What is virtual reality?
Virtual reality uses a headset and motion tracking to create the experience of being inside a digital environment.
How it works and where it is used
Separate images for each eye, low latency and responsive tracking affect the experience. Games, training, architecture and rehabilitation need different designs. VR never removes the physical room: users still need safe movement space.
Limits, safety and selection criteria
Some users experience motion sickness or eye fatigue; adjust duration and movement. Measure whether simulated training transfers to real skills. Headset motion data and possible biometric inferences require privacy safeguards. A VR fire-evacuation exercise can repeat scenarios without exposing trainees to danger. It cannot fully reproduce smoke, crowds, stress or the real building; assess whether skills transfer. Building content takes more than visual models: controls, directional audio, movement boundaries and feedback shape learning. Rapid camera motion can increase nausea, so teleport movement or seated options may help. Sanitizing shared headsets and adjusting fit matter in group settings.