Guest Editors' Introduction: Virtual Reality

• Authors: IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications
• Venue: IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications
• Year: 1994

Although the terms cyberspace and virtual reality have been around for years, virtual reality as an industry is in its infancy. The term virtual reality is credited to Jaron Lanier, founder of VPL Research; earlier experimenters, like Myron Krueger in the mid-1970s, used phrases like artificial reality. William Gibson coined cyberspace in his 1984 science fiction novel. Neuromancer. Few technologies in recent years have evoked such fiery discussions in the technical community, and fewer still have sparked such passionate involvement of the humanities and the cultural sector. Maybe the humanities community reacts because the VR interaction is so tightly coupled to the human senses. Perhaps the cultural sector clamours for a role in the evolution of VR because the technology is finally interfacing with the human, rather than the human interfacing with the technology. Whatever the reasons, VR is more a convergence of previously disparate disciplines than a whole new branch of technology. It simply takes a fresh look at human interaction. Evolving from user interface design, flight and visual simulation, and telepresence technologies, VR is unique in its emphasis on the experience of the human participant. VR focuses the user's attention on the experience while suspending disbelief about the method of creating it. We feel that neither the devices used nor the level of interactiveness or fidelity determine whether a system is VR. The quality of the experience is crucial. To stimulate creativity and productivity. the virtual experience must be credible. The reality must both react to the human participants in physically and perceptually appropriate ways, and conform to their personal cognitive representations of the microworld in which they are engrossed. The experience does not necessarily have to be realistic-just consistent