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Avirtual reality headset (VR headset) is ahead-mounted device that uses3D near-eye displays andpositional tracking to provide avirtual reality environment for the user. VR headsets are widely used withVR video games, but they are also used in other applications, including simulators and trainers. VR headsets typically include astereoscopic display (providing separate images for each eye),stereo sound, and sensors likeaccelerometers andgyroscopes for tracking thepose of the user's head to match the orientation of the virtual camera with the user's eye positions in the real world.[1]Mixed reality (MR) headsets are VR headsets that enable the user to see and interact with the outside world. Examples of MR headsets include theApple Vision Pro andMeta Quest 3.[2]
VR headsets typically use at least oneMEMS IMU forthree degrees of freedom (3DOF) motion tracking, and optionally more tracking technology forsix degrees of freedom (6DOF) motion tracking. 6DOF devices typically use asensor fusion algorithm to merge the data from the IMU and any other tracking sources, typically either one or more external sensors, or "inside-out" tracking using outward facing cameras embedded in the headset. The sensor fusion algorithms that are used are often variants of aKalman filter. VR headsets can supportmotion controllers, which similarly combine inputs from accelerometers and gyroscopes with the headset's motion tracking system.
Most headsets are reliant on apersonal computer to operate. Some "standalone" headsets are based on amobile operating system andsmartphone-like hardware, allowing VR apps to run directly on the device, while also allowing VR applications to be streamed from a PC over aUSB orWi-Fi connection. Virtual reality headsets and viewers have also been designed for smartphones, where the device's screen is viewed through lenses acting as astereoscope, rather than using dedicated internal displays.
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VPL Research was a company that made early VR headsets in the 1980s.[3]
TheSega VR was announced in 1991 and seen in early 1993 at the WinterCES. It was never released for consoles,[4] but was utilized for theSega VR-1 motion simulatorarcade attraction in 1994.[5][6] Another early VR headset, theForte VFX1, was announced at CES in 1994. The VFX-1 has stereoscopic displays, 3-axis head-tracking, and stereo headphones.[7]
Sony released theGlasstron in 1997, which has an optional positional sensor, allowing the wearer to view the surroundings, with the perspective moving as the user's head moves, giving a deep sense of immersion. These VR headsets gaveMechWarrior 2 players a new visual perspective of seeing the battlefield from inside the cockpit of their craft. However, these early headsets failed commercially due to their limited technology,[8][9] and they were described byJohn Carmack as like "looking throughtoilet paper tubes".[10]
In 2012, acrowdfunding campaign began for theOculus Rift, a virtual reality headset created byPalmer Luckey; the project was promoted by several prominentvideo game developers, includingJohn Carmack[8] who later becameOculus VR'sCTO.[11] In March 2014, the project's parent company Oculus VR was acquired byFacebook for $2 billion.[12] The final consumer-oriented release of Oculus Rift began shipping on 28 March 2016.[13]
In March 2014,Sony demonstrated a prototype headset forPlayStation 4,[14] which was later namedPlayStation VR.[15] In 2014,Valve demonstrated some headset prototypes,[16] which led to a partnership withHTC to produce theVive, which focuses on"room-scale" VR environments that users can naturally navigate within and interact with. The headset uses Valve's "SteamVR" software platform.[17] The Vive was released in April 2016[18] and PlayStation VR in October 2016.[19]
Google released a series of specifications and associatedDIY kits for virtual reality viewers known asGoogle Cardboard; these viewers are capable of being constructed using low-cost materials (and a smartphone with a gyroscope), such as cardboard (hence the naming).Samsung Electronics partnered with Oculus VR to co-develop theSamsung Gear VR (which is only compatible with someSamsung Galaxy devices).LG Electronics developed a headset with dedicated displays for itsLG G5 smartphone known as LG 360 VR.[20][21][22][23] In March 2017, Microsoft launched a platform for VR andmixed reality headsets running onWindows 10 known asWindows Mixed Reality, with VR headsets from multiple partners including PC makersAcer,Dell,HP Inc., andLenovo.[24]
In 2018, Oculus released theOculus Go, a standalone headset capable of running VRapps on embedded mobile computing hardware, thus not needing a PC or an inserted smartphone to operate.[25] In June 2019, Valve released their own in-house SteamVR headset, theValve Index.[26] In an October 2019 report, Sony, Facebook (Oculus), and HTC were identified by Trend Force as the three largest manufacturers of VR hardware.[27] 2019 saw Facebook release the first-generationOculus Quest, a successor to the Oculus Go concept which supports motion controllers and positional tracking with 6DOF.[28][29] Subsequent releases of the Quest line included theQuest 2 (released September 2020) andQuest 3 (October 2023).
There are different optics and visual qualities that affect how an individual perceives the image quality and how they experience the virtual world. The image clarity depends on the display resolution, optic quality, refresh rate, and field of view.[30]
Because virtual reality headsets stretch a single display across a widefield of view (up to 110° for some devices according to manufacturers), the magnification factor makes flaws in display technology much more apparent. One issue is the so-calledscreen-door effect, where the gaps between rows and columns ofpixels become visible, akin to looking through ascreen door.[31] This was especially noticeable in earlier prototypes and development kits,[9] which had lowerresolutions than the retail versions.
Retina E-paper is a new technique that has been demonstrated. Based on electrochemically tunableWO₃ nanodisks, this display achieves pixel dimensions around 560 nm and a resolution exceeding 25,000 pixels per inch, approaching the limit of human visual acuity. Unlike conventional emissive micro-LED or OLED displays, Retina E-paper is low power and uses ambient light, making it a promising candidate for future VR / AR headsets.[32][33]
Thelenses of the headset are responsible for mapping the up-close display to a wide field of view,[34][35] while also providing a more comfortable distant point offocus. One challenge with this is providing consistency of focus: because eyes are free to turn within the headset, it is important to avoid having to refocus to preventeye strain.
Fresnel lenses are commonly used in virtual reality headsets due to their compactness and lightweight structure.[36][37] The lenses do not use multiple pieces of material in their lenses like other lenses, but the lens will be broken down into sections, allowing the individual to have a wider range of view. The issue seen with the lens consists of seeing the ridges of the lenses when the headset is not properly aligned on the head.[30][37]
The lenses introducedistortion andchromatic aberration, which are typically corrected insoftware.[34][37] The lenses can also be adjusted dynamically to account for a user's eyeglass prescription so that the user can use the headset without corrective eyeglasses.[38]
Virtual reality headsets have significantly higher requirements forlatency—the time it takes from a change in input to have a visual effect—than ordinary video games.[39] If the system is too sluggish to react to head movement, then it can cause the user to experiencevirtual reality sickness, a kind of motion sickness.[40] According to a Valve engineer, the ideal latency would be 7–15milliseconds.[41]
Thegraphics processing unit (GPU) also needs to be powerful enough to render the required amount of frames. Oculus cited the limited processing power ofXbox One andPlayStation 4 as the reason why they targeted thePC gaming market with their first devices.[42]
Foveated rendering is a new technique to reduce the rendering workload. It useseye tracking hardware to determine at what point the user is looking and reduces rendering resolution farther from the user's gaze. This can be unnoticeable to the user because humanperipheral vision is far less sensitive than thefovea.[43]
Virtual reality headsets are being currently used as a means to train medical students forsurgery. It allows them to perform essential procedures in a virtual, controlled environment. Students perform surgeries on virtual patients, which allows them to acquire the skills needed to perform surgeries on real patients.[citation needed] It also allows the students to revisit the surgeries from the perspective of the leadsurgeon.[44]
Traditionally, students had to participate in surgeries and often they would miss essential parts. Now, with the use of VR headsets, students can watch surgical procedures from the perspective of the lead surgeon without missing essential parts. Students can also pause, rewind, and fast-forward surgeries. They also can perfect their techniques in a real headset, mounted in a risk-free environment.[45]
Besides training purposes, augmented reality headsets are also already being used forimage-guided surgery.[citation needed]
VR headset mounted smartphones have been used to capture high-quality videos and images of the retina for documenting peripheral retinal lesions.[46]
Virtual reality headsets have been used by theUnited States Armed Forces. It is a particularly useful tool for training military personnel without putting them in harm's way.[47]
The virtual reality headset allows military personnel to interact with virtual reality people to make it feel real. They can talk to one another and do varying actions to make the virtual reality world feel like they are actually in the real world. There are also disadvantages and advantages when military personnel use the headset. The disadvantage is the headset is made for an indoor area, with a cool environment, and away from any heat, so when military personnel has just the headset on, no military equipment, it is not like their basic training. The advantages consist of repeating the situations multiple times and the cost of having the headset is less, due to no military equipment being needed.[48]
Virtual reality headsets are now being used to train employees in health and safety procedures. This allows trainees to experience hazardous situations in a safe, virtual environment. They can practice responding to fires, machinery failures, or chemical spills without real-world risk.[49]
Traditionally,safety training relied on static materials or in-person drills. With VR, trainees can interact with scenarios, repeat sessions, and improve their reactions. This makes training more engaging and effective. Companies also benefit from reduced costs and improved compliance tracking.
The Fresnel lens has been commonly employed in the present VR lens due to its ability to realize the light weight and compact structure.
Media related toVirtual reality headsets at Wikimedia Commons
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