Virtual reality
Also written: VR
Computer generated environments you can interact with as if you were there.
Virtual reality, or VR, puts you inside a computer-generated world. Special headsets block out the real world and show you a digital one. You can look around, and sometimes even move, as if you were actually in that digital place.
Think of it like stepping into a video game or a simulated movie. You might use VR to explore faraway places, practice a skill like surgery, or play immersive games. The goal is to make you feel present in the digital environment.
Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world. It is typically experienced through a head-mounted display (HMD) that provides visual and auditory stimuli, and often incorporates motion tracking to allow users to interact with the virtual environment. VR aims to achieve a sense of presence, where the user feels physically located within the simulated world.
Key components include display technology (high resolution, low latency), tracking systems (inside-out or outside-in), and input devices (controllers, haptic feedback). Tradeoffs involve cost, computational requirements, potential for motion sickness, and the fidelity of the simulated experience.
The term appears due to discussions around the foundational technologies and pioneers of VR, like Jaron Lanier. Frontier AI labs are exploring how immersive technologies and AI can intersect to create new forms of interaction and digital experiences.
- Jaron Lanier: Father of Virtual Reality, Renaissance manMicrosoft · Behind The Tech with Kevin Scott ·
- Microsoft Copilot
- Microsoft has been involved in VR development and integration, particularly with its Windows Mixed Reality platform and HoloLens, aiming to blend digital content with the physical world.
- Augmented reality
- AR overlays digital information onto the real world, while VR
- Mixed reality
- MR blends the real and virtual worlds, allowing digital objects t
The term 'virtual reality' was popularized by Jaron Lanier in the late 1980s. He co-founded VPL Research, one of the first companies to sell VR hardware. Source ↗
You can try VR by visiting a VR arcade or using a VR headset like Meta Quest or PlayStation VR. Many offer introductory experiences or games that let you explore digital worlds and interact with objects.
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Questions people ask
- What is the main goal of VR?
- The main goal of VR is to create a sense of presence, making the user feel like they are truly inside and interacting with a computer-generated environment.
- What equipment do I need for VR?
- Typically, you need a VR headset, which includes displays for your eyes and sensors for tracking movement, and often controllers for interacting with the virtual world.
First seen on Subvolts Mar 22, 2019. Updated Sep 19, 2026. Written by an AI model from the items above and reviewed against them weekly; report an error.