Virtual reality is a cutting-edge technology that allows us to step through the computer screen into a three-dimensional, interactive environment. By putting on a special visor and glove, it places us inside of a simulated environment that really looks and feels like the real world. Through virtual reality, we're convinced we're in another world experiencing some event, and doing things that don't physically exist.

When we put on a virtual reality visor we enter a world where everything is possible- visiting New York, learning to operate heavy machinery, traveling back into time to Ancient Rome, or flying through the solar system. Virtual reality combines the power of a computer, the information of an encyclopedia, the imagery of a motion picture, and the excitement of real life into one new learning experience.

When we put on a virtual reality visor we enter a world where everything is possible- visiting New York, learning to operate heavy machinery, traveling back into time to Ancient Rome, or flying through the solar system. Virtual reality combines the power of a computer, the information of an encyclopedia, the imagery of a motion picture, and the excitement of real life into one new learning experience.

We interact in virtual reality the same way we interact with the real world. We can pour a cup of virtual coffee with our hands. We can look at the bottom of a table in a virtual world if we physically bend down and turn our heads upward- just as we would in real life. We can even "throw" a ball that doesn't physically exist by "grabbing" the ball, and propelling our arms forward in a throwing motion. A helpful analogy to better understand the nature of virtual reality is that of a child exploring a forest for the first time. A child will best learn about the forest not from reading about it or listening to a teacher lecture, but by walking into it- becoming a part of it. The child is free to explore the forest any way she likes. Discovery and experience become the best teacher.

ELEMENTS OF VIRTUAL REALITY

Virtual Reality Visor
The essential ingredient of virtual reality is a special visor that transports us into a virtual world. In the visor, we see and feel everything three-dimensionally, just like in real life. The visor looks like a high-tech SCUBA mask and gives us our own first-person perspective into a 3-D world, a far cry from one-dimensional books and computer screens.



Virtual Reality Gloves
Special virtual reality gloves are used to make gestures and interact with objects in the virtual world. We are able to see our hands in the virtual world to grab objects, pick things up and manipulate them. Virtual reality gloves provide a new, natural way to interact and communicate with computers.

3-D Stereo Sound
In virtual reality, all the sounds we hear are three-dimensional. For example, the volume of an airplane in a virtual world decreases as it moves away from you, just as in real life. In a virtual car we can hear the wind rushing past us.






Head Tracking
A tracking mechanism registers all of our head motions. When we move our heads, the visual scene changes accordingly, just as in real life. As you look up from your computer screen, your viewpoint changes, and you see a wall or ceiling. The same is true in virtual reality.



VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS

In a virtual reality environment, we have our own first-person perspective. We are free to navigate through the virtual world and discover it for ourselves with movement, vision, and gesture. In the virtual environment, we are immersed in learning experiences where we have total control. A virtual environment can consist of a room, your office, a city, a mountain- whatever will most effectively teach students and trainees.
 
VISUAL-BASED LEARNING

The human being is a very visual creature. As Wordsworth said, "the eye- it cannot choose but see." Most of the information we receive come from visual images because it is simply the most effective and natural way for our brains to process information. That's the way we are designed.  Unfortunately, most of the information we are asked to understand (like this website, for example) is not in such a natural form. The human mind can only read 100 bits/characters per second. However, visually it can absorb the equivalent of 1 billion bits per second. Half of the human brain is dedicated to visual processing, and virtual reality is the most natural way for us to learn aside from actually seeing, hearing, and doing. Because virtual reality presents information directly to us three-dimensionally (our brains think three-dimensionally), we are able to process the information naturally and efficiently. We also retain more of the information presented to us, which is very important for learning and training purposes.

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