Introduction
If you look at VR Headsets closely, you'll notice some common features; i.e.,2 lenses for each eye, and one or more display panel behind those lenses. Sometimes, the headset is a tracking hardware built in to the frame but a VR is a headset. Virtual Reality is all about creating a synthetic believable virtual world that requires several hardware and software systems, so VR is not just a headset.This article is about how to dive in to the major components of Virtual Reality.
Why VR headsets have lenses
Since we need the highest resolution display in VR, each lens makes it possible for an eye to focus on a screen, which is extremely close to your eyes. As an experiment, you can try holding your phone screen a couple cm from your eyes. While doing this, you can read anything. Similarly, in cardboard, you can get a great experience with VR, where the images are perfectly focused by using specializing lens.
![]()
Figure 2 : Card Board
Big Difference in Mobile and Desktop VR platform
One of the biggest differences between mobile and desktop platforms is the concept of 3-DOF vs 6-DOF Tracking DOF-Degrees of Freedom, which deals accurately how VR system is tracking.
3-DOF Tracking
- 3-DOF
It means the head can be tracked while rotating head like X,Y, and Z axis and this is what most mobile VR platforms will do.
- 3-DOF
A Head Rotation can accurately be tracked.
![]()
Figure 3 : 3-DOF Example [Head Rotaion x,y and z]
6-DOF Tracking
- 6-DOF Tracking allows you to be tracked, as you move around in the room.
- 6-DOF means a head rotation and its position is tracked.
![]()
Figure 4 : 6-DOF Example [Rotaion and Posistion]
How the Rotation happens in VR
As we have seen before, 3 and 6-DOF tracking is concerned, it's for head rotation but how that happens is incredible. How do they do it? The answer is that these headsets are using really cool electronic devices called IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). It is a tiny sensor, which is really good, as it quickly and accurately detects the rotation. It does this by combining the data from the on board accelerometer all modern 3-DOF Tracking, which uses IMU
![]()
Figure 5 : IMU
Comparison between Mobile and Desktop
| Mobile | Desktop |
| IMU Tracking | Optical and IMU Tracking |
| Untethered | Tethered |
| No wires | Hand Controllers |
| Less Powerful | More Powerful |
VR Development Platforms
- Unity
- lumberyard
- UnReal Engine and many more...
I hope you got a clear picture of VR. In the upcoming articles, I am going to explain in detail about developing games in Unity 5 Game Engine with Oculus family of VR devices.