Virtual Reality for Beginners: Unlocking the Basics – Part 1

Virtual Reality (VR) technology is the latest advancement in computing that allows the creation of three-dimensional virtual environments. This technology is experienced through the use of VR headsets such as the Quest 2 by Meta, HP Reverb, and Pico by ByteDance. Although gaming is the most popular and widespread use case, VR technology has also been employed in areas such as fitness, education, and training. Virtual Reality (VR) market has been seeing tremendous growth over the past few years and it is forecasted to grow from US$ 6.9 billion in 2021 to $51.5 billion in 2030.

I have been exploring this field and will be covering fundamental concepts related to VR, which share many similarities with video games. Please note that all explanations presented here are not my own and are sourced from various references, which are linked within the text.

I will begin with the basic terms that you may encounter like AR, MR and XR that often come up when we talk about VR.

Augmented Reality – AR: In very simple terms AR is a technology that overlays digital content onto the real world. This can be achieved through the use of an AR headset or smartphone camera. AR technology allows users to interact with virtual objects in the real world, and it is often used for applications such as gaming, education, and advertising. AR technology is widely available on smartphones and tablets, which makes it accessible to a large audience. There are several AR apps and some of the most popular ones that I used are: Google Maps app in AR mode that helps you navigate to your destination by adding virtual signs and directional arrows over the live view on your phone in order to point the way;  Google lens which helps with identifying text, images, objects and landmarks in your photographs and Pokemon Go.

Mixed Reality – MR: MR is a technology that combines elements of both AR and VR. Unlike in AR where digital content is overlaid in real world, in MR, virtual objects are overlaid onto the real world. It lets you see both the real world and a computer-generated world at the same time, as if they’re mixed together. You can interact with both worlds together, too. MR technology is still relatively new and is currently being developed for applications such as gaming, design, and education. One example of a mixed reality (MR) use case is in the field of architecture and construction. MR can be used to overlay digital models of buildings or structures onto the real world, allowing architects and builders to visualize and manipulate designs in a more interactive and intuitive way.

Extended Reality – XR: This encompasses all immersive technologies including VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and MR (Mixed Reality). XR is often used as an umbrella term to refer to any technology that blends the physical and digital worlds in a way that creates a more immersive experience for the user.

Now, lets move on to the fundamental concepts of VR. I will use Supernatural (SN) VR Fitness App as an example to explain the concepts:

1. Immersion: VR is all about creating an immersive experience for the user. The goal is to make the user feel like they are actually inside the virtual environment.
   • Supernatural utilizes 360-degree images of diverse locations to create a fully immersive experience for users wearing the headset. When you rotate your head while wearing the device, it feels as if you have been transported to the location depicted in the image. This level of immersion is achieved by fully integrating the 360-degree images into the virtual environment.
2. Presence: Presence refers to the feeling of actually being present in a virtual environment. This is achieved through various techniques such as realistic graphics, haptic feedback, and spatial audio.
   • Supernatural VR fitness app uses high-quality graphics, 3D audio, and haptic feedback to create a realistic and immersive virtual world that feels like a real physical space.
3. Tracking: Tracking is an essential part of VR technology. It involves tracking the user’s movements and translating them into the virtual environment. This allows the user to interact with and navigate the virtual environment.
   • Supernatural app uses a combination of hardware and software to track the user’s movements during the workout. The app uses sensors in the VR headset that can track the user’s head orientation and movement, as well as handheld controllers that can track the user’s hand movements. In addition to the hardware-based tracking, Supernatural app also utilizes advanced computer vision algorithms to track the user’s body movements in real-time. The app uses the front-facing cameras on the VR headset to capture images of the user’s body and then applies machine learning techniques to identify key points on the body, such as the head, hands, and feet. By continuously analyzing these points, the app is able to track the user’s movements with high accuracy and precision, allowing them to interact with the virtual environment in a natural and intuitive way.
4. Field of View: Field of view refers to the extent of the user’s visual perception within the virtual environment. A wider field of view can create a more immersive experience.
   • The FOV is the extent of the observable environment visible through the VR headset. VR apps use a technique called “fixed foveated rendering” to optimize performance and reduce motion sickness. Fixed foveated rendering involves rendering the central portion of the FOV at a higher resolution than the peripheral regions. This allows VR apps to maintain a high level of visual fidelity while also reducing processing power requirements and minimizing the risk of motion sickness.
5. Latency: Latency refers to the delay between the user’s actions and the corresponding response in the virtual environment. Low latency is crucial for creating a seamless and immersive experience.
   • Supernatural app provides a low-latency experience to ensure that the user’s movements are accurately and immediately reflected in the virtual environment.
6. Interaction: Interaction is a key aspect of VR. It allows users to engage with the virtual environment through gestures, voice commands, or physical controllers.
   • SN utilizes hardware based interactions through the handheld controllers that come with VR headsets and software-based interactions like dodging obstacles, hitting targets and performing various physical movements.
7. Haptic feedback: Haptic feedback is a technology that uses tactile sensations, such as vibrations or pressure, to simulate the sense of touch in the user. In the context of VR, haptic feedback can be used to enhance immersion and create a more realistic experience. There are different types of haptic feedback technologies that can be used in VR systems. One common type is vibration feedback, where the VR controller or headset produces a vibration when the user interacts with an object in the virtual environment. This can create the sensation of touching or handling an object within the virtual world.
   • In Supernatural, a vibration is triggered when a user hits a target.     

That is it for today. Will write about more concepts in my next post.

Image credit: Deepai.org