Bill
Computer science
How can computer science relate to virtual reality? #computer-science #technology #gaming #virtual-reality
4 answers
Eric Willisson
Eric’s Answer
Hi, Bill!
Most virtual reality requires programming. Virtual reality is fairly new, and so to make the 3D images people will see, and make them react to actions within virtual reality (even things you'd barely think of as "actions", like turning your head!), a program has to exist to tell the headset what to do.
Computer science itself is the field that most people study in college in order to get a job programming. Some of the naming is confusing; "Computer Science", or CS, is technically a name for an advanced type of math, but we use it as a shorthand to talk about the things that programmers learn even in undergrad degrees, and the most common programming job is "Software Engineer." So, to get a job as a Software Engineer, learn to program by getting a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science (there are other ways, but this is the most clear-cut by far).
The usual way to get a job as a particular kind of Software Engineer, whether that means writing Web pages or programming for VR, is to learn the general skills, and then start to specialize. A lot of techniques apply to all programming, so even if your eventual goal is VR, you still will benefit from learning algorithms, data structure, functional programming, and other pieces of a standard CS degree.
If you were just looking at the artistic side of things, this could be off the mark. If you are able to work with programmers, you could contribute to VR with 3D modeling (using software such as Blender or Maya to make the models that VR devices can display). But, to do anything more advanced than simply making static models visible to people, you will need at least some programming. If you are just starting out and deciding what to focus on, I would highly recommend programming, and specialize in 3D graphics and VR as you become more advanced. Remember, anything that you see a computer do, a person or a team of people had to have told it how to do that.
I hope this makes sense and helps! Do you have any further questions?
Casey Raymond
Casey’s Answer
Hi Bill!
For a great example to your question, take a look at this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN95nNDtxjo
I actually watched this last week in my computer science class and thought it was a really awesome and tangible real-world application of computer science and VR.
Best of luck!
-Casey
Leo Reyes
Leo’s Answer
Briefly, you need code that can sustain a steady frame rate of 90 frames per second. In order to achieve this, a number of things have to happen: You need a multi-threaded renderer, you need highly optimized code in your CPU and GPU, data structures that can accelerate a number of things, code that predicts the pose of your headset and peripherals, and math. Lots of math. This is all Computer Science.
Really, VR can't happen without lots of Computer Science and Math.
Raghava Shyam Y
Raghava’s Answer
Virtual reality is an artificial environment that is created with software and presented to the user in such a way that the user suspends belief and accepts it as a real environment. On a computer, virtual reality is primarily experienced through two of the five senses: sight and sound.
Virtual reality (VR), the use of computer modeling and simulation that enables a person to interact with an artificial three-dimensional (3-D) visual or other sensory environment. VR applications immerse the user in a computer-generated environment that simulates reality through the use of interactive devices, which send and receive information and are worn as goggles, headsets, gloves, or body suits. In a typical VR format, a user wearing a helmet with a stereoscopic screen views animated images of a simulated environment.
So Computer Science is pretty much related and required for Virtual Reality.