Different types of virtual reality software are often developed to satisfy varying needs for professional and commercial use or for entertainment. Simulation programs, for example, are frequently used for training in fields such as medicine or aviation to allow someone to learn in a realistic way that does not have real world consequences. There are also programs that have been developed to allow someone to create a virtual model of something within a virtual environment, often to allow others to see a product or structure through a realistic representation. The entertainment industry has also utilized virtual reality software to create video games that are more immersive.
Virtual reality software typically refers to computer programs that are developed to display virtual reality images for a variety of purposes. There are also programs that are used to create the images and objects viewed in virtual reality, which can include anything from virtual environments to the inside of an airplane cockpit. Such programs can be used to create virtual reality software that is used with a headset or within a small room to allow people to feel as though they are looking at simulated surroundings.
One of the most common types of virtual reality software is a program that is used in simulation training. This type of program can be used with other hardware that allows someone to practice an activity that might otherwise be dangerous in the real world. A surgeon or medical student, for example, can practice a delicate operation using a virtual reality simulator rather than risking a mistake on a person. Aviators and similar professionals often learn to pilot planes at first through the use of simulators and virtual reality software, rather than immediately getting into a real cockpit.
There are also types of virtual reality software that are used to create virtual models of scenes or objects for viewing by others. An architect, for example, can create a representation of a building within a virtual environment that others can then view, to more realistically appreciate what a finished building will look like in terms of scale and surrounding features. Engineers can also create virtual models of objects and run various tests on them within virtual reality, prior to building a functional prototype.
Virtual reality software can also be used for entertainment purposes, usually in the creation of video games or amusement park rides. Many different types of games can be created in this way, ranging from flight simulators and first person shooters to racing games. Large scale motion simulators and virtual reality programs can also be used to allow people to feel as though they are on a rollercoaster, without having the passengers actually change their physical location.