A PAPER ON

VIRTUAL REALITY

By

Y.S.R ENGINEERING COLLEGE OF

YOGI VEMANA UNIVERSITY
PRODDATUR-516360 Y.S.R (Dt.)
Ph:08564-254770, 254771 (F)

V.MANOJ KUMAR

BTECH 4rd Year

Computer Science Branch

Mail id: manoj8657@gmail.com

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ABSTRACT

Virtual Reality (VR), sometimes called Virtual

Environments (VE) has drawn much attention in the last
few years. The Virtual Reality uses a huge number of
technologies to produce a Virtual world so that a user can
interact and manipulate with the virtual objects in the so
produced Virtual Worlds. With the aid of some specially
developed gadgets like a Head Mounted Display,
Electronic Glove and Mechanical armatures that fit the
human organs we can immerse the human into the Virtual
world. The simulation technique is combined with the
motion of the human to produce the output that what
human expects for. For example the person in a Virtual
world looks at a particular object then he has to get the
feeling that he is actually looking at that object and he
should also get the feeling of the sounds that come from
that object. In this paper a historical overview of virtual
reality is presented, types, architecture of VR systems are
listed, followed by applications of this technology in
science, work, and entertainment areas. Finally, the future
of VR is considered.

INTRODUCTION
“Virtual Reality is a way for humans to visualize,
manipulate and interact with computers and extremely
complex data”.
Here the word visualization refers to the computer-
generated outputs such as computer graphics, simulations,
and other such as the CAD models. Here the outputs may be
animations that can be controlled easily by scripts. Here the

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human can directly interact and manipulate with these

animations.
The most difficult thing in the Virtual Reality is to
produce the interaction between Virtual world and the
human but not the production of the Virtual world. The
type of Virtual Reality in which the human is actually
immersed into the Virtual world is called the immersive
Virtual Reality. In such a type of Virtual Reality the
human is completely isolated from the outside world and
he is placed an entirely computer generated world.
The applications being developed for Virtual
Reality are wide range utilities. Among them the real time
applications occupy the prominent place.

History OF VR :
Nowadays computer graphics is used in many
domains of our life. The thought of virtual reality has been
around since 1965, when Ivan Sutherland expressed his
ideas of creating virtual or imaginary worlds. At MIT, he
conducted experiments with three dimensional displays.
In 1969, he developed the first system to surround people
in three dimensional displays of information. Between the
'70's and late '80's, the concept of virtual reality was
mainly used by the United States. The military used it as
flight simulators to train pilots. The other countries in the
world did not show any interest in this technology until
the late 1980's. Since then, virtual reality has developed in
many ways to become an emerging technology of our
time.

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Types of Virtual Reality Systems

There are different types of Virtual Reality systems
are:
(a) Immersive Systems
The highest priority is being given to the
immersive systems. As we have already mentioned the
immersive systems rules out the entire real world and
places the human in a completely computer generated
animation world.
(b) Window on World (WoW)
It is a normal Virtual world that has been
developed on a desktop PC. The most common form of
the WoW are computer games that uses 3d simulation of
the real worlds. Here the user has to peep into the Virtual
world using a monitor placed on his desktop.
(c) Video Mapping
This is a technique used to map the motion of a
human using special electronic device like cameras. Here
the input to the computer is the motion of the human and
the output is the 2d graphical image of the human showing
his human.

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(d) Tele presence

This is another technique in Virtual Reality
where we use some remote sensors placed some where in
the Virtual world that maps the human actions and
correlates them to the actions that has to be done by the
objects in the Virtual world. This type of Virtual Reality is
being used by the fire fighters in some critical conditions.
Special Robots fixed with this type of sensors help them a
lot.

(e) Mixed Reality

This is a technique combining the Virtual Reality
systems and the telepresence. Here the inputs to both the
telepresence and Virtual Reality systems are fed as inputs.
The fighters see the maps generated by the computers and
correlate them with the data available with them. The
surgeons correlate the images taken by the CAT scans and
the ones taken by the computers.

Technologies of VR :
After a deep study of this emerging technology, we have
classified Virtual Reality into three types. They are as
follows:
1. Virtual Reality using Hardware

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There is a number of hardware developed for the

usage by Virtual Reality. Among them some are explained
below.
1.1 Head Mounted Display
The Head mounted display consists of two
miniature display screens that produce the stereo scopic
images and an optical position tracking system that tracks
the orientation of the humans head in the Virtual world
and that produces the impulse to the image generating
computer. The image-generating computer produces the
respective view corresponding to the orientation of the
user head in the Virtual world. This is the basic device
used in the IVR. As a result the user can see in the
direction that he wants and he can walk through the
Virtual world.

1.2 Boom and Cave

To overcome the intrusiveness with the HMD the
Boom and Cave are used. These are also extensively used
in the IVR.
Screens and stereo scopic image generating
apparatus are fixed in a box, which is attached to a multi

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link arm. The user peeps into the Virtual world through
two holes, and controls his motions with the arms.

The Cave is an interesting topic in IVR. A cave

consists of a cube shaped room. The stereo scopic images
are projected on to the walls and the floor of the room
with the help of a number of projectors. The head tracking
system worn by the leading user controls the view of the
Virtual world. Several users may sit on the Virtual world
at a time.
In the figure we can see the Cave Automatic Virtual
Environment (CAVE)

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2. Virtual Reality using software

The most commonly used tools for developing 3d
worlds are VRML v1.0, VRML97, VRML v2.0, 3d Studio
max, Rhino3d, Amapi3d, ALICE99, BLENDER and other
such software. The VRMLv1.0 is the child language
developed from the XML family. There aren’t many
differences between the later versions of VRML
(VRML97 and VRML v2.0). The programming paradigms
are entirely different from VRMLv1.0 to VRMLv2.0.
There are many companies dedicated to develop the tools
for creating virtual worlds, such as Parallel Graphics Co.,
and Trapezium Co.,.
Also there are many concepts of developing the virtual
worlds using the software.
They are:
2.1 Rendering
In this we are conscious about the rendering
techniques. Here we use the technique of wire framing. A
sample output and its wire frame model are shown below.
After developing the wire frame model what we have to
do is simply to apply the texture to it. This is called
texturing. The texture applied can be a photograph or any

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predefined textures such as metal, rock, wood and cement

flooring.
2.2 Programming
The other tool available for developing the virtual
worlds is by programming. There are many programming
languages by which we can develop the virtual worlds.
The best one we prefer is by using VRML v2.0. Prior to
this language, people used to develop the virtual worlds
using the traditional programming language, JAVA. As we
have mentioned earlier VRML is a language born from the
family of XML. VRML is Virtual Reality Modeling
Language. VRML v2.0 is more advanced compared to the
version 2.0.
ARCHITECTURE OF VR SYSTEM

Components of VR System :
(a) Input Processor,
(b) Simulation Processor,
(c) Rendering Processor and

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(d) World Database

(a) Input Processor
-Control the devices used to input information to the
computer. The object is to get the coordinate data to the
rest of the system with minimal lag time.
-Keyboard, mouse, 3D position trackers, a voice
recognition system, etc.
(b) Simulation Processor
-Core of a VR system.
-Takes the user inputs along with any tasks programmed
into the world and determine the actions that will take
place in the virtual world.

(c) Rendering
Processor

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-Create the sensations (d) World Database:

that are output to the
user.
-Separate rendering
processes are used for
visual, auditory, haptic
and other sensory
systems. Each renderer
take a description of the
world stat from the
simulation process or
derive it directly from Store the objects that

the World Database for inhabit the world,

each time step. scripts that describe

actions of those
objects.

APPLICATIONS
Real Time Applications of Virtual Reality:

The applications being developed for Virtual Reality run

over a wide spectrum from 3d games to architectural
planning of buildings. The applications may be scientific
and technical that can not be viewed in actual life. The
flexibility of the Virtual Reality makes it use in the
scientific applications like architectural planning, rocket
launching, war strategies, cockpit simulation, robotics and
medical related applications.
1. Virtual Reality in war strategies
SIMNET is the first war related Virtual Reality
application. This project is standardization being pushed

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by the USA Defense Department to enable diverse

simulators to be interconnected into a vast network. The
soldiers can be trained to the war by developing a Virtual
world that looks exactly the war field. This helps them in
knowing how to deal in war fields. Distributed Interactive
System (DIS) protocol has been developed by the Orlando
Institute of Training and Simulation, which is the future of
Virtual Reality in war strategies.

2. Virtual Reality robots with the help of

in medical multi-link arms that we
Virtual Reality is have already seen in the
now being used to train
physicians to carry out
intricate surgical
procedures such as
laparoscopies,
arthroscopies,
endoscopies and other
minimally invasive
surgeries.
Nano surgery is
another medical case of booms.
application, where the
doctors located at a
distinct place guide the
robots. They guide the
3. Virtual Reality
in designing
aspects

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Virtual Reality time. This concept of

helps in designing the Virtual Reality is being is
virtual models of the mostly used in the
certain objects. By designing of conceptual
building the virtual cars. Concept cars are
models we can see how being designed to study
the model works, what new ideas. Most of these
the defects may be and designs are never built.
how we can overcome Virtual reality provides a
the previous defects. tool for evaluating such
These all can not be seen designs in full scale
by actually developing without building time
the model as it includes a consuming and costly
lot of cost and laborious physical prototypes.

4. Virtual Reality in amusement parks

Virtual Reality is also playing a vital role in the
amusement parks. The conceptual cars that we have
discussed above and the racing games are being developed
to attract people. With the help of electronic gloves, head-
mounted displays and stereo scopic vision racing games
attract the people.
5. Virtual Reality in web development.
6. Virtual Reality in cockpit simulation
7. Virtual Reality and Cryptography
Future of Virtual Reality
Yesterday Virtual Reality was a science fiction
fantasy. Today it is a research topic in laboratories and
amusement parks. Tomorrow it will certainly replace our
televisions and computers. There are already a lot of
organizations deemed towards the development of the

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Virtual Reality. Many researches are being done to find

more and more applications of Virtual Reality. In the forth
coming days the web sites developed using Virtual Reality
will replace the entire present web industry. Even a virtual
Jurassic Park may be developed in USA in a short span of
days. Let’s hope for a bright future of this emerging
technology.

CONCLUSION:
The technology is being developed rapidly and
shows considerable potential. The ability of Virtual
Reality to produce realistic worlds of data, objects and
environments, with which the users can interact and
manipulate in a realistic and an intuitive manner, opens up
a vast wealth of possibilities for work-related applications.
The concept of Virtual Reality provides an innovative mix
of entertainment, education and State-of-Art. Virtual
reality technology will transport guests to different
worlds. From waterbeds to gyroscopes and hydraulic
units, a variety of platforms will provide a new kind of
travel; into Cyberspace; into virtual worlds where one can
swim with the dolphins and experience intense sensory
stimulation. As movement of people is becoming more
and more costly with time, the scope of Virtual Reality is
growing. Working in many fields like medicine, rocket
launching, massive constructions, it is very important to
be more precise and accurate and here Virtual Reality
provides a solution by providing a platform which makes
it possible by using the applications of Virtual Reality.

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Reference
 VIRTUAL REALITY -
http://ei.cs.vt.edu/~history/Tate.VR.html
 Evolution of Virtual Reality - http://www-
ec.njit.edu/~gdb1498/Portfolio/CIS350Ter
mPaper2.html
 History of VR -
http://www.cs.jhu.edu/~cohen/VW2000/Le
ctures/History.color.pdf
 Virtual Reality – History -
http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/VETo
pLevels/VR.History.html

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