Virtual Reality How It Works

What is Virtual Reality?

A virtual reality is a computer-generated imagery that emulates the real world in near perfect form. It creates images and realities that are in 3 dimensional in order to replicate the actual world around the user so that they can be able to virtually interact with the environment they are in.

reality

We as humans have always experienced everything through our senses. And even though we know the five senses that were taught in school, our brain actually has other sensory receptors that constantly feed it in order for it to be aware of everything around it. It even has a sense of balance. And this is what virtual reality tries to emulate. Its main function is to create a virtual world where all the senses are activated creating the feeling of being in the actual world. It does this by generating realistic images, sounds, and other sensory effects to nearly simulate the actual world in the virtual world.

 

Therefore anyone who ventures into the virtual reality can move things, move around, look around and be able to actually interact with everything the virtual world has to offer. All this is done by a virtual reality headset mounted on the head of the user and has a small screen in front of the eyes. There are also headsets that are able to transmit vibrations through a game controller or other devices called haptic systems.

 

How Does It Work?

Now that you know what it is, I am going to tell you about virtual reality and how it works. All you would need is the virtual reality headset and a computer. There are other headsets that use consoles like the Sony play station VR. Once you have that all you need is to connect the headset to the console and wear the headset.

virtual reality headset
One thing you will notice is that the headset completely shuts you off from the outside world. This is because your brain cannot have any other interruptions while at the same time your field of view is only to the headset. Now once you wear it, the magic happens. The console or the PC you are using will send the video using an HDMI cable. The video will stream via two LCD screens that are to cater for each eye. Lenses are located between the eyes and the screens and are commonly known as goggles. The goggles are sometimes adjusted to include the different distances between the eyes of different people.

 

The two screens are there because each eye views the world differently. But the difference is minimal in that you can’t even notice it is there. If you could close both eyes one at a time you will notice that difference. And that is why there are 2 screens to take into account each eye’s view. Now the lenses will then focus the video for each eye and will then create a 3D image by mimicking each eye’s view to give the user the perfect illusion of a virtual reality. Without this mimicking, the brain would register that something is off and this reality is not real.

 

So you could choose to play a virtual shooting game and feel like you are actually on the battlefield or in a war zone. Or you can take a nature walk in the comfort of your own house. Choose your pick but whatever you will choose; it will be like nothing you have experienced yet.