Virtual Reality

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Imagine being able to point into the sky and fly. Or

perhaps walk through space and connect

molecules together. These are some of the dreams

that have come with the invention of virtual reality.

With the introduction of computers, numerous

applications have been enhanced or created. The

newest technology that is being tapped is that of

artificial reality, or "virtual reality" (VR). When

Morton Heilig first got a patent for his "Sensorama

Simulator" in 1962, he had no idea that 30 years

later people would still be trying to simulate reality

and that they would be doing it so effectively.

Jaron Lanier first coined the phrase "virtual reality"

around 1989, and it has stuck ever since.

Unfortunately, this catchy name has caused people

to dream up incredible uses for this technology

including using it as a sort of drug. This became

evident when, among other people, Timothy Leary

became interested in VR. This has also worried

some of the researchers who are trying to create

very real applications for medical, space, physical,

chemical, and entertainment uses among other

things. In order to create this alternate reality,

however, you need to find ways to create the

illusion of reality with a piece of machinery known

as the computer. This is done with several

computer-user interfaces used to simulate the

senses. Among these, are stereoscopic glasses to

make the simulated world look real, a 3D auditory

display to give depth to sound, sensor lined gloves

to simulate tactile feedback, and head-trackers to

follow the orientation of the head. Since the

technology is fairly young, these interfaces have

not been perfected, making for a somewhat

cartoonish simulated reality. Stereoscopic vision is

probably the most important feature of VR

because in real life, people rely mainly on vision to

get places and do things. The eyes are

approximately 6.5 centimeters apart, and allow

you to have a full-colour, three-dimensional view

of the world. Stereoscopy, in itself, is not a very

new idea, but the new twist is trying to generate

completely new images in real- time. In 1933, Sir

Charles Wheatstone invented the first stereoscope

with the same basic principle being used in today's

head-mounted displays. Presenting different views

to each eye gives the illusion of three dimensions.

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.... "Facing Interface Issues." Computer Graphics World, April 1992, pp. 48-58.

Daviss, Bennett. "Grand Illusions." Discover, June 1990, pp. 36-41.

Emmett, Arielle. "Down to Earth: Practical Applications of Virtual Reality Find Commercial Uses." Computer Graphics World, March 1992,

pp. 46-54.

Peterson, Ivars. "Recipes for Artificial Realities." Science News, 24 Nov. 1990, pp.

328-329.

Peterson, Ivars. "Looking-Glass Worlds." Science News, 4 Jan 1992, pp. 8-15.

Porter, Stephen. "Virtual Reality." Computer Graphics World, March 1992, pp. 42-43.

Rheingold, Howard. Virtual Reality. Toronto: Summit Books, 1991.

Tisdale, Sallie. "It's Been Real." Esquire, April 1991, pp. 36-40.

Various.

Virtual Reality Special Report. San Francisco: Meckler Publishing, 1992.

Companies Contacted:

Ascension Technology Corp. P.O Box 527

Burlington, VT 05402 (802)655-7879 Polhemus

Inc. P.O Box 560 Colchester, VT 05446

(802)655-3159 Shooting Star Technology 1921

Holdom Ave. Burnaby, BC V5B 3W4

(604)298-8574 Virtual Technologies P.O. Box

5984 Stanford, CA 94309 (415)599-2331 VPL

Research Inc. 656 Bair Island Rd. Third Floor

Redwood City, CA 94063 (415)361-1710

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