About this course: 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.
Who is this class for: This course is primarily aimed at anyone with no or little previous experience in Virtual Reality, interested in how to bring their ideas onto this new platform.
Created by: University of London, Goldsmiths, University of London
Taught by: Dr Sylvia Xueni Pan, Lecturer, Department of Computing
Goldsmiths, University of LondonTaught by: Dr Marco Gillies, Senior Lecturer
Computing Department, Goldsmiths, University of London
| Basic Info | Course 1 of 5 in the Virtual Reality Specialization |
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 4 weeks of study, 3-5 hours/week |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Russian |
| Hardware Req | There are no specific hardware requirements for this course. |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
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, 4 readings
- Video: Welcome to Introduction to Virtual Reality!
- Video: Introduction to Week 1
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself!
- Reading: Course blog
- Discussion Prompt: What Do You Think VR Is?
- Video: What is VR and How is it Different from Other Media?
- Video: Displays | CAVE and HMDs
- Video: Head Tracking
- Video: Controllers
- Discussion Prompt: VR Head Mounted Devices (HMDs)
- Video: Choosing your VR Device
- Video: HMD | Oculus Rift
- Video: HMD | HTC Vive
- Video: HMD | Sony PlayStation VR
- Video: HMD | Mobile VR | Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear
- Video: CAVE VR Systems
- Reading: Where to Download VR Apps
- Reading: Summary | How To Choose Your VR HMD
- Discussion Prompt: When Was the First Time You Heard About the Concept of Virtual Reality?
- Video: Part 1 | VR in the Analogue Age
- Video: Part 2 | VR in the Digital Age
- Reading: VR History
Graded: VR HMDs and VR History
WEEK 2
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, 7 readings
- Video: Introduction to the VR Technical Framework
- Video: 360 Video and Model Based VR
- Reading: Further Reading on 360 Video
- Video: Being Someone Else
- Reading: Being Someone Else
- Discussion Prompt: VR Applications
- Video: Sports
- Reading: VR in Sports
- Video: News and Documentary Films
- Reading: VR in News and Documentary Films
- Video: Scientific Data Visualisation
- Video: Medical Training
- Reading: Medical Training
- Video: Physical Rehabilitation and Psychotherapy
- Reading: VR in Physical Rehabilitation and Psychotherapy
- Discussion Prompt: The Future of VR Applications
- Reading: Enhancing Our Lives with Virtual Reality
Graded: VR Applications
Graded: Design Your VR Application | First Draft
WEEK 3
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, 4 readings
- Video: A Brief History of VR
- Video: Levels of Immersion in VR Systems
- Discussion Prompt: Levels of Immersion of VR Systems
- Video: Sensorimotor Contingency (SC)
- Video: Sensorimotor Contingency in VR
- Video: Why Do We Need Immersive VR?
- Video: Introduction to the Three Illusions
- Discussion Prompt: VR Hardware and Immersion
- Video: Introduction to Place Illusion (PI)
- Video: Does Immersion Cause PI?
- Video: Introduction to Plausibility Illusion (Psi)
- Video: Necessary Conditions for Psi
- Discussion Prompt: Plausibility Illusion
- Video: Break of Presence
- Video: Presence, Immersion, PI, and Psi
- Reading: The Three Illusions
- Video: The Pinocchio Illusion
- Video: The Rubber Hand Illusion
- Discussion Prompt: Embodiment Illusion in Real Life
- Video: Psychological Effects of Embodiment Illusion
- Video: Visual-Tactile and Visual-Motor Synchrony
- Video: The Technical Setup of VR Embodiment
- Reading: The Technical Setup of VR Embodiment
- Video: Changes in Attitude, Behaviours, and Cognition
- Reading: Changing Bodies Changes Minds: Owning Another Body Affects Social Cognition
- Video: Self-Counselling and Treating Depression
- Reading: Embodiment in Self-Counselling and Treating Depression
- Video: Comparing CGI and 360 Video
- Video: The Future of Embodiment in VR
Graded: The Three Illusions of Virtual Reality
WEEK 4
Challenges in Virtual Reality
7 videos, 3 readings
- Video: Realism | Graphics
- Discussion Prompt: Real-Time 3D Graphics in Games
- Reading: Basic Concepts in 3D Computer Graphics
- Video: Realism | Animation
- Video: Navigation
- Video: Nausea
- Reading: Simulation Sickness
- Video: Meeting Other People
- Video: Haptic Feedback
- Reading: Thank You and Course Blog
Graded: Challenges in VR
Graded: Design a VR application
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
Creators
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
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.
Pricing
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| Access to course materials | Available |
| Access to graded materials | Available |
| Receive a final grade | Available |
| Earn a shareable Course Certificate | Available |
Ratings and Reviews
Very good introduction to VR. Unfortunately, I had to stop for a month waiting for the incoming peer review feedback and this was quite stressful. I could not actually review other people works since there were none available so at the end it has been quite tiring and I lost momentum in my activity but the lecture are really interesting.
I love the course. The content is awesome. I want to give one message to coursera, that we are completing the course, so atleast give us one coursera T shirt. or the university t shirt from which we did the course
Very nice intro to VR, I loved it.
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TG
I learned lots of fundamental concepts in VR such as types of illusions and how to achieve them, immersion, hardware for VR and applications.