UNC-CH Computer Science Educational Outreach 

  Contrasting View of Virtual Reality

So far we’ve talked about what virtual reality is in terms of computer science research. Perhaps you had a different impression of virtual reality. That’s understandable considering the mixed messages that we get from the media about virtual reality. Often we see virtual reality described as cartoon animation like in Lawnmower Man or Jurassic Park (click on the movie title to see its review).  Virtual reality is NOT cartoon animation. For animation, moviemakers use computers to draw a scene or object; the computer can take as long as they want to draw it. Once the image is drawn, it doesn’t change -- you can’t reach into the movie and pick it up. With a video game, you have limited interaction, but the computer isn’t redrawing the images in real time. Also you aren’t completely immersed in a video game or movie like you are with VR because you can look around you and still see your real surroundings. With a VR system, you control where you’re moving in the world and you can interact with it. Interactivity and immersion are two important characteristics that distinguish virtual reality from computer animation and video games.