Virtual reality facts for kids

"Virtuality" redirects here. For other uses, see Virtuality (disambiguation) and Virtual reality (disambiguation).

Researchers from the European Space Agency use VR to train astronauts for future missions, like putting out a fire in a lunar home.

Virtual reality (often called VR) is a special experience that makes you feel like you are in a different world. It uses headsets that show you 3D images and track your movements. This makes you feel like you are really there! VR is used for many things, like playing video games, learning new skills (such as for doctors or pilots), and even for virtual meetings with people far away.

Most VR systems today use headsets or special rooms with many screens. These create realistic sights, sounds, and other feelings. When you use VR gear, you can look around this artificial world, move through it, and even interact with virtual objects. The headsets usually have small screens for each eye. Some VR systems also let you feel things through special haptic devices.

VR is part of a bigger idea called the Reality–virtuality continuum. This means it's different from augmented reality (AR), which adds digital things to your real world view.

What Does "Virtual Reality" Mean?

The word "virtual" has meant "being something in effect, but not actually" since the 1400s. In computers, "virtual" has meant "not physically real but made to seem real by software" since 1959.

The term "virtual reality" was first used in a book in 1958. Later, in the 1980s, Jaron Lanier helped make the term popular. He created some of the first VR devices for businesses. The 1992 movie Lawnmower Man also showed many people what virtual reality could be like.

How Does Virtual Reality Work?

Different Ways to Experience VR

An early VR system called VIEW at NASA in 1990.

There are several ways to experience virtual reality:

Simulation-based VR: This is like a driving simulator. It makes you feel like you are driving a car by showing you what you would see and hear, and even how the car would move.
Avatar-based VR: In this type, you can join a virtual world as a digital character, called an avatar. You can also sometimes appear as a real video of yourself.
Projector-based VR: This uses projectors to create a virtual environment around you. It's often used for things like robot navigation or designing buildings.
Desktop VR: This shows a 3D virtual world on a regular computer screen. Many first-person video games are like this. You feel like you are in the game, but you don't have the full feeling of being surrounded by it.

An Omni treadmill lets users walk in any direction in VR.

Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs): These are the most common VR headsets. They have two small screens, one for each eye, to create a 3D view. They also have headphones for 3D sound and track your head movements. Some even come with motion controllers that let you interact with the virtual world using your hands. Special omnidirectional treadmills let you walk or run in the virtual world.

Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a bit different. It mixes what you see in the real world with digital content. For example, you might see a virtual character appear in your living room through your phone or special glasses. AR adds to your real world view.

Mixed reality (MR) combines the real and virtual worlds even more closely. In MR, physical and digital objects can exist and interact together in real-time.

A Quick Look at VR History

The View-Master, a device for seeing 3D images, was popular in 1939.

The idea of seeing things in 3D has been around for a long time. Early ideas came from Renaissance art and the stereoscope in the 1800s.

Early Ideas and Inventions (1950s-1980s)

In the 1950s, Morton Heilig dreamed of an "Experience Theatre" that would use all your senses. He built a machine called the Sensorama in 1962. It showed short films and let you see, hear, smell, and feel things.

In 1968, Ivan Sutherland created what many consider the first head-mounted display for immersive experiences. It was called The Sword of Damocles. It was so heavy it had to hang from the ceiling!

During the 1970s and 1980s, VR was mainly used for special purposes like medical training, flight simulators, and military training. NASA also used early VR systems for research.

NASA Ames's VIEW headset from 1985.

A VPL Research DataSuit from around 1989. It had sensors to track body movements.

In the late 1980s, Jaron Lanier helped make "virtual reality" a well-known term. His company, VPL Research, made early VR devices like the DataGlove and the EyePhone. Mattel even licensed the DataGlove to create the Power Glove for video games in 1989.

The 1990s: Early Consumer VR

The 1990s saw the first VR products for regular people.

In 1991, Sega announced the Sega VR headset for its home console.
Virtuality launched the first multiplayer VR arcade systems.
In 1992, the Cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE) was created. This was a room where multiple screens surrounded you, making you feel like you were inside the virtual world.
Nintendo released the Virtual Boy console in 1995, but it had problems like causing headaches.

The 21st Century: VR Takes Off

An early Oculus Rift prototype headset.

The early 2000s were quiet for VR. But in 2010, Palmer Luckey designed the first prototype of the Oculus Rift. It had a wide view that was new for consumer VR. In 2014, Facebook bought Oculus VR.

People using HTC Vive headsets at an event in 2018.

In 2013, Valve made a big discovery about how to make VR displays look smooth and clear. This helped improve all future VR headsets. In 2015, HTC and Valve announced the HTC Vive headset.

The Project Morpheus (PlayStation VR) headset at Gamescom 2015.

Sony announced its PlayStation VR headset in 2014. Google released Google Cardboard in 2015, a simple way to use your smartphone for VR. By 2016, many companies were working on VR.

Newer headsets kept coming out:

In 2019, Oculus released the Oculus Rift S and the standalone Oculus Quest.
Valve released the Valve Index in 2019, known for its wide view and special controllers.
In 2020, Oculus released the Oculus Quest 2 (later called Meta Quest 2), which became very popular.
In 2021, the EASA approved the first VR-based flight simulator for pilots, making training safer.
In 2022, Meta released the Meta Quest Pro, focusing on mixed reality.
In 2023, Sony released the PlayStation VR2 for the PlayStation 5.
Later in 2023, Meta released the Meta Quest 3, with better lenses and mixed reality features.
In 2024, Apple released the Apple Vision Pro, which they call a "spatial computer" for mixed reality.
Also in 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration approved a VR flight simulator, showing how important VR is becoming for training.

How VR Technology Works

VR Hardware

For VR to feel real, images need to update very quickly with little delay.

Modern VR headsets use technology from smartphones. This includes gyroscopes and motion sensors to track your head and hand movements. They also have small HD screens for 3D images and fast computer processors. These parts have made VR more affordable for everyone.

Special cameras, called 360-degree cameras, can record videos and photos that you can watch in VR. This lets you look all around in the video.

To make you feel truly immersed, VR uses special output devices like headsets or CAVE rooms. These create two slightly different images, one for each eye, to make things look 3D.

For you to interact with the virtual world, you need special input devices. The most common are motion controllers that you hold in your hands. Some systems use wired gloves. These devices often use optical tracking to know where your hands are. Some controllers also give you force feedback, so you can feel bumps or textures in the virtual world.

VR Software

The Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) was created in 1994 to build "virtual worlds" that didn't need headsets. Later, X3D became an open standard for sharing VR content online. WebVR is a way to experience VR directly in your web browser.

What Can You Do with Virtual Reality?

Entertainment and Socializing

VR is very popular for video games, 3D cinema, and amusement park rides. Many new VR games and experiences are being made all the time. You can also join social virtual worlds to hang out with friends as avatars. Since 2015, some roller coasters and theme parks have added VR to make rides even more exciting.

Learning and Training

VR is a great tool for learning.

Education: It helps students learn complex topics by letting them interact with 3D models. Future architects and engineers can see their designs in VR.
Medical Training: Doctors and surgeons can practice difficult operations in a safe virtual environment. This helps them improve their skills without any risk to real patients.
Safety Training: VR can simulate dangerous situations, like fires or emergencies, so people can learn how to react safely. Studies show VR safety training helps people learn and remember more than traditional methods.
Military and Flight Training: Pilots and soldiers use VR simulators to practice missions and maneuvers. This saves money and makes training safer.

Therapy and Health

VR can also help people with their health.

Therapy for Fears: Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) helps people overcome fears, like PTSD or phobias, by slowly exposing them to what they fear in a safe virtual setting.
Mental Health: During the COVID-19 pandemic, social VR was used to help people with their mental well-being.
Rehabilitation: VR helps elderly people with conditions like Alzheimer's disease by letting them experience things they might not be able to in real life. It also helps with physical therapy.

Business and Art

Virtual Meetings: In the business world, people use VR for meetings. It can feel more natural than a video call, and you can interact with 3D models of products.
Art and Museums: Artists have created virtual worlds since the 1970s. Museums now use VR to let visitors explore ancient artifacts or famous landmarks virtually.

VR Concerts

Many famous musicians have performed concerts in virtual reality.

In June 2020, Jean-Michel Jarre performed in VRChat.
Justin Bieber performed in WaveXR in November 2021.
The Foo Fighters had a Super Bowl VR concert.
Post Malone and Megan Thee Stallion also performed in VR in 2022.
Billie Eilish and Imagine Dragons performed on Oculus Venues in 2021 and 2022.

Things to Consider with Virtual Reality

Health and Safety

Using VR can sometimes cause unwanted feelings or problems.

Discomfort: Some people might feel dizzy, get headaches, or feel sick to their stomach (called cybersickness). This happens when what your eyes see doesn't match what your body feels. Women tend to experience this more often than men.
Eye Strain: Like all screens, VR headsets can cause eye fatigue if you don't blink enough.
Physical Injuries: When wearing a VR headset, it's easy to forget about your real surroundings. People can trip, fall, or bump into real objects, leading to injuries to their legs, hands, arms, shoulders, or neck.
Seizures: A very small number of people might experience twitches or seizures, even if they've never had them before.

Children and Teenagers in VR

VR can be very exciting for kids, but there are special things to keep in mind.

Realness of Experience: VR can feel very real to children, more so than to adults. This means that intense or aggressive content, or content not suitable for younger users, can have a stronger impact. It's important for kids to use age-appropriate VR experiences.
Understanding Reality: For some children, especially younger ones, too much immersive VR might make it harder to tell the difference between the virtual world and the physical world. It's good to balance VR time with real-world activities.
Usage: A 2022 report showed that only about a quarter of U.S. teens own a VR device, and many don't use it daily. Many teens are also unsure about the metaverse or don't have much interest in it yet.

Privacy Concerns

VR systems collect a lot of information about you.

Data Collection: VR headsets track your movements, how you interact with virtual objects, and even your eye movements. This data can reveal things about your interests, skills, and even your mood.
Sharing Data: This information can be used to improve VR systems or give you personalized experiences. However, there are concerns about this data being stored, shared, or sold without your clear permission.
Rules and Laws: Laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the U.S. help protect your data. They require companies to tell you how they use your information and give you some control over it.
Meta's Platforms: Meta Platforms (which owns Oculus) has faced specific privacy concerns. They require users to have a Meta account to use their headsets. This means your VR activities are linked to that account, and Meta collects data according to its privacy policies.

Images for kids

A Missouri National Guardsman uses a VR headset for training in 2015.
A CAVE system at IDL in 2010.
The Virtual Fixtures AR system from 1992, showing interaction with virtual objects.
A U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman using a VR parachute simulator in 2006.
The Smartphone-based Samsung Gear VR headset.
A Robinson R22 Virtual Reality Training Device by Loft Dynamics.