Immersion (virtual reality)

Immersion (virtual reality)

In virtual reality (VR), immersion is the feeling of being inside a world that isn’t really there. It makes you feel like you are actually in that place, even though you are sitting in your room. This feeling is created by surrounding the user with images, sounds, and other stimuli that make the experience feel very real.

When someone wears a VR headset, they are taken to a new place where they can move around, see amazing things, and hear sounds that make the experience feel very lifelike. This helps people feel like they are truly part of the virtual world, which can be very exciting and fun.

Immersion in virtual reality is important because it helps people feel more involved and connected to what they are seeing and doing. It makes learning, playing games, or even relaxing feel more real and interesting. This can be useful for many things, like exploring new places, practicing skills, or just having fun in a whole new way.

Etymology

The word "immersion" means being submerged, like being underwater. In virtual reality, it means feeling like you are in a made-up place. When the virtual world feels very real, you might forget about the real world for a little while. The more real it feels, the more you feel like you are really there.

Types

Immersion in virtual reality can be split into a few main types. One type is when players are fully focused on skills and actions, feeling very involved in what they are doing. Another type is more about thinking and solving problems, like playing a game that needs careful planning. There is also a type where players get caught up in a story, much like when reading a book or watching a movie.

Some experts also talk about feeling like you are really in the virtual world, as if it looks and feels true. This makes the experience even more engaging.

Presence

Presence is the feeling of being in a place even though you are not really there. This happens when technology, like virtual reality glasses, makes you feel like you are inside a made-up world. It is your own feeling that matters most, even if the world is created by computers.

To make this feeling strong, special technology is needed. For example, the glasses need to track your movements very well and react quickly. Experts have listed many things that help create this feeling, like a wide view, clear pictures, and fast updates.

Immersive media and technology

Immersive media includes technologies that make users feel like they are inside a computer-made world. These technologies are used in many areas such as engineering, healthcare, education, and shopping. Some types of immersive media are:

• Virtual reality (VR)
• Augmented reality (AR)
• Mixed reality (MR)
• Extended reality (XR)
• Metaverse
• Spatial computing
• 3D content

Immersive virtual reality is a technology that tries to make the user feel like they are inside a world made by a computer. This is done using special glasses called Head-Mounted Display(HMD) or by showing pictures on many screens. These glasses let users see the VR world clearly without distractions. People have been trying to make immersive technology since the 1800s, and it has become more advanced over time.

Immersive technology today is used in many ways. It is very popular in video games, where users can feel like they are really in the game. Schools are also starting to use it to help students learn in new ways. Big companies like Facebook have invested a lot of money in VR because they see its potential. As this technology keeps growing, it will likely be used in even more places, such as medicine and art.

Technology

Origin

One of the first devices that looked like a VR headset was called a stereoscope. It was made in the 1830s and used two slightly different pictures, one for each eye, to create a 3D effect. Later, in 1957, Morton Heilig invented the Sensorama, which added sounds, smells, and vibrations to movies. In 1968, a device called The Sword of Damocles connected VR headsets to computers. In 1991, Sega made a VR headset for arcades, and in the 1990s, augmented reality began to develop quickly. In 2012, Oculus changed VR by making headsets more affordable, and Facebook bought the company in 2014. In 2016, the game Pokémon Go became very popular because it used augmented reality on phones.

Elements of immersive technology

A full immersive experience needs to include sight, sound, and touch. This is best done with virtual reality or augmented reality, which use all these elements. The focus is on letting users interact with and learn about a new environment.

Types of immersive technology

Virtual reality lets users be in a completely digital world. Users need a headset, hand controls, and headphones to fully feel immersed. There are also games that mix the real world with the game world, called pervasive games. These games might need players to meet in real life to finish parts of the game. Popular VR games include Vader Immortal, Trover Saves the Universe, and No Man's Sky.

Immersive technology today

Immersive technology has grown a lot in the last few decades and keeps getting better. VR is often called a great learning tool for the future. Head-mounted displays (HMD) are key to giving users a full immersive experience. Big companies like Sony, Samsung, and HTC are investing heavily in VR and AR. In education, researchers are looking at how VR can help students learn, but there is still much to discover. The most popular use of immersive technology is in video games, where HMDs let players experience games in new ways. Games like Star Wars: Squadron, Half-Life: Alyx, and No Man's Sky let users feel like they are really in the digital world.

Components

Perception

Hardware technologies work on one or more of the senses to create real-feeling experiences. Vision technologies include 3D displays, fulldomes, head-mounted displays, and holography. Sound technologies include 3D audio effects, high-resolution audio, and surround sound. Haptic technology creates feelings of touch.

Interaction

Different technologies let users interact with and talk to the virtual world, such as brain-computer interfaces, gesture recognition, omnidirectional treadmills, and speech recognition.

Software

Software works with the hardware to create the virtual world and respond to the user in real time. It often uses artificial intelligence and virtual worlds to make the experience dynamic.

Research and development

Many universities have programs to research and develop immersive technology. Examples include Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, USC's Computer Graphics and Immersive Technologies Lab, and others. The video game industry has also grown with immersive technology, especially augmented reality. The U.S. Government also funds projects to use immersive technology in the future.

Application

See also: Applications of virtual reality

See also: Applications of augmented reality

Immersive technology is used in many areas, such as retail, e-commerce, art, entertainment, video games, interactive storytelling, the military, education, and medicine. It is also used by non-profits for things like disaster relief and conservation, as it can make users feel more connected to real situations. As immersive technology becomes more common, it will likely be used in even more industries.

Concerns and ethics

Some stories and movies have shown possible dangers of immersive technology, such as not being able to tell the real world from a digital world. There have also been discussions about whether it is right to allow harmful actions in a simulated environment.

Immersive virtual reality

Immersive virtual reality is an idea for the future that exists today mostly as virtual reality art projects. It would let a person feel like they are really inside a made-up world, just like they feel in everyday life.

One way this could work would be by sending special signals right to the nerves in the body. Our body and brain talk to each other using these nerve signals. A system could send fake signals to the brain to make the person feel things in the virtual world. It would also need to read the brain’s natural signals so the person could move and act inside that world. This idea would need very advanced computers and a deep understanding of how the brain works. The Blue Brain Project is researching how the brain functions by creating big computer models.

Immersive digital environments

An immersive digital environment is a made-up world created by a computer where a person can feel like they are inside it. This world can look like real life, or it can be a completely made-up place. For a person to really feel like they are in this world, the environment needs to feel real. This can be done with good 3D pictures, sounds all around, and ways for the user to interact with the world.

To make someone feel fully immersed, the environment tries to feel real to all five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Technology can help make this happen using big screens, surround sound, special controls for touch, and even ways to copy smells and tastes. When these senses believe the world is real, the user can then interact with it naturally, using movements, gestures, or even special devices that respond to brain activity.

Immersive digital environments are used in many ways. They help train people for jobs, from simple tasks to dangerous situations that can’t be practiced in real life. They are also used in video games, entertainment, and even in learning about nature or the human body. Artists use these environments to create new experiences, and scientists study how they can help with medical care and understanding mental health. In building design, they help architects see and test their plans in a virtual space before building anything real. These environments can also help in construction, training workers, and even in studying how people might use a building once it’s built.

Detrimental effects

When people use virtual reality, they can sometimes feel unwell, like motion sickness from rides or movies. This feeling is called simulation sickness. In virtual reality, this can feel stronger because the person cannot see real-world things around them. The images and sounds may make it feel like they are moving.

Using virtual reality a lot can also cause other changes, like feeling stressed, spending less time with others, or having mood changes.