Copyright © 2003, 1998 by Sean M. Grady
Virtual Reality: Simulating and Enhancing the World with Computers is
a revised and expanded edition of Virtual Reality: Computers Mimic the
Physical World, which was published in 1998 as part of the Science
Sourcebooks series. The older book reflected the field of virtual reality
at it was at the beginning of 1997. This new edition catches up with
the developments that have taken place in the five years that followed,
including the problems VR businesses encountered as a result of the
technology boom-and-bust cycle that took place during the last few
years of the twentieth century.
As in the earlier edition, this book will provide an overview of virtual-
reality’s history, the tools and techniques used to mimic the physical
world, the fields in which VR is being used, and some of the
obstacles that VR’s supporters have had to overcome. Middle- and
high-school students who already have taken part in immersive computing
will find Virtual Reality a useful tool for learning how the technology
came to be and where it might go in the future. For students
who have not had any experience with virtual environments, this book
will serve as a technological travel guide, pointing out some of the
landmarks in this particular realm of computing. Technologies allied to
VR, such as augmented reality and wearable computers, also will make
an appearance, as will some of the philosophical issues raised by people
outside and within the field who question the paths VR researchers
have followed.
