Sensory Displays

Sensory displays may be classified in the following ways:

VISUAL

-- One of the basic goals of a virtual reality system is to supply your senses with information from the computer-generated reality in much the same way as you experience the real world. Since most people have two eyes, a natural way to see the world requires not one computer display, but two. A common way to produce a realistic 3D view of a virtual world is to place a small computer monitor in front of each eye. Each monitor displays the perspective that the corresponding eye would see in an actual environment. Such a system is called a binocular head-mounted display (HMD). There are many safety concerns with HMDs that have yet to be resolved. Consideration for the safety of individuals must be considered. Other alternatives of getting a sense of partial immersion are with the use of shutter glasses or 3D projection systems. Companies are working continually to give consumers a sense of immersion in their Virtual Environments. The choice of shutter glasses or 3D projection depends upon the platform of use, the resolution desired, and personal preferences.

AUDITORY

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Most people also have two ears. This is the main reason for the appeal of stereophonic sound. Just as two visual perspectives make a 3D view, two audio perspectives can make a 3D soundscape. However, with free-standing stereo speakers the left and right sounds are mixed: both ears hear sound from both speakers. By using headphones and presenting the correct acoustical perspectives to each ear, many of the spatial aspects of sounds can be preserved. HMDs often have headphones built into them.

KINESTHETIC

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Additional displays can be used to engage other senses in VR. There are some companies that offer force-feedback devices where you can actually "feel" different sensations. Since there is not much of a demand for such things as smell or taste generators, you generally have be creative and figure out your own way of catering to more senses than just vision and hearing.