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A Beginner's Guide to Virtual Reality 2021

Amit Caesar

In both professional and personal settings, we are frequently asked where the best place to begin with virtual reality is ?

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Some people have a basic understanding of technology but are unaware of the most recent products on the market. People often have a good understanding of the major headsets on the market, but they have trouble grasping some of the VR concepts and terminology.

We hope to cover all of the fundamentals in this guide. We'll go over basic VR concepts, terminology, and the majority of the major headsets available. If you didn't know where to begin with virtual reality before, you will now.

What is virtual reality (VR)?

Virtual reality, or VR, allows people to fully immerse themselves in a simulated environment. This is usually (but not always) done with head-mounted hardware that tracks the user's movements. A screen (or two display panels, one for each eye) is housed in a frame (or headset) strapped or fitted to your head in these VR headsets. To make it appear as if what you see through the headset is your entire world, a pair of lenses is usually fixed between the panels and your eyes, blocking out the outside world.

All headsets, crucially, track your movement and adjust the image you see accordingly. However, some headsets track more movement than others.
Virtual reality experiences typically include a way for you to control or select items within the simulated environment. In some cases, you'll be holding a controller in each hand to control different aspects of the game. In some cases, the controllers provide virtual representations of your hands, allowing you to manipulate the environment and objects within it in ways that are similar to how you would in real life.

Terminology and Concepts for Beginners So you understand the fundamentals of virtual reality, but there are a few terms or concepts that need to be clarified. We can assist you with these issues.

What is VR FOV ? Our field of view, in the context of our eyes, is everything we can see at any given time.

The field of view in the context of virtual reality headsets refers to everything you can see in the virtual world at any given time while wearing the headset. The field of view of the VR headsets available to consumers at the time of this writing is smaller than what you can see with your eyes, implying that the VR environment does not fill, or match, your eyes' field of view when using the headset.
This is why, when using VR, the lenses you're looking through often have a black "border" around them. This is the area on the inside of the headset that surrounds the lenses. However, if the headset's field of view is large enough, the border can make it appear as if you're looking through a pair of goggles into the virtual world, making it easy to forget about the limit. Field of View is calculated in a variety of ways, and device manufacturers may not accurately represent how much you can see in comparison to other headsets.

Degrees of Liberty People frequently refer to "degrees of freedom," or DoF, when discussing movement and tracking in virtual reality. More degrees of freedom means that the headset will track and map more of your physical movements onto your simulated representation.
When it comes to degrees of freedom, the two most commonly used terms are 3DoF and 6DoF. (3 and 6 degrees of freedom, respectively). Only 3DoF headsets will track your head's movements (roll, pitch, and yaw), but not its position in space (x, y, z coordinates). 6DoF can track both your head's movements and its physical coordinates in space.

The majority of VR headsets nowadays offer full 6DoF positional tracking. Many older mobile and standalone headsets, many of which have been discontinued or are being phased out, such as Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, Gear VR, and Oculus Go, make use of 3DoF.

what Types of Tracking uses in vr ?

Every VR headset must be able to track the movement of the person who is wearing it.

The most common type of tracking nowadays is known as "Inside Out" tracking. Typically, this system uses cameras built into the headset to track movement from the inside of the headset outwards. Advanced simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM) algorithms track features of the physical environment around the user of the headset. Inside out tracking is used by the Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive Cosmos, and all Windows Mixed Reality headsets (such as the Samsung Odyssey, Lenovo Explorer, Acer HMD, and others).

There's also what's known as "Outside In" tracking. This can take many forms, but it always involves hardware that is not built into the headset and is external to the tracked space. This hardware is sometimes referred to as "lighthouses" for the original HTC Vive and Valve Index, which are small black boxes mounted in the corners of the room. Older systems, such as the Rift, which debuted in 2016, relied on modified cameras in your room to achieve outside tracking.

Each tracking method has advantages and disadvantages. Without the need for setup or mounting hardware, inside out tracking is easier to use. Outside-in tracking, on the other hand, can be extended to fill in gaps where head-mounted hardware may be unable to “see” occasional body movements. When it comes to tracking movements, popular systems require direct line of sight in order to "see" what they're tracking. Because our bodies move in so many different ways, both inside out and outside in tracking systems can be obliterated in a variety of ways. However, depending on the application, an inside out or outside in system may be preferable.

how to use vr controller ?

Controllers Interacting with simulated content can be done in a variety of ways.
Headsets like the Oculus Quest 2, HP Reverb G2, and HTC Vive Cosmos all have two controllers, one for each hand, and the inside out tracking system tracks them in 6 degrees of freedom.

PlayStation VR has a variety of input systems. In most cases, using a pair of PlayStation Move controllers is the best option. Some PSVR content, but not all, requires the Move controllers. You can use the standard PS4 DualShock controller that comes with the console for games that don't require Move controllers.
The Valve Index Controllers have a strap that wraps around the knuckles and palm, allowing for full release. These controllers have a large grip area and can detect every finger movement as well as some of the pressure provided by your grip, which sets them apart from other controllers currently on the market. These controllers can be purchased alongside the Index headset and are tracked by external lighthouses. They can also be bought separately and used with non-Index headsets that use the lighthouse tracking system, such as the HTC Vive or the Pimax.

Both Facebook's Quest 2 and the original Quest feature native controller-free hand tracking, which eliminates the need for Touch controllers in some situations. Some other headsets track hand movements as well, but Quest is a popular system, and the update allows the built-in cameras to accurately track your hands and fingers. Hand and finger tracking are unlikely to replace Touch controllers for every game and experience, because haptic feedback, physical buttons, and faster controller tracking can make a significant difference in many games and apps.

Seated, Standing, and Roomscale, seated, and standing volumes are the three most common types of tracked volumes with software tailored to each play area size.

Setting a boundary or play area in Roomscale VR is all about being able to freely and physically move around that area in the game. The concept behind roomscale games is that you can physically move around your room and interact with the simulated environment and objects within it. When the physical world approaches, so-called "guardian" or "chaperone" boundaries appear.
Seated and standing are similar in that the user is supposed to stay in roughly the same place and use various movement options to simulate movement rather than moving psychically through space. Some software developers create virtual worlds that can be used in a variety of ways, but a small percentage of them may only work in roomscale, seated, or standing modes.

What is Virtual reality (VR) movement ?

For VR software, there are a few different types of simulated movement options. People wearing virtual reality headsets may experience nausea when simulating movement.

Teleportation is a common mode of transportation that is often the most comfortable for a wide range of people. Teleport is usually triggered by pressing a button on a controller, and the player then selects a location to which they can teleport immediately. This movement option, when combined with roomscale tracking, allows for the traversal of large simulated volumes in a generally comfortable manner. Some users, on the other hand, argue that teleport is less believable and "breaks immersion" because we can't teleport in real life. As a result, some VR software developers, like the wizard using a spell in the image above, work to explain why teleportation is a part of their virtual world's narrative.
Smooth locomotion is a movement style similar to that of traditional video games, in which you press a button and then "move" in the direction you pressed the button. This can be startling for some people, making them feel nauseous in a matter of seconds or minutes.

To combat the discomfort caused by simulated movement in a virtual world, software developers are constantly working on combining existing systems or comfort settings that allow the player in VR to customize the experience to their liking. One common comfort option for reducing discomfort is to limit the FOV into the virtual world while moving, resulting in "tunnel vision," or to gradually increase and decrease acceleration while moving.

what is Motion Sickness in vr ?

Severe Motion Sickness Wearing a virtual reality headset can be uncomfortable at times. experience nausea or motion sickness The most common causes of nausea while wearing a headset are seated or standing experiences in which the game's movement does not match your physical body movement.

Some people can develop a resistance and higher tolerance level for more intense experiences — this is sometimes referred to as “finding your VR legs” — but some developers and long-time VR enthusiasts who have spent hundreds of hours in VR headsets are still completely susceptible to discomfort due to the mismatch between smooth locomotion and their body's senses. For more information, see our article on 7 ways to overcome motion sickness.

The field of view of the visuals, the frame rate of the display and software, headset weight, and even how well you slept or what you ate and how much you ate can all influence your susceptibility to discomfort in a VR headset.

What is vr IPD ?

When researching and reading about virtual reality headsets, you'll come across the term IPD. It stands for "interpupillary distance," which is defined as the distance between the centers of your two pupils.

Variable IPDs between people can affect how well certain headsets feel when worn, depending on the optical design of the headset. Images may appear blurry if the lenses and displays in front of a person's pupil are not well aligned. In the worst-case scenario, this could increase your chances of getting a headache or nausea.
A physical adjustment for IPD will be available on some headsets. The lenses and display panels are moved closer to the pupils of a wide range of people as a result of this. Other headsets may not allow you to adjust this physically, but they may offer a software adjustment to compensate for individual differences.

A headset with physical adjustment may be required depending on the distance between your pupils. Many people may not require a headset with physical adjustment because headsets without physical adjustments are often tailored to the average distances between eyeballs.

What Types of Virtual Reality There are ?

a few different types of consumer VR equipment on the market. These are divided into three categories: standalone VR, PC VR, and console VR.

Virtual reality on its ownAny VR headset that works completely independently of any other equipment or technology is referred to as standalone VR. The entire experience is controlled by the hardware you wear on your head and does not require any additional equipment.

The best example is Oculus Quest 2, which delivers stripped-down versions of PC VR games in a portable, standalone device that doesn't require any other hardware. Everything you need to experience VR comes with standalone VR like the Quest, though some games require you to hold the Oculus Touch controllers in your hands to interact.

What is PC VR ?

on a PC Any headset that requires a constant connection to a nearby PC is referred to as PC VR. The PC in question will also need to have high specifications in order to support VR. The Oculus Rift S, Valve Index, HTC Vive, Pimax, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets like the HP Reverb G2 and Samsung Odyssey + are just a few examples of PC VR headsets.

The advantage of PC VR is that it can provide much higher graphical fidelity than standalone VR due to the beefy PC specifications. The constant connection to a PC, on the other hand, often necessitates that your headset be wired to the PC at all times. There are some wireless PC VR options, but they usually require additional hardware connected to your PC and a battery pack worn somewhere on your body. In corded PC VR, you must manage a cord that connects your headset to your computer. The wire can be a constant reminder that you might get tangled if you turn around too much, so it may provide less freedom than a wireless standalone headset.

If you don’t already own a gaming PC that meets the required specifications, PC VR can quickly become a very expensive option.

What is Virtual reality for console ?

For the Nintendo Switch, there are only two VR headsets available: PlayStation VR and Nintendo Labo VR.

PlayStation VR is a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 VR add-on system. The PSVR headset is an add-on that connects to your PlayStation 4 and, like PC VR, requires a constant tethered connection to the console in order to work. It tracks with the PlayStation camera, which comes with the headset and is wired to the console. The system also works on PS5 thanks to backwards compatibility, with some visual and performance improvements. To play some PlayStation VR games, you'll need to buy PlayStation Move controllers separately.

Nintendo Labo VR for the Nintendo Switch is a cardboard headset shell that can be built and inserted into the original full-size Nintendo Switch, allowing you to play select games in virtual reality. Because there is no headset strap, you must hold the headset to your face. Many of the Labo VR experiences are, to put it bluntly, underwhelming and not worth your time.

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A Beginner's Guide to Virtual Reality 2021

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