Virtual Reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs 3D near-eye displays and immersive audio to give the user the sensation of being present in a non-physical world. Applications of virtual reality can include entertainment (video games, 3D cinema), education (medical or military training), and business (virtual meetings). VR systems typically use headsets or multi-projected environments to generate realistic images, sounds, and other sensations that simulate a user's physical presence in a virtual environment.
The concept of virtual reality has been around for decades. In 1962, Morton Heilig built the Sensorama, a mechanical device that simulated a motorcycle ride. The first head-mounted display system was created in 1968 by Ivan Sutherland. The term "virtual reality" was popularized by Jaron Lanier in the 1980s. The 1990s saw early consumer headsets like Sega VR, but they failed due to technical limitations. The modern era of VR began with the Kickstarter campaign for the Oculus Rift in 2012, which led to high-quality, affordable consumer VR.
VR has expanded beyond gaming into healthcare (treating PTSD, surgical training), education (virtual field trips), real estate (virtual tours), and engineering (design visualization). Major tech companies like Meta, Sony, and Apple are investing heavily in VR hardware and the concept of the "Metaverse," a persistent, shared virtual world.