This course will introduce you to Virtual Reality (VR). The course will teach you everything from the basics of VR- the hardware and the history of VR- to different applications of VR, the psychology of Virtual Reality, and the challenges of the medium.
The course is designed for people who are new to VR as a medium. You may have experienced some virtual reality before, and may have some hardware- but this course is suitable to individuals who have never experienced VR and those who do not have much hardware- we will explain Mobile VR as well as devices such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
Introduction to Virtual Reality is the first course in the Virtual Reality Specialisation. A learner with no previous experience in Virtual Reality and/or game programming will be able to evaluate existing VR applications, and design, test, and implement their own VR experiences/games using Unity by the end of the specialisation.
This course is part of the Virtual Reality Specialization
Introduction to Virtual Reality
Offered By
University of London
Goldsmiths, University of London
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
13 hours to complete
Virtual Reality- Hardware and History
In this week, we’ll cover the basics of VR. We’ll start by sharing a definition of Virtual Reality, and exploring VR hardware, and then you’ll see demonstrations of a range of VR Head Mounted Devices. In the latter part of the week, you will hear more about the history of Virtual Reality and finish the week by drafting your ideas for a VR application.
15 videos (Total 78 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
15 videos
Welcome to Introduction to Virtual Reality!1m
Introduction to Week 147s
What is VR and How is it Different from Other Media?5m
Displays | CAVE and HMDs3m
Head Tracking5m
Controllers5m
Choosing your VR Device5m
HMD | Oculus Rift1m
HMD | HTC Vive3m
HMD | Sony PlayStation VR4m
HMD | Mobile VR | Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear2m
CAVE VR Systems8m
Part 1 | VR in the Analogue Age7m
Part 2 | VR in the Digital Age16m
4 readings
Course blog10m
Where to Download VR Apps10m
Summary | How To Choose Your VR HMD10m
VR History10m
1 practice exercise
VR HMDs and VR History30m
Week
24 hours to complete
VR Applications
This week, you’ll learn more about the different applications of VR- from news and documentaries, to sports, therapy, and games. You will also learn more about the VR Technical Framework, and will have the opportunity to share your thoughts on VR applications with your peers.
9 videos (Total 33 min), 7 readings, 2 quizzes
9 videos
Introduction to the VR Technical Framework5m
360 Video and Model Based VR6m
Being Someone Else4m
Sports3m
News and Documentary Films2m
Scientific Data Visualisation3m
Medical Training2m
Physical Rehabilitation and Psychotherapy3m
7 readings
Further Reading on 360 Video10m
Being Someone Else10m
VR in Sports10m
VR in News and Documentary Films10m
Medical Training10m
VR in Physical Rehabilitation and Psychotherapy10m
Enhancing Our Lives with Virtual Reality10m
1 practice exercise
VR Applications10m
Week
33 hours to complete
The Psychology of VR: the Three Illusions
In this week, Professor Mel Slater will take us through the Three Illusions. We’ll discuss Place Illusion, Plausibility Illusion, and Embodiment Illusion, with some interesting tricks along the way!
22 videos (Total 105 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
22 videos
A Brief History of VR4m
Levels of Immersion in VR Systems10m
Sensorimotor Contingency (SC)2m
Sensorimotor Contingency in VR4m
Why Do We Need Immersive VR?4m
Introduction to the Three Illusions4m
Introduction to Place Illusion (PI)6m
Does Immersion Cause PI?4m
Introduction to Plausibility Illusion (Psi)3m
Necessary Conditions for Psi4m
Break of Presence2m
Presence, Immersion, PI, and Psi2m
The Pinocchio Illusion2m
The Rubber Hand Illusion2m
Psychological Effects of Embodiment Illusion7m
Visual-Tactile and Visual-Motor Synchrony13m
The Technical Setup of VR Embodiment2m
Changes in Attitude, Behaviours, and Cognition9m
Self-Counselling and Treating Depression5m
Comparing CGI and 360 Video4m
The Future of Embodiment in VR2m
4 readings
The Three Illusions10m
The Technical Setup of VR Embodiment10m
Changing Bodies Changes Minds: Owning Another Body Affects Social Cognition10m
Embodiment in Self-Counselling and Treating Depression10m
1 practice exercise
The Three Illusions of Virtual Reality30m
Week
43 hours to complete
Challenges in Virtual Reality
7 videos (Total 26 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes
7 videos
Realism | Graphics6m
Realism | Animation4m
Navigation4m
Nausea3m
Meeting Other People3m
Haptic Feedback2m
3 readings
Basic Concepts in 3D Computer Graphics10m
Simulation Sickness10m
Thank You and Course Blog10m
1 practice exercise
Challenges in VR10m
4.7
68 Reviews57%
started a new career after completing these courses
50%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
Top Reviews
Very good overview of theory of VR and a great start to deepen the knowledge. The course encourages you to seek out additional information and prompts you to think of applications of the technology.
This course was very informative. I also found it challenging, which is a good thing. I was introduced to aspects of VR that had not considered, such as the psychological aspects.
Instructors
Dr Sylvia Xueni Pan
Lecturer, Department of ComputingGoldsmiths, University of London
Dr Marco Gillies
Senior LecturerComputing Department, Goldsmiths, University of London
About University of London
The University of London is a federal University which includes 18 world leading Colleges. Our distance learning programmes were founded in 1858 and have enriched the lives of thousands of students, delivering high quality University of London degrees wherever our students are across the globe. Our alumni include 7 Nobel Prize winners. Today, we are a global leader in distance and flexible study, offering degree programmes to over 50,000 students in over 180 countries. To find out more about studying for one of our degrees where you are, visit www.london.ac.uk
About Goldsmiths, University of London
Championing research-rich degrees that provoke thought, stretch the imagination and tap into tomorrow’s world, at Goldsmiths we’re asking the questions that matter now in subjects as diverse as the arts and humanities, social sciences, cultural studies, computing, and entrepreneurial business and management. We are a community defined by its people: innovative in spirit, analytical in approach and open to all.
About the Virtual Reality Specialization
This specialisation from the University of London will introduce you to virtual reality.
Virtual reality is one of the most highly requested skill sets in the jobs market, and this specialisation will give you an introduction to the subject and key skills in the field. You will hear from world-leading lecturers and industry experts, use Unity to develop your own VR environment, and end the specialisation by creating your first VR game.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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