Virtual Reality

A person using a Meta Quest 3 standalone virtual reality headset

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-simulated artificial multisensory 3D environment that can mimic the properties and imagery of the physical world, be completely based in fantasy, or a mix of both. It involves technology that uses computer-generated environments to simulate a physical presence in a virtual world. The system uses position-tracking and responds to the user’s inputs. In VR, the senses are temporarily fooled into believing that the artificial environment is real. The goal of a true VR experience is to create presence - the feeling of physically being somewhere else, of being in another reality .

Virtual Reality is an interactive and immersive medium that can be used to create unique experiences that are unattainable elsewhere. VR has the power to transform games, films and other forms of media. Some enthusiasts call VR the "ultimate input/output device" or the "last medium" because any subsequent medium can be created within VR, using only software .

While Augmented Reality enhances the real world with digital content, Virtual Reality completely replaces the real world with a virtual one, creating a brand new digital environment.

Main characteristics

Interactive - The user’s input controls the system and guides the behavior of the VR experience, while also modifying the virtual environment. This type of interaction engages the user, connecting him to the application in a more natural way since the environment responds directly to the stimuli .

Immersive - An immersive experience has to provide a sense of presence as well as a sense of engagement. Immersion can be divided into three different aspects:

1. According to Bierbaum (2000), “For a VR application to be immersive, it must be perceptually immersive by providing ‘the presentation of sensory cues that convey perceptually to users that they’re surrounded by the computer-generated environment.’” Therefore, the VR must provide the user with an all-encompassing sensory input .

2. The second aspect of immersion is the sense of presence. This implies that the VR experience must give the user the sense they are “in” the virtual world .

3. The final aspect is engagement. It is the degree “to which the user has a sense they are deeply involved in the environment.”

Multisensory - providing a virtual experience that uses multiple human sensory systems increases the level of immersion. While current VR systems cannot provide a full range of stimuli to all human senses, it is expected that in the future this problem will be solved and the VR experience will be completely or almost indistinguishable from reality. The more senses are involved in the VR experience, the higher the degree of engagement and, consequently, this results in a greater sense of presence .

Synthetic - The environment is artificial, created by a computer in real-time .

Hardware Technologies

Head-mounted Display

VR is created by head-mounted displays (HMDs) such as the Oculus Rift. HMDs utilize stereoscopic displays and specialized lenses along with motion tracking hardware to give the illusion that the user is physically inside the virtual world.

To create the illusion of depth, a display is placed very close to the users' eyes, covering their entire field of view. Two images that are very similar but have different perspectives are channeled into each eye to create parallax, the visual phenomenon where our brains perceive depth based on the difference in the apparent position of objects.

Specialized lenses are placed between the display and our eyes. The lenses allow our eyes to focus on the images on the display, even though the display is only a few inches in front of our faces. Without lenses, our entire VR world would become blurry because human eyes have trouble focusing on things that are very close.

The headset tracks the movement of your head and changes the images shown on the display based on it. This process creates the sensation that users are located within the virtual environment. Users of these devices are not only able to experience the computer-simulated environments but also interact with them. Various input methods, from the traditional game controllers and keyboards to the futuristic hand gestures and voice commands, are available or under development.

Motion Tracking

HMD tracks the movement of your head and updates the rendered scene based on its orientation and location. This process is similar to how we look around in real life. There are 2 types of tracking: rotational tracking and positional.

Rotational tracking tracks the 3 rotational movements: pitch, yaw, and roll. It is performed by IMUs such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers.

Positional tracking tracks the 3 translational movements: forward/back, up/down and left/right. Positional tracking is usually more difficult than rotational tracking and is accomplished through different Types and Systems.

Motion tracking is not only used to track your head in HMDs but also used to track your hands and rest of your body through various input devices.

Input Devices

Input Devices allow the users to influence and manipulate the virtual realm they are in. These devices include traditional input methods such as gamepad, mouse and keyboard and novel devices that track the position and orientation of your hands, fingers, feet and other body parts.

Platforms

visionOS - Apple Vision Pro

Oculus Rift (Platform)

Oculus Quest (Platform)

SteamVR

PlayStation VR

OpenVR

Daydream

OSVR

WebVR

Windows 10 VR

HP VR

Pico VR

Vive

Additional Information

VR Headset Demo Locations

VR Headsets

See also: VR Headsets

Popular VR Headsets:

• Steam Frame
• Apple Vision Pro
• Meta Quest 3S
• Meta Quest 3
• Meta Quest Pro
• Meta Quest 2
• PlayStation VR2
• Valve Index
• Oculus Rift S
• Bigscreen Beyond 2
• Bigscreen Beyond
• Varjo XR-4
• Pico 4
• Lynx R1

Devices	Requires	Display	Resolution	Refresh Rate	Field of View	Tracking	Rotational Tracking	Positional Tracking	Update Rate	Latency	Input	Connectivity
3Glasses
ANTVR	PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Smartphone	aspherical lens	1920 x 1080		100° diagonal	3DOF	Gyroscope, Magnetometer, Accelerometer				Transformable Controller	U2B (USB-2.4GHz and Bluetooth) module
Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset	PC	Dual LCD display	2880 x 1440 (1440 x 1440 per eye)	90Hz '"`UNIQ--ref-0000464A-QINU`"'	95 Degree Horizontal	6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer	Inside-out tracking		Motion to Photon: Less than 10ms	Keyboard/Mouse,Xbox One GamePad, Motion Controllers	HDMI, USB
Apple Vision Pro		Dual Micro-OLED	3660 × 3200 pixels per eye (23 million total pixels)	90Hz, 96Hz, 100Hz	Approximately 100-120 degrees	Eye tracking, hand tracking, face tracking, room mapping	Yes	6DoF	12ms photon-to-photon latency	12ms	Eye tracking, hand gestures, voice	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Apple Vision Pro M5		2× Micro-OLED	3660×3200+ per eye (10% more pixels than original)	90 Hz, 96 Hz, 100 Hz, 120 Hz	~100°	Inside-out 6DoF						Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
Arpara
BHaptics TactSuit X16	Compatible VR headset or PC/mobile device; bHaptics Player app	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			Haptic output device (vibrotactile feedback)	Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE), 3.5 mm audio jack
BHaptics Tactal	bHaptics Player software; compatible VR headset (face interface required for some headsets)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			N/A (output device)	Bluetooth 4.0 (BLE)
BOBOVR F2	Meta Quest 2 headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			Two-speed fan control	N/A
BOBOVR M2 Pro	Meta Quest 2	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			Rear tightening dial, magnetic battery release	Magnetic battery connector
Bigscreen Beyond 2	VR-ready PC, SteamVR Base Stations, VR Controllers	Dual 1-inch Micro-OLED	2560 × 2560 per eye (5120 × 2560 total)	75 Hz (native), 90 Hz (upscaled via DSC from 1920 × 1920)	116° diagonal	SteamVR Tracking, (Outside-in via SteamVR 1.0 or 2.0 base stations, 6DoF)	Yes	Yes		Low-latency eye-tracking (on Beyond 2e)	Requires separate VR controllers, Valve Index Controllers	5 m fiber-optic tether to Link Box
Bigscreen Beyond 2e		2× Micro-OLED (RGB stripe)	2560×2560 per eye (13.1 million pixels total)	90 Hz	116°	Outside-in 6DoF (SteamVR Base Stations)						DisplayPort, USB
Cybershoes	Compatible VR headset, swivel chair, carpet	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Roller and IMU sensors (foot motion)	N/A	N/A			Foot motion (walk, run)	USB radio receiver (PC); Bluetooth (Quest)
D-Link VR Air Bridge	VR-capable PC running Windows 10/11, compatible Meta Quest headset, Meta Quest Link software	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			N/A	Wi-Fi 6 (IEEE 802.11ax/ac/b/g/n) point-to-point link to headset
Daydream View	Daydream Ready Phones	5 / 5.5 inch AMOLED (Pixel / Pixel XL)	1920 x 1080 / 2560 x 1440 (Pixel / Pixel XL)	60 Hz	90° (nominal)	3DOF	Accelerator, Gyrometer, Proximity	None	Rotational: 1000 Hz, high accuracy	Motion to Photon: <6 ms (Pixel), <6ms (Mate 9 Pro), <10ms (MotoZ)	Daydream Controller
Diver-X ContactGlove	SteamVR-compatible PC headset; SteamVR tracker(s) for positional tracking	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Bend sensors plus IMU (finger tracking); positional tracking via external SteamVR trackers	Via attached SteamVR tracker	Via attached SteamVR tracker (not built in)			Finger tracking, gesture-mapped button and stick emulation	Wireless to PC
EteeControllers SteamVR	SteamVR-compatible PC VR headset, SteamVR Base Stations (6DoF)	N/A (controller)	N/A	N/A	N/A	SteamVR Tracking via eteeTracker (6DoF); finger/hand sensing on-device	Yes (6DoF version)	Yes (6DoF version)			Full-finger sensing, thumb trackpad, gestures (point, pinch, grip); buttonless and triggerless	Bluetooth Low Energy via eteeDongle; USB-C
FOVE	PC	5.8 inch low persistence OLED	2560 x 1440	60 - 90 Hz	100°	Eye Tracking	IMUs	Their own system	Eye Tracking: 120 FPS			USB 3.0, Display port, 3.5mm headphone port
Figment VR		Depends on the smartphone	Depends on the smartphone			3DOF	IMUs in Smartphone	None
Gear VR		Samsung phone display (Super AMOLED)			96° (101° for later models)	3DoF (rotational only)					Touchpad, back button, controller
HP Reverb		LCD (dual)	2160x2160 per eye	90 Hz	114°	6DoF (inside-out, 2 cameras)						DisplayPort, USB 3.0, Bluetooth
HP Reverb G1	VR-Ready PC	2 x LCD	2160 x 2160 per eye (4320 x 2160 total)	90 Hz	Approx. 114° diagonal (Visible FoV: 95° H / 90° V )	Inside-out tracking, 6DoF	Yes	Yes			Windows Mixed Reality Motion Controllers	Bluetooth (built into headset for controllers)
HP Reverb G2 Controllers	HP Reverb G2 headset (for optical tracking)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Inside-out (optical, tracked by the headset's four cameras)	Yes	Yes			Thumbstick, two face buttons, analog trigger, analog grip, menu button, Windows button	Wireless (pre-paired to the headset; embedded receiver)
HTC Vive	PC	Dual Panel	2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye)	90 Hz		6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Laser Position Sensor	Base Stations	Rotational: 1000Hz, Positional: 60Hz	Motion to Photon, 7ms (no load), 15ms (medium load)	Controllers in both hands	2 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, 1 headphone jack
HTC Vive Base Station	Compatible SteamVR headset and controllers, AC power	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A (emitter; ~120 degrees swept coverage)	Outside-in optical (emits IR for headset/controller sensors)	Enables 6DoF on tracked devices	Enables 6DoF on tracked devices			Channel selector (b / c / A), sync cable jack	Optical sync (wireless) or sync cable
HTC Vive Developer Editions	PC	Dual Panel	2160 x 1200, 1080 x 1200 per eye	90 Hz	110° (diagonal)	6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Laser Position Sensor	Base Stations	??	??	Controllers in both hands	2 HDMI ports, 2 USB ports, 1 headphone jack
HTC Vive Facial Tracker	Vive Pro / Vive Pro Eye, USB-C port, SRanipal runtime	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Optical (computer-vision lower-face tracking)	N/A	N/A			Facial expression capture	USB-C (wired)
HTC Vive Pro	PC	Dual Panel	2880 x 1600 (1440 x 1600 per eye)	90 Hz '"`UNIQ--ref-00005674-QINU`"'	110° (diagonal)	6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Laser Position Sensor	Base Stations	Rotational: TBC, Positional: TBC	Motion to Photon, TBC	Controllers in both hands	DisplayPort 1.2, USB-C 3.0 port, Bluetooth (Version TBD) (TBD: 1 headphone jack???)
HTC Vive Pro Controllers	SteamVR-compatible PC VR headset; SteamVR Base Stations	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Lighthouse (SteamVR Tracking 2.0)	Yes	Yes			Dual-stage trigger, multi-function trackpad, grip buttons, menu button, system button	Wireless (to base stations)
HTC Vive Tracker 3.0	SteamVR Base Station 1.0 or 2.0, compatible PC VR setup	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	SteamVR Tracking (Lighthouse), 240-degree sensor field of view	Yes	Yes			Pogo pin connector (accessory I/O)	Wireless via USB dongle (2.4 GHz)
HTC Vive Wireless Adapter	Compatible PC with free PCIe slot; HTC Vive, Vive Pro or Vive Cosmos; QuickCharge battery pack	N/A (accessory)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A (uses host headset tracking)					N/A	60 GHz WiGig wireless link (PC to headset)
HTC Vive Wrist Tracker	Compatible Vive Focus 3, XR Elite or Focus Vision headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Inside-out optical (LEDs read by headset cameras) plus onboard IMU	Yes	Yes			One-button pairing	Wireless (Bluetooth)
HTC Vive XR Controllers	Compatible HTC VIVE standalone headset (HTC Vive Focus 3, HTC Vive XR Elite, HTC Vive Focus Vision)	N/A (controller)	N/A	N/A	N/A	Camera-based optical (infrared LEDs under tracking ring), 6DoF	Yes	Yes			Thumbstick, analog trigger, grip button, A/B or X/Y buttons, system/menu button	Wireless to headset
Hons VR Quest 2 Prescription Lens Adapter	Meta Quest 2 (also Quest 1, Oculus Rift S, Oculus Go, Meta Quest 3S)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			N/A	N/A
IQIYI
Impression Pi	Smartphone	Depends on smartphone	Depends on the smartphone			6 DOF	IMU Board	IMU Board, Infared Cameras?, IR Projector?
IonVR	Smartphone (4.5"-6" screen), 2 AAA batteries	Smartphone display (Super AMOLED or IPS)	Min. 720p resolution, 1080p recommended, 2K ideal		80-100 degrees	Rotational (3DOF), Positional (6DOF with Intel RealSense)	Yes (3-axis IMU)	Yes (with Intel RealSense ZR300)			Compatible with Bluetooth controllers
KAT Walk C	PC VR headset or PlayStation VR (via adapter), free-locomotion VR game	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Foot-mounted optical sensors on dedicated shoes	Yes (in-game heading from foot direction)	N/A			Natural walking, running, crouching and strafing in place	Wireless sensor link to PC; 3 m signal range
KAT Walk C 2	PC VR headset, PlayStation VR or Meta Quest (via adapter), free-locomotion VR game	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Optical foot-mounted sensors on dedicated shoes (2 foot sensors + 1 direction sensor)	Yes (360-degree in-game heading from foot direction)	N/A			Natural walking, running, jumping, crouching, leaning and strafing in place	Wireless sensor link to PC
KAT Walk C 2 Plus	Compatible PC VR or console VR headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Optical foot sensors (2 foot sensors, 1 direction sensor)	Yes (direction sensor)	Foot tracking on platform			Walking, running, jumping, crouching, strafing on a low-friction platform	USB 3.0 (3 m cable)
LG 360 VR	LG G5	1.88" IPS LCD x 2 EA, 920 x 720 per Eye, 639 ppi Real RGB	960x720 pixels at 693ppi (per eye)	60Hz						Motion to Photon: over 50ms
Lenovo Legion VR700		Fast-response RGB LCD ("RealRGB")	3,664 x 1,920 total (773 PPI)	72Hz, 90Hz		6DoF, inside-out tracking (four cameras)	Yes	Yes			Two 6DoF controllers	Wi-Fi, USB-C (USB 3.0)
Lenovo Mirage VR S3		Dual LCD	1,920 x 2,160 pixels per eye (3,840 x 2,160 combined, marketed as 4K)	75Hz	101 degrees	3DoF (rotational only)	Yes	No			3DoF controller, hands-free head control	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Lenovo Windows Holographic HMD	PC	1440x1440-pixel OLED display				Inside-out Tracking		Two Cameras			Controller	HDMI and USB Connectors
Logitech Chorus	Meta Quest 2 headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			Flip-to-mute (rotating speaker arms)	Wired (USB-C to headset)
Lynx R1	None (Standalone device)	Dual LCD (binocular)	1600×1600 per eye	90 Hz	90°×90° (circular)	6DOF inside-out tracking	Yes (6DOF)	Yes (6DOF)			Hand tracking, optional 6DOF controllers based on Finch Technologies Shift	Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5, USB-C (3.1 Gen1, DisplayPort Alt-Mode)
Lynx-R1		2× LCD	1600×1600 per eye	90 Hz	90° (circular)	Inside-out 6DoF (6 cameras)						Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C
Manus SteamVR Pro Tracker	SteamVR, SteamVR Base Stations, compatible PC VR system	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	SteamVR Tracking (Lighthouse, outside-in)	Yes	Yes			N/A (tracking device)	Wireless (USB dongle), up to 25 m range
Meta Quest 3	Meta account	2 x LCD ("4K+ Infinite Display")	2064×2208 per-eye	72Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz (144Hz experimental)	110° (horizontal), 96° (vertical)	6DoF, inside-out tracking	Yes (IMU-based)	Yes (SLAM-based)			2 × Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers	Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax with 6GHz), Bluetooth 5.2 LE
Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery	Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			Adjustment dial	USB-C (for charging)
Meta Quest 3S	Meta account	Single LCD	1832 x 1920 pixels per eye	Up to 120Hz		6DoF, inside-out tracking	Yes	Yes			Touch Plus controllers, hand tracking	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth
Meta Quest Touch Plus Controllers	Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Ringless optical (infrared LEDs) fused with headset hand tracking and inertial sensors	Yes	Yes			Thumbstick, two face buttons, trigger (two-stage), grip button, menu/system button, capacitive thumbrest	Wireless (paired to headset)
Meta Quest Touch Pro Controllers	Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 2, or Meta Quest 3	N/A (controller)	N/A	N/A	N/A	Self-tracking (on-board cameras, SLAM); no tracking ring	Yes	Yes (360-degree, independent of headset)			Thumbstick, A/B (X/Y) buttons, analog trigger, grip, pressure-sensitive thumb rest, optional stylus tip	Bluetooth (to headset)
NVIS nVisor SX60	PC/Workstation with dual-link DVI or VGA	LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon)	1280x1024 per eye (SXGA)	60 Hz	60° diagonal	3 DoF (6 DoF with optional external trackers)	Yes	Optional (with external trackers)	Up to 180 Hz (tracker-dependent)			DVI, VGA, RS-232
OSVR HDK1	PC	5.5 inch LCD (1.0), 5.5 inch low-persistence OLED (1.1 - 1.3)	1920 x 1080, 960 x 1080 per eye	60 Hz (1.0 - 1.2), 120 Hz (1.3)	100° (nominal), 90° (H and V)	3DOF, 6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer	IR-LED faceplate and External Infrared Camera	Rotational: 400Hz, Positional: 100 Hz	??	Gamepads, Mouse and Keyboard, Leap Motion	1 external and 2 internal USB 3.0 ports
OSVR HDK2	PC	5.5 inch OLED	2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye)	90 Hz '"`UNIQ--ref-0000322B-QINU`"'	110 degrees	3DOF, 6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer	???	Rotational: 400Hz, Positional: 100 Hz	??	???	1 external and 2 internal USB 3.0 ports
Oculus Quest 2		LCD (single panel)	1832x1920 per eye	72/80/90/120 Hz	97°	6DoF (inside-out, 4 cameras)
Oculus Rift	PC	Dual OLED Panels	2160 x 1200 (1080 x 1200 per eye)	90 Hz	110° (diagonal)	6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer	Oculus Sensor	Rotational: 1000Hz, Positional: 60Hz	Motion to Photon: less than 5ms	Xbox One controller, Oculus Touch, Oculus Remote	HDMI, USB
Oculus Rift S	VR-Ready PC	Fast-switch LCD	2560×1440 (1280×1440 per eye)	80Hz	115°	Inside-out tracking, (6DOF)	Yes	Oculus Insight			Oculus Touch	DisplayPort 1.2, USB 3.0
Oculus Santa Cruz								Inside-out			Controllers	1 HDMI, 2 USB 3.0 Ports
Philips Scuba	Nintendo 64, Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation, DVD player, PC with composite video output	Dual AMLCD (Active Matrix LCD), approx. 0.7 inches each	263 × 230 pixels per eye	60 Hz (NTSC), 50 Hz (PAL)	50° diagonal (40° horizontal × 30° vertical)	3 DoF Non-positional	Yes (Gyroscope Based)	No			Control box with power button, brightness/contrast controls, volume control	RCA composite video input, stereo audio input
Pico 4 Pro		2× LCD	2160×2160 per eye	72 Hz, 90 Hz	105°	Inside-out 6DoF (4 cameras)						Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C
Pico 4 Ultra Enterprise		2× 2.56" LCD	2160×2160 per eye (4K+)	90 Hz	105°	Inside-out 6DoF (4 cameras)						Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth, USB-C
Pico G2		3K LCD, blue ray reduction	2880 x 1600	90Hz, 615 ppi	101 degrees	3DOF					1 3DOF Controller	N/A
Pico G3		LCD	3664×1920 (combined)	72 Hz, 90 Hz (dynamic)	~101°	3DoF (head rotation only)						Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C
Pico Neo 3 Pro		5.5", 4k, 3664 x 1920 LCD, PPI 773		72/90Hz	98 degrees, Fresnel	6DOF, Inside-out					2, updated Pico Neo Controllers	Displayport
Pico Neo CV		Dual 1.5K AMOLED	1500 x 1500 pixels/eye	90Hz	102 degrees	6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF)
Pimax 5K Super		2x LCD (RGB stripe matrix)	2560x1440 per eye (5120x1440 combined)	90 Hz, 120 Hz, 144 Hz, 160 Hz, 180 Hz (experimental)	200° diagonal, 170° horizontal, 115° vertical (varies by mode)	6DoF (SteamVR Lighthouse 1.0/2.0)						DisplayPort 1.4, USB, Power
Pimax 8K		Custom low-latency LCD screen	8K (4K for each eye)	Monocular 75Hz / (Up to 90Hz although struggling to better 80Hz) (Both eyes 150Hz / 180Hz through Brainwarp)	200-degree FOV	Gesture Tracking (optional)		Yes		18ms (Low MTP Latency)
Pimax 8KX		2× 4K CLPL LCD	3840×2160 per eye (native 4K)	75 Hz, 90 Hz (native), 114 Hz (upscale)	200° diagonal (170° horizontal, 115° vertical)	Lighthouse (SteamVR base stations)						DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.0
Pimax Sword Controllers	Two SteamVR Base Stations (Lighthouse 1.0 or 2.0), compatible SteamVR headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	SteamVR Lighthouse (1.0 and 2.0); Pimax advertises 52 optical positioning chips (hands-on count was 26 per controller)	Yes	Yes			Trigger, grip button, trackpad, menu button, home button	Wireless (to base stations)
Project Alloy
QWR VRone PC			4K+ per eye			6DoF, inside-out tracking	Yes	Yes				Tethered (DisplayPort or USB-C to PC)
QWR VRone Pro		Dual LCD	1,600 x 1,600 pixels per eye	90Hz	105 degrees	6DoF, inside-out tracking	Yes	Yes			Two 6DoF controllers, hand tracking
Quest 2 Controllers	Oculus Quest 2 headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Oculus Insight inside-out tracking (no external sensors)	Yes	Yes			Analog thumbstick, A/B and X/Y buttons, index trigger, grip trigger, Oculus/menu button	Wireless (paired to the headset)
Quest 2 Elite Strap	Meta Quest 2 headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			Adjustment dial	USB-C (battery version, for charging)
Roscosmos
Samsung Gear VR (2015/2016)	All Samsung Smartphones 2015 and newer	5.7 / 5.1 inch Super AMOLED (RGBG PenTile)	2560 x 1440, 1280 x 1440 per eye	60 Hz	96° (nominal)	3DOF	Accelerator, Gyrometer, Proximity	None	Rotational: 1000 Hz, high accuracy	Motion to Photon: Less than 6 ms	Touchpad, Back Button, Volume Key, Focus adjustment wheel	microUSB to the smartphone
Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition	Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge	5.7 / 5.1 inch Super AMOLED (RGBG PenTile)	2560 x 1440, 1280 x 1440 per eye	60 Hz Low-persistence	96° (nominal)	3DOF	Accelerator, Gyroscope, Magnetometer	None	Rotational: 1000 Hz, high accuracy	Motion to Photon: Less than 20 ms	Touch Pad, Back Button, Volume Key	microUSB to the smartphone
Shiftall
Shiftall HaritoraX	SteamVR-compatible VR headset, Windows PC, Bluetooth adapter	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	9-axis IMU (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer); no external base stations	Yes	Estimated from IMU and skeletal model			Body motion (chest, waist, thighs, ankles)	Bluetooth v4.2 BR/EDR (range approx. 10 m)
Shiftall MeganeX Superlight 8K		2× 1.35" Micro-OLED (4K per eye)	3552×3840 per eye (8K total)	90 Hz	~90°	Outside-in 6DoF (SteamVR Lighthouse)						DisplayPort, USB-C
Simula One	None (standalone), PC for tethered mode, Bluetooth keyboard & mouse (optional)	Dual 2448×2448 RGB-stripe LCD high-fidelity panels	2448×2448 per eye (4896×2448 total)	90 Hz (up to 120 Hz capable panels mentioned previously)	≈100° diagonal	Inside-out tracking, (6DOF)	Yes (3DOF via IMU)	Yes (6DOF)			Keyboard and mouse compatible (via Bluetooth or USB)	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Skyworth
Sony PUD-J5A	PlayStation 2 console	Dual 0.44-inch LCD	180,000 pixels per panel		~25-30 degrees (horizontal)	3DoF head tracking (rotational only)	Yes	No			PlayStation 2 controller	USB, composite/S-video via control box
Sony SRH-S1	Siemens NX Immersive Engineering software (SRH-S1 configuration)	Dual 1.3-type Micro-OLED (Sony ECX344A)	3,552 x 3,840 pixels per eye (approx. 13.6 megapixels per eye)	90Hz		6DoF, inside-out tracking					Pointing controller, ring controller, hand tracking, eye tracking	Standalone, plus PC streaming
StarVR	PC	Dual 5.5" LCD Quad HD Displays	5120 x 1440 (2560 x 1440 per eye)		210° (horizontal), 130° (vertical)	6DOF	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Magnetometer	External optical sensor with fiducial markers
Steam Frame	PC for streaming (optional), included wireless adapter	Dual 2160×2160 LCD panels	2160×2160 per eye	72–120 Hz (144 Hz experimental)	Stated 110° horizontal × 110° vertical	Inside‑out 6DoF SLAM (4 external monochrome cameras + IR illuminators)	6DoF IMU + optical	Inside‑out optical tracking		10–20 ms typical end‑to‑end streaming (claimed)	Steam Frame Controllers; optional Bluetooth gamepads, keyboard and mouse	Wi‑Fi 7 (headset), bundled Wi‑Fi 6E PC adapter, Bluetooth 5.3
SteamVR Base Station 2.0	Compatible SteamVR 2.0 headset/controllers, 12V power outlet	N/A	N/A	N/A	150-160 degrees horizontal, 110-115 degrees vertical (see Specifications)	SteamVR Tracking 2.0 (outside-in laser sweep)	N/A	N/A			N/A	Wireless sync (sync-on-beam); no inter-station line of sight required
Sulon Q	PC	OLED	2560x1440 pixels								Dual noise-suppressing embedded microphones, Gamepads, Controllers compatible with Windows 10, Mouse and Keyboard	Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11ac
Surplex	SteamVR-compatible PC VR headset, gaming PC	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Sensor-fusion (pressure sensors + IMU + deep-learning skeletal inference)	Yes	Yes	30 Hz (Basic), 60 Hz (Pro)	~30 ms	Foot pressure and motion	Wireless to PC (Wi-Fi)
Surplex Pro	Gaming PC, SteamVR-compatible headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Pressure-sensor and IMU based, markerless (no base stations)	Yes	Yes			Body motion (full-body tracking)	Wi-Fi (to gaming PC)
Takara HMD Dynovisor	NTSC composite/AV console, external power supply	Sony Active TFT LCD	180,000 pixels (320x240 per eye, estimated)	30 Hz	120° diagonal	3 DoF (gyroscope-based)	Yes (pitch, yaw, roll)	No			Atari Jaguar controllers	Composite video (NTSC), Audio (Red/White RCA), Proprietary Atari Jaguar connection
VPL EyePhone	High-end computer system (Silicon Graphics workstation), Polhemus magnetic tracker	Dual active-matrix LCD panels	185 × 138 (Model 1), 320 × 240 (Model 2 LX), 720 × 480 (Model HRX) per eye	30 Hz	90° (Model 1), 108° (Model 2 LX), 106° (Model HRX)	3 DoF electromagnetic (Polhemus FASTRAK)	Yes	No	60 Hz	less than 50 ms (with SGI rendering)	DataGlove, (sold separately)	Wired to computer (NTSC composite signals)
VR Wave Quest 2 Prescription Lenses	Meta Quest 2 headset; a current eyeglass prescription	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			N/A	N/A
Valve Index	Windows 10, SteamOS, or Linux; NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 / AMD RX 480 or better	Dual 1440×1600 RGB LCD panels	2880×1600 (combined)	80/90/120/144Hz	~130 degrees (diagonal)	SteamVR Tracking, (Lighthouse 2.0)	6 DOF	6 DOF			Valve Index Controllers (included)	USB 3.0, DisplayPort 1.2
Varjo Aero	High-end PC	Mini-LED	3840×3744 per eye	90 Hz (120 Hz experimental)	120° × 105° (H×V)	Inside-out (4 cameras)	6DOF	6DOF	200 Hz	~22ms (passthrough), less than 15ms (VR)	Hand tracking, SteamVR controllers	USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 compatible)
Varjo VR-2	High-end PC	Dual OLED displays per eye (Bionic Display)	Focus: 1920×1080 per eye, Context: 1440×1600 per eye	90 Hz (both displays)	87°	SteamVR 1.0/2.0	6DOF	6DOF	1000 Hz	less than 20ms	Compatible with SteamVR controllers	DisplayPort 1.4, USB 3.0+
Varjo XR-3	High-end PC	uOLED (focus) + LCD (peripheral)	Focus: 1920×1920 per eye, Context: 2880×2720 per eye	90 Hz	115°	SteamVR 2.0, Inside-out (beta)	6DOF	6DOF	1000 Hz	less than 20ms (VR), less than 20ms (passthrough)	Compatible with SteamVR controllers	DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C 3.0
Varjo XR-4	High-end PC	Mini-LED	3840×3744 per eye	90 Hz (120 Hz experimental)	120° × 105° (H×V)	Inside-out (4 cameras)	6DOF	6DOF	200 Hz	~22ms (passthrough), less than 15ms (VR)	Hand tracking, SteamVR controllers	USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 compatible)
Varjo XR-4 Focal Edition		2× Mini-LED LCD	3840×3744 per eye (4K×4K)	90 Hz	120° × 105°	Inside-out + SteamVR (hybrid)						DisplayPort, USB-C
Virtual Boy	Six AA batteries or AC adapter	Dual 1×224 LED array with oscillating mirrors	384×224 per eye	50.27 Hz	~50° horizontal	None	No	No			Virtual Boy Controller	Controller port, cartridge slot, EXT port (unused)
Virtual i-O i-glasses!
Vive Cosmos		LCD (RGB, dual)	1440x1700 per eye	90 Hz	110°	6DoF (inside-out, 6 cameras)
Vive Flow		LCD (dual)	1600x1600 per eye	75 Hz	100°	6DoF (inside-out)						Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0
Vive Focus		AMOLED (single panel)	2800x1600	75 Hz	110°	6DoF (inside-out, 2 cameras)						Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB-C (OTG)
Vive Focus 3		LCD	2448x2448 per eye (5K)	90 Hz	120°	6DoF (inside-out, 4 cameras)
Vive Focus 3 Eye Tracker	HTC Vive Focus 3 headset	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Optical eye tracking (two 60 Hz IR cameras with IR illuminators)	N/A	N/A			N/A	Magnetic mount, USB Type-C
Vive Focus 3 Facial Tracker	HTC Vive Focus 3 (or Vive Focus Vision) headset	N/A	N/A	60 Hz (tracking)	151 degrees (camera)	Optical (mono camera, 38 blend shapes)	N/A	N/A			N/A	USB Type-C
Vive Focus Plus		AMOLED (dual)	1440x1600 per eye	75 Hz	110°	6DoF (inside-out + ultrasonic controllers)						Wi-Fi 5GHz, USB 3.1 Type-C
Vive Focus Vision		LCD (fast-switch, dual)	2448x2448 per eye	90 Hz (120 Hz planned via DisplayPort)	120°	6DoF (inside-out, 4 cameras)						Wi-Fi 6/6E, Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C (2x), DisplayPort
Vive Pro 2		LCD (dual)	2448x2448 per eye	120 Hz	116° (marketed 120°)	SteamVR 2.0 (outside-in)						DisplayPort, USB 3.0
Vive Pro Eye		OLED (dual)	1440x1600 per eye	90 Hz	110°	SteamVR 2.0 (outside-in)						DisplayPort, USB 3.0
Wearality Sky	Smartphone	Depends on smartphone	Depends on smartphone		150°	3DOF	IMUs in Smartphone	None
Woojer Vest Edge	Headphones or headset (audio source via Bluetooth, 3.5mm or USB-C)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A			Audio signal (low-frequency content converted to haptics)	Bluetooth 5.0 (aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, AAC, SBC), 3.5mm audio in/out, USB-C audio
Woxter
XRSpace
YVR

• To make changes to the table, please edit the the infobox of the corresponding device. See Template:Device Infobox for reference.

Apps

VR Apps

Developer Resources

Game Engines

Unity

Unreal Engine

Virtual Reality History timeline

Figure 1. Stereoscopic images (Image: www.vrs.org.uk)

Figure 2. Link Trainer (Image: www.vrs.org.uk)

Figure 3. Sensorama (Image: www.vrs.org.uk)

Figure 4. Virtual Environment Reality workstation technology (Image: www.sciencefocus.com)

Figure 5. VR Arcade Machines (Image: www.vrs.org.uk)

Virtual reality has a long history of development. While the main advancements happened after the introduction of electronics and computer technology, there are precursors to the ideas and implementation of VR that date as far back as the 1800s. For example, focusing solely on VR as a means of creating the illusion of being someplace else, then the earliest attempts at virtual reality could be considered the panoramic murals (or 360-degree murals). These would fill the viewer’s field of vision with the intention of making them feel a sense of presence at a certain historical event or scene .

What follows is a timeline of the main historical dates and events in the development of VR.

1838 - Stereoscopic viewers and photos

Charles Wheatstone demonstrated that the brain processes different two-dimensional images for each eye into a single three dimensional object (Figure 1). The stereoscope was invented in the same year and used twin mirrors to project a single image. When viewing two side by side stereoscopic images through a stereoscope, it gave the sense of depth and immersion .

In 1839, William Gruber also patented the View-Master stereoscope which was used for “virtual tourism” and still is produced today. The design principles of the stereoscope can still be found in the Google Cardboard and low-budget VR headsets for smartphones .

It could be argued that since the creation of stereoscopic images, people have been interested in making images more three dimensional to enrich its experience .

1929 - Link Trainer

Edward Link creates the first commercial flight simulator - the Link Trainer (Figure 2). It was entirely electromechanical, “controlled by motors that linked to the rudder and steering column to modify the pitch and roll.” It had a small motor-driven device that simulated turbulence and other disturbances. These flight simulators were used by over 500,000 pilots during World War II for initial training and improving skills .

1936 - Pygmalion’s Spectacles

Science fiction writer Stanley G. Weinbaum wrote a short story - Pygmalion’s Spectacles - that had the idea of a pair of goggles that allowed the user to experience a different world through holographic recordings, smell, taste, and touch. This concept can be easily equated to the VR devices that are currently available or under development .

1956 - The Sensorama

Cinematographer Morton Heilig develops the Sensorama, which was patented only in 1962 and might be considered the first true VR system. It was an arcade-style cabinet that stimulated all the senses. It had a stereoscopic 3D display, stereo speakers, vibrating seat, fans, and a scent producer. It was intended to fully immerse the person in a film. Heilig created six short films for his invention titled Motorcycle, Belly Dancer, Dune Buggy, Helicopter, A date with Sabina and I’m a coca cola bottle! Heilig intended the Sensorama to be one in a line of products for the “cinema of the future”. Unable to secure financial backing, his vision never became reality .

1960 - First VR Head-Mounted Display

After the Sensorama, Morton Heilig invented the first example of a virtual reality headset - the Telesphere Mask. It only worked with non-interactive films and didn’t have motion tracking. Nevertheless, the headset provided stereoscopic 3D and wide vision with stereo sound .

1961 - First motion tracking HMD

The true precursor of the HMDs available today was developed by two Philco Corporation engineers, Comeau and Bryan. It was called Headsight and it incorporated a video screen for each eye and a magnetic motion tracking system. This system was linked to a closed circuit camera. The device wasn’t developed for virtual reality applications. Instead, its goal was to allow immersive remote viewing of dangerous situations by the military. The head movements of the used would be replicated by a remote camera, allowing him to look around the environment. While the Headsight was a step in the evolution of the virtual reality headset, it lacked the integration of a computer and image generation .

1965 - The Ultimate Display

Ivan Sutherland developed the concept of the “Ultimate Display”. This device could simulate the natural world so realistically that a user could not tell the difference between actual reality and virtual reality. The concept comprised of a virtual world viewed through an HMD and had augmented 3D sound and tactile feedback; computer hardware that created the virtual environment and maintained it in real time; and interactivity between users and objects from the VR world in a realistic way. Sutherland suggested that the device would serve as a “windows into a virtual world”, and his idea would become a core blueprint for the concepts that encompass current VR .

1968 - Sword of Damocles

Ivan Sutherland and Bob Sproull created the Sword of Damocles, an HMD that was held by a mechanical arm mounted on a ceiling. The device was connected to a computer and displayed simple wireframe graphics to the user. The arm tracked the user’s head movements but was difficult to use. The contraption was also too heavy and bulky for comfortable use .

1969 - Artificial Reality

Myron Kruegere developed a series of experiences called “Artificial Reality”. He developed computer-generated environments that responded to the people in it. He created several projects such as Glowflow, Metaplay, and Psychic Space leading to the development of the Videoplace technology. This enabled communication between people at a distance in a responsive computer-generated environment .

1975 - Videoplace

Myron Kruegere created the Videoplace, which was the first interactive VR platform. The virtual reality surrounded the user and responded to movements and actions without the use of goggles or gloves. The Videoplace was a mix of several other artificial reality systems that he had developed .

1982 - Sayre gloves

The Sayre glove was the first wired glove. It was invented by Daniel J. Sandin and Thomas Defanti from an idea by Richard Sayre. Both scientists were from the Electronic Visualization Laboratory at the University of Illinois, Chicago. The glove used light emitters and photocells in the fingers. When flexed, the quantity of light reaching the photocell changed, translating the finger movements into electrical signals .

1985 - NASA project

The Virtual Environment Workstation Project at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, was founded with the purpose of producing a VR system that allowed astronauts to control robots outside a space station (Figure 4). The HMD that was developed had super-wide optics (almost an 180-degree field of view) .

1987 - The “Virtual Reality” name is coined

Before this date, even though there had been developments in VR, there wasn’t a term to describe the field. In 1987, Jaron Lanier (founder of the Visual Programming Lab, VPL) finally coined the term “virtual reality”. Lanier, through his company, developed a range of VR gear like the Dataglove and the EyePhone headset. The company also made the first surgical simulator, the first vehicle prototyping simulator, and the first architecture simulators .

1991 - Virtuality Group

By this time, VR devices started to be available to the public (although owning cutting-edge VR was still out of reach). The Virtuality Group launched several arcade games and machines in which players would use a set of VR goggles (Figure 5). The machines had immersive stereoscopic 3D visuals, handheld joysticks, and some unit were networked together for multiplayer gaming. There were some discussions about bringing Virtuality to Atari’s Jaguar console, but the idea was abandoned .

1993 - Sega’s virtual reality headset

At the Consumer Electronics Show in 1993, Sega announced a virtual reality headset for the Sega Genesis console. The prototype had head tracking, stereo sound and LCD screens in the visor. The company intended to have a general release of the product but technical difficulties stopped that from happening and the headset would remain in the prototype phase .

1995 - Nintendo Virtual Boy

The Virtual Boy was a 3D gaming console, marketed as the first portable console that could display 3D graphics. It was released in Japan and North America, and it was a commercial failure for the Japanese company. Some of the reasons for the failure were the lack of color in graphics (only red and black), lack of software support, and difficulty in using the console in a comfortable position. Production of the console was halted in 1996 .

Virtual reality in the 21st century

After 1997, the public interest in VR saw a decrease in what is known as the first VR winter. Nevertheless, the first fifteen years of the 21st century had several advancements in the field of virtual reality. Computer technology, including small and powerful mobile technologies, increased in power while prices were getting more accessible . The interest in VR regained momentum after Palmer Luckey created the first prototype of the Oculus Rift, in 2011, and launched a kickstarter campaign for its development in 2012. The campaign was successful, raising $2.5 million. In March 2014, Facebook bought the company Oculus VR for $2 billion dollars. After this, virtual reality blew up, with multiple companies investing in the development of their own VR systems. The rise of smartphones with high-density displays and 3D capabilities has also enabled the development of lightweight and practical VR devices .