three-dimensional rendering

Virtual reality is computer simulation of an artificial, but realistic, setting inside which people interact. Three-dimensional rendering is a key part of virtual reality. This involves geometry creation, rendering, and analysis. There are different means used to recreate simulated variations on objects and worlds from the real world into their virtual space counterparts. Many current Virtual Reality systems construct things by assembling, patterning, shadowing, and lighting polygon-based models. For additional information, please see Esprit & HUMANOID: simulating virtual people .

To be engaging, the computer-created place must respond to one's action with requisite speed and appropriateness to provide a person engaged the sense of participating in a real-world situation. Considering speed, "latency" is the lag in computer response to movement of humans. Latency reduces the sensation of realism. Advances in computer processing power are narrowing latency to allow more accurate and cheaper virtual reality uses. More: Virtual Tours Minnesota provides novel discussion.

See also: Virtual Reality Gaming presents some alternative perspectives.