Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that allows for the immersion of a user in a multisensory computer-generated three-dimensional virtual representation of real or fictional environments, providing an interactive graphics interface enhanced by non-visual modalities such as auditory, haptic, and smell feedback to enable the user feeling the presence of a real physical environment.
CLASSIFICATION
In general, modern VR HMDs can be classified into two types: standalone and tethered. The key difference between them is that standalone VR devices, unlike tethered, contain all the computing hardware components required to work in
VR without the need to connect additional external hardware. Usually, standalone VR headsets have integrated graphics processing units, generating, rendering and
visualizing three-dimensional virtual environment on the displays, and also contain embedded sensors that record the coordinates of the device, calculating its exact position and orientation in space to determine the correct user perspective when displaying the image.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
A lot of different tethered VR HMDs available today were investigated. However, taking into account their wide variety, for the brevity of this study, only the most common models were selected. The following 5 devices were included in their number:
Oculus Rift S
HTC Vive Pro
HTC Vive Cosmos
Valve Index
Samsung HMD Odyssey+
DISPLAYS
Displays of VR headsets are one of the most important components of this kind of device. The user’s perception of the three-dimensional VR environment and generally his experience in VR depends on the quality of the displays of a headset. For example, studies show that a higher degree of visual realism enhances the sense of presence the image quality of VR HMDs depends on other equally important aspects. One of the main problems of displays in modern VR headsets is the so-called screen-door artefact, in which a user looking at the displays of a headset sees a grid that outlines the contours around the pixels.
TRACKING
The key component of any modern VR set is the tracking system that is used in it. As defined in, «the term tracking refers to the process of determining users’ viewpoint
position and orientation». The quality of immersion in VR depends, first of all, on how efficiently the tracking system works. In the already mentioned meta-analysis, the results show that, along with display FoV, the user’s sense of presence is also greatly affected by how fast and accurately his position is tracked.
CONTROLLERS
Controllers, along with the other components, are an equally important part of any VR headset. These devices primarily allow a user to interact directly with the VR environment, which is critical for a full-immersion experience. In addition, another significant aspect of controllers is that they can be used not only as a means of user input but also as output, allowing the user to experience tactile feedback as a result of his actions.
ERGONOMICS
The last thing we will examine in the analysis is the ergonomics of VR headsets. Ergonomics is another significant aspect that should be taken into account when
comparing VR devices with each other. The ergonomics of any device depends on many factors, such as design, comfort, usability, user-friendliness of the software,
responsiveness to user input, etc. However, determining the degree of ergonomics is complicated by the fact that assessing the impact of these factors on user experience is somewhat subjective.
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DISCLAIMER
The information is provided by Tecquisition for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal advice. If you have any feedback, comments, requests for technical support or other inquiries, please mail us by tecqusition@gmail.com.
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