Other Applications

Practical applications of virtual reality are under active development by a variety of agencies and disciplines. The range of applications illustrates the enormous potential for this technology to address highly varied problems and needs. Vr is rapidly expanding, becoming available to more and more people. Many do not realize what a big part virtual reality is playing in our lives. But you will find out by going through this website.

VR-related Technologies

Today besides completely immersing someone into an artificial world other VR-related technologies combine virtual and real environments. Motion trackers are employed to monitor the movements of dancers or athletes for subsequent studies in immersive VR. The technologies of 'Augmented Reality' allow for the viewing of real environments with superimposed virtual objects. Telepresence systems like telemedicine, telerobotics, immerse a viewer in a real world that is captured by video cameras at a distant location and allow for the remote manipulation of real objects via robot arms and manipulators.

Applications

As the technologies of virtual reality evolve, the applications of VR become literally unlimited. It is assumed that VR will reshape the interface between people and information technology by offering new ways for the communication of information, the visualization of processes, and the creative expression of ideas.

A virtual environment can represent any three-dimensional world that is either real or abstract. This includes real systems like buildings, landscapes, underwater shipwrecks, spacecrafts, archaeological excavation sites, human anatomy, sculptures, crime scene reconstructions, solar systems, and so on. Of special interest is the visual and sensual representation of abstract systems like magnetic fields, turbulent flow structures, molecular models, mathematical systems, auditorium acoustics, stock market behavior, population densities, information flows, and any other conceivable system including artistic and creative work of abstract nature. These virtual worlds can be animated, interactive, shared, and can expose behavior and functionality.

Useful applications of VR include training in a variety of areas (military, medical, equipment operation, etc.), education, design evaluation (virtual prototyping), architectural walk-through, human factors and ergonomic studies, simulation of assembly sequences and maintenance tasks, assistance for the handicapped, study and treatment of phobias like fear of height, entertainment, and much more.

Medicine.
Virtual reality is used in planning radiation treatments for cancer patients at The University of North Carolina. Using computerized scans of a patient's anatomy viewed through virtual reality; physicians can move proposed beams around by hand and position them so that they converge most effectively on a tumor. By combining ultrasound scanners with head-mounted display units, Robinett believes that physicians will soon be able to "see directly inside of living tissue". With half-silvered mirrors, the display allows the wearer to see through to the real world, with images from ultrasound data optically superimposed onto the patient. Using this "x-ray vision", an obstetrician could "see the woman, feel the fetus kick beneath her hands, and see the ultrasound image of the fetus appearing to hang in space inside her belly.

Chemistry.
At the University of North Carolina, chemists use virtual reality to "see" protein structures in three dimensions, and holding a special joystick, find ways to design new drugs that will "dock" perfectly with enzyme molecules.

Architecture.
Architects can now "walk through" building designs before any actual construction takes place, with the aid of a treadmill and data sensors. The use can judge design features from any perspective they choose.

Interior Design.
Customers in Japan may design custom kitchens and use virtual reality to see the result. Wearing goggles and a glove, they can walk through their design and actually touch "virtual appliances".

Military.
For some time, there have been investigations among military agencies concerning use of virtual reality in personnel training, and in the design of new weapon systems. The technology is being applied to the design of tank simulators, flight simulators, and to aircraft design and repair. In agencies like Hughes defense system, vr is used to test missile flight patterns without wasting a three million dollar missile. Vr has saved millions of dollars in missile testing and in time, missiles are easily tested from a computer in vr and errors can then be quickly detected. These companies use the same programs to test planes, jets and helicopters in the same manner. But the most common for of vr the military uses is imer4sive reality/ simulation. To save millions and provide a safer environment, the military trains its forces in vr, from jets, helicopters to tanks and subs the military teaches how to use these weapons in vr first before moving on to the real thing.

Space Exploration.
NASA has designed a virtual reality system, which creates the illusion of flying over a Martian landscape accurately created from photographs of the planet's surface. The Visualization for Planetary Exploration Project (also designed by NASA) employs virtual reality to allow users to explore the solar system. Current efforts are focusing on the use of virtual reality to prepare astronauts to live and work on orbiting space stations and to undertake construction and repair in a space environment.

Robotics.
One of the most practical and immediate applications for virtual reality is robotics. The use of simple, small hand movements in a DataGlove can control complex robotics equipment. Such systems are already being used to handle hazardous materials more safely.

Entertainment.
VR is all around us when it comes to entertainment. VR gaming is discussed in our other sub topic of VR gaming. VR is in our computer and video game systems, it also dominates the Internet with all its many wonders. Even in sports VR is used, there are now places through out the United States where you can go inline skating, kayaking, wind surfing and swimming in fully immersive virtual reality. Today as more people become interested in these forms of entertainment, immersive virtual reality is becoming very affordable to all people. VR is sure to have a big influence in our entertainment in the near future.