History-VR

Nowadays computer graphics is used in many domains of our life. At the end of the 20th

century it is difficult to imagine an architect, engineer, or interior designer working without a

graphics workstation. In the last years the stormy development of microprocessor technology

brings faster and faster computers to the market. These machines are equipped with better and

faster graphics boards and their prices fall down rapidly. It becomes possible even for an

average user, to move into the world of computer graphics. This fascination with a new

(ir)reality often starts with computer games and lasts forever. It allows to see the surrounding

world in other dimension and to experience things that are not accessible in real life or even not

yet created. Moreover, the world of three-dimensional graphics has neither borders nor

constraints and can be created and manipulated by ourselves as we wish – we can enhance it by

a fourth dimension: the dimension of our imagination.

Virtual Reality - Promises to Transform Society

Virtual Reality (VR), sometimes called Virtual Environments (VE) has drawn much attention in the last few years. Extensive media coverage causes this interest to grow rapidly. Very few people, however, really know what VR is, what its basic principles and its open problems are. In this paper a historical overview of virtual reality is presented, basic terminology and classes of VR systems are listed, followed by applications of this technology in science, work, and entertainment areas. An insightful study of typical VR systems is done.

In this publication all components of VR application and interrelations between them are discussed such as input devices, output devices and software . Additionally human factors and their implication on the design issues of VE are also discussed in the later post. Finally, the future of VR is considered in two aspects: technological and social. New research directions, technological frontiers and potential applications are pointed out. The possible positive and negative influence of VR on life of average people is speculated.