtual reality system
C. Through the window:
reply to a user's physical movement and simulate force back to
the haptic device when user move the tool to smash something The most common type of VR is called through-
in virtual environment. [1] the -window VR is applied extensively in games and movie
theatres. It allows a participant to look into the virtual world
from a seat in the real world. The “window” the user looks
through may be as small as home computer monitor or as large
as a movie screen. Although, movie theatres allow for no true
interactivity, computer games allow some interactivity between
the user and the virtual scene. The images are always real-
world video photographed with a camera. In some cases, the
seats move and shake in response to image portrayed, e.g.,
rollercoasters. Any participantwho looks away from the screen
during the VR experience “falls out” of the world and back into
the real world. But the sensations of speed and hasty movement
while looking at that world can be convincing. [9]
D. Secondperson:
The uses of second person VR are to capture the image of a
participant and insert it into the virtual world. Users the watch
their own images on a monitor interacting with objects in the
virtual world. In most applications of this type, the insertion of
the participant‟s image is done by Chroma-keying. This
sometimes creates highlights around the participant or mage-
resolution differences between the participant and the
background. In addition, it often takes some amount of practice
to co-relate one‟s own body movements with what is happening
on the screen. [9]
E. Telepresence:
Telepresence is a difference on visualizing whole computer
generated worlds. This technology links remote sensors in the
real world with the wits of a human operator. The remote
sensors might be located on a robot, or they might be on the
ends of WALDO like gears or tools. Fire fighters use remotely
functioned vehicles to handle some risky conditions. Surgeons
III. FORMS OF VIRTUAL REALITY are using very minor instruments on cables to do surgery
A. Immersive first person: without cutting a major hole in their patients. The instruments
will have a small video camera at the business end. Robots are
Immersive systems linking computer interface devices such as equipped with telepresence systems have already changed the
a head-mounted display (HMD), position tracking devices, way deep sea and volcanic exploration is done. NASA plans to
fibre-optic wired gloves, and audio systems providing 3-D use tele robotics for space exploration. [7]Itcan be achieved by
(binaural) sound. Immersive virtual reality provides a first- building and testing physical architypes. The benefits include
person experience immediately. With some applications, there reduced costs in both design and manufacturing as physical
is a treadmill interface to simulate the experience of walking prototyping and testing is intensely reduced/eliminated and lean
through virtual space. And in place of the head-mounted but robust manufacturing processes are selected. [10]
display, there can be a BOOM viewer from Fake Space Labs
which hangs deferred in front of the viewer's face, not on it, so F. Mixed Reality
it is not as heavy and strenuous to wear as the head-mounted Merging the Telepresence and Virtual Reality systems can give
display. In immersive VR, the user is placed inside the image; the Mixed Reality or Seamless Simulation systems. Here the
the generated image is assigned properties, which make it look computer-generated inputs are fused with telepresence inputs
and turn real in terms of visual perception and in some cases and/or the users view of the real world. A surgeon's view of a
aural and tangible. brain surgery is covered with images from earlier CAT scans
and real-time ultrasound. A combatant pilot sees computer
B. Augmented Reality:
generated maps, plans and data displays inside his fancy helmet
A difference of immersive virtual reality is Augmented Reality screen or on cockpit displays. [7]
where a see-through layer of computer graphics is
superimposed over the real world to highlight certain features IV. VIRTUAL REALITY DISPLAY
and enhance understanding. One application of augmented Four main displays in Virtual reality are the big multiplier for
reality is in aeronautics, where certain controls can be immersion they are:
highlighted, for example the controls needed to land an
airplane. Andnumerous medical applications are under  Visual display
development. Recently, for the first time, a surgeon conducted  Audio display

IJTRD | May-Jun 2017

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 International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, Volume 4(3), ISSN: 2394-9333
www.ijtrd.com
 Haptic display D. Vestibular display:
 Vestibular display The vestibular perceptual sense maintains balance.
A. Visual display Vestibular display allows humans sense equilibrium,
acceleration, and orientation with respect to gravity in virtual
Users are hard to feels “being there” if they cannot see things environment. There is a strong relationship between the visual
by their eyes. So most of virtual reality systems are focus on and vestibular systems. Inconsistency between vestibular and
visual display. Visual immersion has numerous factors visual systems can lead to nausea and motion sickness.
including: Vestibular display is common in flight and driving simulation
 Field of view (FOV): the size of the visual field (in systems. [1]
degrees of visual angle) that can be viewed V. SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE
instantaneously. DEVELOPED WITH THE HELP OF VIRTUAL
 Field of regard (FOR): the total size of the visual REALITY
field (in degrees of visual angle) surrounding the user.
 Pixel per inch (PPI): the measurement of the pixel A. VR headsets
density (resolution). VR headsets aim to increase the immersion of the user,
 Stereoscopy: the display of two slightly offset images attempting to make the borders between the real and the virtual
to each eye to provide an additional depth cue. world very thin. This could be used either in gaming, or in
 Frame rate: represents how numerous images that other cases, such as navigating a real space that has been
rendered by system every second. modelled and converted into a 3D application, medical or
 Refresh rate: represents how numerous images that education applications etc.
reconstructed by visual display in every second.
B. Google Cardboard
Example, to display 24 frames per second on a TV with a
Google Cardboard is a virtual reality (VR) platform
120hz refresh rate, each frame is repeated 5 times every 24th of
developed by Google for use with a foldout cardboard mount
a second.
for a mobile phone. It‟s a low cost device, which enables
To render the realistic environment, the virtual reality system everyone to jump inside the VR world, but there is a problem.
much as able to tracking the position and rotation of user‟s head Cardboard only offers the user the ability to navigate by head
for rendering images according to user‟s eye view. tracking mechanisms and to interact with only one magnet
trigger, removing the feel of emerging inside the VR world.
B. Audio Display
Therefore, they implemented a way to add more
Sound is the very simple way to make listeners notice functionality to the Google Cardboard by using a secondary
sense of place, something there, something happening or will device to navigate and interact inside a scene. The secondary
happen in virtual environment. The high-quality sound can help device can be used as a controller to point inside the scenery
in creating a fascinating experience, even when the quality of and also as a way to move. In order to achieve that immersion,
the visual presentation is lacking. 3-D sound has the advantage at least three things are required:
over vision in that virtual sound sources can be synthesized to
occur anywhere in the 360-degree space around a listener. C. Head tracking
Audio immersion has numerous factors, including:
Head tracking is essential for VR applications. Initially, we
 3D localization: the virtual reality system must able to started with 3 degrees of freedom (3DOF), allowing to map
tracking the position and rotation of the listener; for real-world head rotation into virtual-world camera rotation.
example, sounds should get louder as the listener Oculus then improved on that, using IR LED sensors, thus
moves nearer to the sound sources and sounds should enabling 6DOF head tracking, which means that also real-world
generate from the same place in virtual environment head movements are translated into virtual world camera
when the listener rotate his/her head. movement. Low latency is a key requirement, to prevent
 Sound delivery method: Different audio channel will negative impact on user experience.
give a different sense of sound such as 2, 2.1, 5.1 and
D. Stereoscopic 3D rendering:
7.1 channels, or headphone.
 Variety: Loops and repetitions of sound can be The screen is split (vertically) in two halves, each one
detected and perceived as unrealistic. Creating sound displaying a different frame. In fact, the screen output is the
that does not repeat at a rate perceived by the listener result of two cameras with different position and angles, aiming
will improve the immersion of the virtual reality to emulate the eyes and the human stereoscopic vision. Those
system. two frames are each projected to the appropriate eye using two
lenses. The quality of the display, such as the resolution,
C. Haptic displays
response time and colour reproduction, all matter to achieve a
Haptic display is device that stimulates the sense of good result. For example, a low resolution screen reduces the
touch to user. Now a day, we can see a lot of haptic device in immersion as the user can observe what is called the “screen-
gaming industry such as a driving wheel joystick that has force door” effect, the distinctive borders of each pixel. Another
feedback, a vibration gamepad or even vibration mobile phone. worse example, is a display with a slow response time or a low
There isnumerous information represented by haptic display motion resolution. This will result in motion blur as the user
include surface properties of object in virtual environment navigates the virtual space or even a noticeable latency between
including texture, temperature, shape, viscosity, friction, the user‟s movements and the movement in the virtual space.
deformation, inertia and weight.Moreover, haptic display allow This takes away from the experience and at worst, makes the
user to feel the difference between hard and soft tissues which user feel motion sickness.
very important in medical surgery applications.

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 International Journal of Trend in Research and Development, Volume 4(3), ISSN: 2394-9333
www.ijtrd.com
E. Intuitive, seamless controls people such as virtual neurosurgery simulation and virtual
dentist simulation. I think in next 2 years from now, Virtual
This is another very important feature of VR;this enables reality will be wildly use in numerous industry: games, movies,
residents to control their heating from one single touch screen educations. We will see people have their own VR system at
or tablet device, or remotely via Apps or the internet. (vii) home or in any smart phone.
F. 3D trackers References
Various techniques have been developed to monitor [1] “Special study on virtual reality technology: virtual reality head-mounted
the position and orientation of objects in 3D space, but a display and interactive device” by sraSontisirkit. Asian institute of
popular method that has been used in VR systems for a number technology, school of engineering and technology, Thailand.
[2] Virtual reality society (2016) (information available at
of years works electromagnetically. Typically, a stationary http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-environments/)
transmitter radiates electromagnetic signals that are intercepted [3] Virtual reality (2010) Wikipedia (Information available at
by a mobile detector attached to the user‟s head. When the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_reality)
detector receives these signals, they are decoded to reveal the [4] Evolution of virtual reality (information available at
http://wwhsdelp.pbworks.com/f/2.03A+Evolution+of+Virtual+Reality.pp
relative position and orientation between the receiver and t)
transmitter. These signals are then passed on to the run-time [5] Virtual reality: a small introduction by k.p. beier(information available at:
system for transmission to the 3D graphics environment. The http://www.umich.edu/~vrl/intro/)
same Principle is used for tracking the 3D mouse, whose [6] A Seminar report on Virtual Reality (information available
atstudymafia.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Elec-Virtual-Reality-
signals are used to control an icon in the user‟s field of view. report.pdf)
[7] “Mobile Virtual Reality featuring a six degrees of freedom interaction
G. Gloves paradigm in a virtual museum application” by M. Papaefthymiou, K.
The Data glove developed by VPL can monitor the PlelisD. Mavromatis, G. Papagiannakis(information available
athttp://www.ics.forth.gr)
status of the user‟s fingers. This is achievedwith thin fibre- [8] Different kinds of virtual reality by educational communication and
optics attached to the back of the glove‟s fingers. When the technology (information available at
user‟s fingers are flexed, the optical characteristics of the fibre http://www.aect.org:80/edtech/ed1/default.htm)
optics alters, which can be measured and scaled into an output [9] “Principles of multimedia” by Ranjanparekh published by Tata McGraw
hill education private limited. (ISBN (13): 978-1-25-900650-0, ISBN
signal. As the ability to control finger movements changes from (10): 1-25-900650-6))
person to person, the glove should be calibrated for an [10] Virtual prototyping (2016) (information available at
individual to ensure accuracy. A separate tracker is attached to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_prototyping)
the user‟s wrist to monitor its position and orientation. [11] “virtual reality systems” by john Vince published by Pearson education
Asia (ISBN 81-7808-504-6)
H. 3D mice
A handheld 3D mouse is employed by the user to
direct an icon in the user‟s 3D graphic interface. Its position
and orientation are also monitored similar to the method used
for the user‟s head. The mouse also has various buttons whose
status are continuously sampled and used to signal to the real-
time operating system to move forwards or backwards within
the VE. One button is always used to „pick‟ a virtual object
when it intersects with the3D icon associated with the mouse.
In this way the user can identify specific objects and
manipulate them within the VE. [11]
I. Virtual reality for learning/training system
Virtual reality system has the potential to make a
difference, to guild learners to new knowledge, to motivate and
encourage at every level of education. The following reasons to
use virtual reality in education are:
 Providing new forms and methods of visualization:
Virtual reality display allows learners to observe visual
objects that may not able to do like in the real world.
 Motivating students: Virtual reality system allow
learner to interact and work with other learners, which
can encourage them to have interests in subject matter.
 Simulating dangerous, expensive situations: Virtual
reality system allow learners to experience difficult tasks
that hard/expensive to do in real world such as electrical
teaching experiments.
 Learning from expert: Virtual reality system allow
expert to share their experience to their students such as
share their actions during doing a virtual surgery. [1]
CONCLUSION
Virtual reality system is very useful technology that could
improve educational into the next level as we can see from
numerous advance virtual reality systems that use for training
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Available [email protected] 377
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