sight, hearing, and touch in virtual reality

In order to successfully achieve complete engagement of a person within a Virtual Reality environment, the VR medium should connect with vital sensory pathways in a believable manner. The critical senses by which humans learn about their surroundings are sight, hearing, and touch. For these reasons, these are the main elements of current VR systems. If sensory input from these things is not coordinated, then immersion will not be achieved. For example, response lag between sensory location by the inner ear and location determination by vision will erode the feeling of immersion in a realistic setting. In like manner, lags or gaps between hearing and touch or between hearing and vision also cause problems. Such delays cause disconfiguration and nausea. Linked page AVAtalk also has related developments.

An object's edges separate it from the environment. The geometry of these edges also provides visual signals about its three-dimensionality. The outer edges of an object create its outline and are the link between interaction among objects (including overlap, scale, and parallax as discussed) and the internal configuration of the object. An object's inner edges bridge the outer boundaries of the object and its inner surfaces and textures. Together, the outer and inner edges of an object provide strong cues about its 3D size, location, angle, and motion. The site on Virtual Tours Indianapolis, Indiana covers interesting topics in detail.

Linked page Virtual Home Link also covers this VR material.