What Is Virtual Reality (VR)? Business and IT Glossary

Virtual reality (VR) is the term most often associated with the ability for humans to view a virtual environment via a headset or a computer monitor. Virtual environments were big a few years ago through offerings such as Second Life, but have given way to virtual reality due to improvements in hardware and image processing.

Virtual reality most often includes a headset or an immersive screen that allows a user to look around or to move an avatar around in the environment. Gaming is a popular consumer application for virtual reality.

Virtual reality has the potential to transform entertainment, gaming, and corporate training. The immersive experience makes the human brain feel like it is physically in the environment, which makes it feel real. The enormous potential for gaming is one of the reasons so many firms are developing production VR devices that will work on gaming platforms. Enterprises that use VR in high-consequence industries can deploy a highly trained workforce that will have fewer errors or mishaps in the real world.