Most folks probably think they know all the need to about this subject. But what is virtual reality? Is it a way to play video games? Is it a science fiction technology that we’ve not yet been able to fully realize? Is it the next big thing in tech or is the electric typewriter, a new technology that will eventually give way to something as-yet unimagined?

Not to be cheeky, but virtual reality is all of these things and much more. It’s an amazing way to interact with a digital environment and provides unique experiences at all levels. No longer is it the promised tech of the future, though. Virtual reality is here now, and you don’t want to miss out.

Of course, with any new technology there is a lot to understand. This explainer is meant to answer all of your questions. We’ll cover the types of virtual reality and the health and ethical risks widespread use of the technology could bring about.

Also, we hope to help people truly understand what is virtual reality. Virtual, by definition, means something that both is and isn’t. In usage outside of the computing context, virtual means something that is near-enough to reality. The “virtual absence” of police at a protest or the “virtual guarantee” that you’ve landed a job as you leave an interview. However, in the computing sense, virtual means something that starts out as imaginary but becomes, in one way or another, real.

When in search of answers to what is virtual reality, it's important to consider the origins of this technology. We've traced its history below.

What is virtual reality? It’s an idea that took root long before technology even know how to do it. Modern virtual reality is based on the idea of stereoscopic images. The first stereoscope came about in the early 19th century. Two images would be placed side by side in viewer with binocular-like eyepieces. Thus, the image was given the illusion of depth, like a shadowbox into another reality. The popular toy View Master used these sorts of images for nearly 80 years, captivating children with still images that appear three-dimensional. But in 1962, filmmaker Morton Heilig expected to change the world with his new cinematic experience the “Sensorama”

This was a large booth-like device that had nearly 360-degree imagery, along with gusts of wind, scents, and other features. Also, the military developed a head-mounted display helmet, but it was so large as to be unusable outside of a lab. But it was a primitive version of the computer-generated virtual environments seen in modern virtual reality headsets. Most innovators then ditched the headsets, focusing instead on building realistic virtual worlds with the ever-improving computer technology of the day. Virtual realities were used mostly for training in dangerous industries. Flight and medical simulators were the most popular, but even those were still displayed on flat screens.

What is virtual reality? It’s finally possible thanks to the miraculous technological advancements in the 1980s. Or is it? With the video game boom in the early 1980s, Atari saw the potential for virtual reality in their business. The lab opened in 1982 only to be shuttered a year later during the economic “crash” for video game companies. Still, those innovators went on to further develop their research. In 1985 VPL Research opened, founded by Jaron Lanier. This company developed virtual reality headsets, virtual reality suits, and other such equipment. They tried to market their inventions, the most popular being the Nintendo Power Glover. Unpopular at the time, this early VR device has developed a kind of cult following since its release. 

In the 1990s, the first major marketing push came, but the consumers pushed back. Companies like Sega and Nintendo released virtual reality headsets. Because of the graphics capabilities and the closeness of the screens, there was a “screen-door” effect. Users could, essentially see between the pixels breaking any feelings of immersion or embodiment. The Nintendo product actually caused kids to get headaches and become violently ill, leading to their discontinuation. Still, researchers kept at it, developing both the technology and the realities created to be better and more realistic, respectively. Still, the industry treaded metaphorical (virtual?) water until one thing changed everything.

What is virtual reality? It’s a technology whose time may have finally come. As graphics processors, cameras, and personal devices got better and smaller, the problems that plagued VR researchers finally had answers. Thanks to smartphones, with their bright, high-resolution screens, virtual reality engineers only had to create the software and develop technology that accommodates the user’s phone. Today this is the standard way a person uses a VR headset. In fact, Google’s first VR headset was, literally, made out of carboard. With the hardware sorted, designers just needed to develop virtual realities that didn’t lag or smear.

In 2013 the Valve Corporation solved that problem by developing a breakthrough kind of low-persistence display. Then they did something impressive, they shared their breakthrough with everyone. They knew that solving the visual glitch problem would only help to proliferate virtual reality systems or games. As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats in any reality. The pioneer in the field, Oculus VR, caught the notice of Facebook, which purchased the company for more than $2 billion in cash and stock. Since then, hundreds of companies have sprouted up developing headsets (usually that rely on smartphones) or VR content. Now, anyone who has a smartphone is just one piece of hardware away from experiencing true virtual reality.

What is virtual reality? It’s both more immersive and unsettling than you might think. Things like the relationship between what we see and what we physically interact with is as instinctual as it gets. Even wearing in the most basic VR environment, you would find yourself reaching for things that aren’t actually in front of you. As graphics techniques get better, things like the “screen-door” effect are reduced. Even when you know what you are seeing is not real, it’s tough to not react as instinct demands of us. If something comes flying at your head, you’ll duck. If you’re sitting and the virtual visuals show you swinging, you will lean back and forward as you’d expect to if you were really doing it. Of course, you have to be game

It’s quite possible that if you go into a virtual reality experience expecting to not be impressed or affected, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Just like with books or movies, you have to be willing to suspend some disbelief. An effective VR environment will help, because you will forget about all that and just experience it. Of course, there are efforts to include four or five senses in the virtual reality experience. As far back as the 1980s the developed suits for full tactile experiences. With simple movement training for a VR program, you can experience “embodiment.” This means that your digital avatar moves as you do. This really helps fool your brain. Even a cartoonish, crudely-rendered environment would almost feel real in this case. 

What is virtual reality? It can be adding a layer of unreality on top of the real world. Mostly this happens via smartphone camera apps, like Snapchat or Pokémon GO. When the first of the latest series of Star Wars films premiered, fans could scan a QR code on a poster. Then the Stormtrooper on it would appear to come to life, gesturing threateningly towards the user. All of this took place through the camera on your smartphone. Things like animated “filters” in photo apps and games that place digital characters in real-world environments are all examples of this technology. 

This technology isn’t going anywhere, and the next big advancement would be augmented reality without the need to see it via a screen. This technology has been imagined in films and television, like the holograms used in Star Wars or Blade Runner 2049. These are fully-realized three-dimensional holograms in a real space. In some cases they are static holograms and in others they can move around, interacting with their environment. If real-world technology can catch up to science fiction, augmented reality might take on a whole new meaning. 

What is virtual reality? It’s sometimes exactly what you think it is. Fully virtual reality is when you are put in a state of limited sensory deprivation. Usually just focusing on your senses of sight and hearing, it places you inside a fully-realized virtual world. You can look around in any direction, move about the virtual space freely, and it should dominate your sight and hearing. Even without the benefit of touch and smell, these virtual worlds can be very convincing. However, thanks to 360-degree cameras like those from Go-Pro, your virtual reality need not be all that virtual.

Currently, the technology only allows for a passive virtual reality experience where actual footage is concerned. Thanks to 360-degree video, you can see through the eyes of a sky-diver, a mountain climber, or any number of filmed situations. You don’t control what you see, save for in which direction you’re looking. However, this could change tomorrow. If a museum or popular tourist attraction set up enough cameras, you could explore a real-world space in a virtual environment. In fact, you could even end up with augmented reality in virtual reality, if a digital tour guide is added to the footage later. 

What is virtual reality? It’s more than you might ever expect it could be. By way of a case study, let’s look at the two ILMxLAB projects created experiences based on Star Wars. The first is a mix of a game, amusement park ride, and a movie. Decked out in a headset and sent through a studio, you are able to not just see and hear the virtual world, but also feel and smell it, too. When near lava, you feel heat. There is a scent of burning coals in the air. Of course, because the studio is an essential part of the experience it limits how fans can enjoy it. Currently, you can find them at both Disneyland and Disney World, as well as in Nevada, California, and Texas. There are also two locations in Canada and one in Malaysia, and new locations are announced on their website.

The second experience from these folks is still in development. It’s a story centered around Darth Vader, perhaps one of the most iconic film villains of all time. Written by David S. Goyer this isn’t a game like Secrets of the Empire. Instead, he described as a movie that happens around you. He does imply that the viewer will be able to make an impact on the story, but details about how are scarce. Still, the idea of movies that happen all around you is not new. In fact, a character in Stanley G. Weinbaum’s 1935 short story “Pygmalion’s Spectacles” describes that very experience when even movies were new technology. Movie theaters may one day be replaced by virtual reality studios. 

Now that we've explored a few of the facets behind the question: "what is virtual reality," let's explore some of the more practical applications. Virtual reality is reaching new heights in the real world.

What is virtual reality? It’s a movie or a play. The earliest published mention of the word “virtual reality” came from a 1933 essay about the theater written by Antonin Artaud. From a very broad perspective, this is accurate. Writers and directors dream up characters and stories, set and costume designers imagine the rest of the world. It looks like our world (sometimes), but it’s not our world. Movies are also a kind of virtual reality, though they take place on a screen. Still, it’s even more of a virtual reality when you add “3D Glasses” to the mix. There are movie theaters today that evoke the Sensorama of the past. These special theaters have chairs that move, blow air on you, release smells, all to further make the moviegoing experience immersive. 

Filmmakers, a few as far back as the late 1980s, have already produced films explicitly for virtual reality headsets. As with anything as subjective as narrative art, reviews were mixed. Still, it is only a matter of time before filmmakers figure out how to get this right. It’s possible that a few decades down the road, people will be going to theaters for virtual reality movies with a full sensory experience. People who want to skip the crowds can likely just get it on their headsets at home. If this catches on, people will look at our 3D movies of today like we look at the nickelodeon. 

What is virtual reality? It’s possibly a revolution in the medical field waiting to happen. We so often think of virtual reality as a delivery system for games or other entertainment. Yet, this is a very limited view of what is incredibly versatile technology. Virtual reality for medical training started a long time ago, but today what they can do is nothing short of stunning. Student surgeons can practice procedures over and over, helping to develop muscle memory for real life. Emergency doctors can take a virtual patient from admission to the ER to admitting them to the hospital. The possibilities are endless, especially as the technology improves. Yet, virtual reality isn’t just for training, it can also be a treatment. 

Patients undergoing procedures while experiencing virtual reality require less pain medication. It can also reduce anxiety for kids whether they are simply getting a shot or something more serious like chemotherapy. It also helps with physical therapy for balance and mobility after stroke or traumatic brain injury. Psychologists have also found that virtual reality is proving to be helpful for the treatment of post-traumatic stress. Patients suffering from this mental injury are able to safely relive their trauma in a virtual setting. 

What is virtual reality? It could be the most immersive and distraction-free way to teach kids about subjects like history or math. Classrooms can be a place full of distraction, especially as kids whisper and pass notes to each other. Adding a virtual reality element, especially with headsets, can eliminate all of those distractions. It could be something as simple as using virtual reality to take tests to developing fully-interactive virtual reality lessons. In fact, this could be the greatest technological advancements for students since the invention of pencil and notebook. Instead of watching a badly-acted video of an old Civil War battle, step into the center of it in virtual reality.

From touring ancient Rome to teaching geometry in cyberspace, virtual reality is a way that difficult concepts can be, literally, visualized. If students struggle with one method of instruction, virtual reality could let them see it, again literally, from a different angle. Just like with medical training, students can use virtual reality to practice tasks. Measuring and cutting wood in shop class, preparing ingredients in Home Ec, or even learning CPR could all be done virtually, first. Of all areas where virtual reality can make a huge impact, education is the one most ripe for it. Both students and teachers would be excited by this tool that really can making learning fun for every student.

What is virtual reality? It’s a way to visit places you couldn’t otherwise or get a sneak preview before you actually travel. There is no way that virtual reality could compare to actually visiting a place in person. Even in Star Trek, the characters complained that their almost-magical Holodeck wasn’t as good as the real thing. Still, this doesn’t mean that virtual reality isn’t a great way to see things you’d never see otherwise. Want to soar over the Grand Canyon or huge mountain ranges? You can do it with virtual reality. In fact, NASA plans to include a virtual reality experience on the next Mars mission. You can walk on the surface of another planet just by donning a headset.

It can also be a great way to shop for your luxury resort in Bali or Babardos or wherever your headed for a holiday. Instead of looking at marketing photos or videos, you could don a headset and check out the view from the beach yourself. You could also tour areas too remote for many visitors or places so popular that they are always a bit too crowded. It would be a great way for students to experience places they are learning about in school. You can stand on top of the Sphinx in Egypt or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. In fact, using a 360-degree camera, you could even relive your own travels again and again.

What is virtual reality? It’s about all these other things, but it’s also about games. Since the dawn of the modern era of virtual reality, video games have been the driving force behind them. Yet, one stalling point here is that video games are usually a very passive experience. You sit down, fiddle with a controller, and hours go by. A virtual reality game, however, is much more active. Rather than moving a joystick with a light touch, you have to turn your head. The game might require you to stand or move your arms, which is much more effort than needed with a controller. Given the lingering popularity of old Atari games or those made for the original Nintendo Entertainment System, it’s likely that console games are here to stay.

Just as later-generation consoles have allowed for videogame designers to create games the Atari designers barely could imagine, virtual reality will also cause a paradigm shift. The sorts of games we play on consoles won’t necessarily translate well to the virtual reality experience. At least outside of how Netflix’s VR experience is just a giant screen in a virtual living room. The opportunities and challenges posed by virtual reality environments will hopefully lead to entirely new game concepts that make the most of what it can do. And there are reasons to believe that classic videogames might actually affect the health of a virtual reality user in a negative way.

What is virtual reality? It’s mostly safe, but there are some health concerns that people should be aware of. The most common risk, not surprisingly, is falling down. When using virtual reality you cannot see where you are going. So, if you are moving around, there is a very real risk of tripping or running into things. Also, users can experience motion sickness symptoms from the movement. Like with the Nintendo VR device, there are risks of vision troubles, headaches, and even seizures. Check with your doctor about pre-existing conditions before trying these out.

There is also the worry that virtual reality headsets can cause degeneration of the eye and myopia. Yes, this is the old “don’t sit too close to the TV or you’ll go blind” advice. Still, nearsightedness is a condition that can develop, especially if people are looking at things too closely. If the objects in the VR world have sufficient depth, however, the risks of myopia are limited. Naturally, these are preliminary findings and much more research is needed. Also, you will have to remember to blink, otherwise your eyes will dry out and you risk straining them. Along with physical risks to our health, there are also emotional effects to consider as well.

What is virtual reality? It, like many new technologies, could pose not just risks to the physical health of the user but the mental health as well. We’ve already discussed how VR can be used to treat traumatic mental injuries, but one has to wonder if it could cause them as well. As mentioned above, some game designers have made very violent games for these devices. One of them is a scenario ripped straight from a horror movie. In the game, the user is tortured. Virtual reality plays a lot of tricks on our brains, could experiencing VR trauma have real effects?

Many virtual reality researchers and philosophers who consider the ramifications of this technology believe that there should be a VR code of ethics. They believe that developers should promise not to make graphically violent games, especially while the technology is still in its infancy. This is an area that needs study, and it's up to the game designers to err on the side of caution.

There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to virtual reality headsets. The models at the top of the line have their own dedicated screens in the headsets. Others use smartphones as their display, and both work well enough. Here are the best ones we could find Amazon.com 

The Rift from Oculus VR is the headset that helped kickstart the modern push towards virtual reality development. Originally a crowdfunded project, Facebook purchased the company. This is a headset that does not need a smartphone, coming with its own screens. However, you still need to pair the device to a Windows PC in order to use it. You will need a NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti/AMD Radeon RX 470 or greater graphics cards and at least eight gigabytes of RAM. This particular package also comes with two touch controls, which helps further establish presence by allowing your hands to match their movements in the real world.

This premiere version of the HTC Vive boasts enhanced graphics, real-life movement, and fully-immersive audio. This device uses external sensors to create a play space for users up to twenty square feet. It comes with an incredible detailed display, 2880 x 1600 and 615 pixels-per-inch. The high-quality headphones are built-in, an advantage over the Vive, and come with active noise cancellation. This headset is also designed to both look and feel great. With the gorgeous blue and black design, this looks like a headset that would be at home on a science fiction spaceship. It’s also designed for comfort, using lightweight materials, including a reduction in the surface area of the gasket that rests on your face.

Samsung released the Gear VR, a headset using a smartphone as a display, for the mass market. However, they also created a luxury option, the Samsung HMD Odyssey mixed reality headset. This headset pairs with a Windows computer and a myriad number of controllers. With two dual AMOLED screens in the headset and 360-degree spatial sound, this tries to be a premiere VR experience. It boasts it has a higher resolution than the Rift and doesn’t require external tracking devices like the Vive. This headset is also one of the only ones to include a built-in microphone that allows easy verbal commands to Cortana. With lots of optional add-ons and controls, this headset belongs in the conversation with the best of them.

If you want to spring for a Playstation 4 and are curious about VR, then this is the bundle for you. It comes with a console with a one terabyte hard drive. It includes a wireless D-pad controller, but it also comes with three VR controllers, including one for shooting games. It comes with two VR games, Farpoint and Doom. It comes with a dual-camera tracking system, so the PSVR can track your movements. Finally, it comes with the latest generation PSVR headset. This one relies on internal screens for the display but needs the PS4 to run. Still, if you want to use your VR headset primarily for games, this might be the way to go.

This is the only VR headset on this list that uses a Smartphone as its display, and thus the real device worthy of scrutiny is the phone itself. However, of all the smartphone-based headsets, this one is both minimalist and luxurious. Made of lightweight materials and soft fabric, this is arguably the most comfortable headset on the list. Still, smartphone VR is nowhere near the level of the dedicated systems, yet. Still, the VR options on the Android marketplace are remarkable. This is a great, low-cost option to get your toes wet with virtual reality. Also great for younger kids, though make sure you supervise their use.

The rise of virtual reality is an important paradigm shift in personal media. It’s tried to break into the marketplace before, but every time it’s failed. Still, with the advent of smartphone-based virtual reality, the technology is more widespread than ever before. There seems to be no question that some part of our entertainment (and possibly educational) future lies with virtual reality. It’s nothing to be afraid of, but concerns should not be dismissed out-of-hand, especially where physical and mental health of those who use it are concerned. Still, the positives thus far vastly outweigh the negatives. And, most importantly, virtual reality is a heck of a lot of fun.

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