What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality (VR) is difficult to define since there are as many definitions as there are applications. In the book Silicon Mirage, VR is defined as a way for humans to visualize, manipulate, and interact with computers and extremely complex data. Some medical applications may use head mounted displays but most are immersive systems that minimize the difference between the VR experience and reality as experienced by the user. In virtual reality surgical devices, replicas of surgical instruments are connected to specially designed interfaces to allow the surgeon to interact with a virtual environment generated by a computer. Virtual reality allows surgical training to be compartmentalized into specific tasks such as basic training (knot tying), visuospatial training (manipulation of objects), and photorealistic, force-feedback total immersion (virtual operation). As Dr. Richard Satava observed, "the greatest power of virtual reality is the ability to try and fail without consequence to animal or patient. It is only through failure -- and learning the cause of failure -- that the true pathway to success lies."