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'''Virtual Reality''' or '''VR''' is a computer-simulated artificial world multisensory 3D environment that can mimic the physical features properties and imagery of the environments physical world, be completely based in real life fantasy, or a mix of both. The system uses position-tracking and in fantasyresponds to the user’s inputs. In VR, all of our the senses are temporarily fooled, temporarily, into believing that this the artificial environment is real. The goal of a true VR experience is to create [[presence]], - the feeling of physically being somewhere else, of being in another reality<ref name=”0”> Bierbaum, A.D. (2000). VR Juggler: A Virtual Platform for Virtual Reality Application Development. Masters of Science Thesis, Iowa State University, Iowa</ref>.

Virtual Reality is an interactive and immersive medium that can be utilized used to create unique experiences that are unattainable elsewhere. VR has the power to transform [[games]], [[films]] and other forms of media. Some enthusiasts call VR the "ultimate input/output device" or the "last medium" because any subsequent medium can be created within VR, using only software<ref name=”0”></ref> <ref name=”01”> Mazuryk, T. and Gervautz, M. (1996). Virtual Reality - History, applications, technology and Future (Technical Report). Retrieved from https://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/publications/1996/mazuryk-1996-VRH/TR-186-2-96-06Paper.pdf</ref>.

While [[Augmented Reality]] enhances the real world with digital content, Virtual Reality completely replaces the real world with a virtual one, creating a brand new digital environment for the users to explore<ref name=”0”></ref> <ref name=”01”></ref>. ===Main characteristics=== '''Interactive -''' The user’s input controls the system and guides the behavior of the VR experience, while also modifying the virtual environment. This type of interaction engages the user, connecting him to the application in a more natural way since the environment responds directly to the stimuli <ref name=”0”></ref>. '''Immersive -''' An immersive experience has to provide a sense of presence as well as a sense of engagement. Immersion can be divided into three different aspects: '''1.''' According to Bierbaum (2000), “For a VR application to be immersive, it must be perceptually immersive by providing ‘the presentation of sensory cues that convey perceptually to users that they’re surrounded by the computer-generated environment.’” Therefore, the VR must provide the user with an all-encompassing sensory input <ref name=”0”></ref>. '''2.''' The second aspect of immersion is the sense of presence. This implies that the VR experience must give the user the sense they are “in” the virtual world <ref name=”0”></ref>. '''3.''' The final aspect is engagement. It is the degree “to which the user has a sense they are deeply involved in the environment.” <ref name=”0”></ref> '''Multisensory -''' providing a virtual experience that uses multiple human sensory systems increases the level of immersion. While current VR systems cannot provide a full range of stimuli to all human senses, it is expected that in the future this problem will be solved and the VR experience will be completely or almost indistinguishable from reality. The more senses are involved in the VR experience, the higher the degree of engagement and, consequently, this results in a greater sense of presence <ref name=”0”></ref>. '''Synthetic -''' The environment is artificial, created by a computer in real-time <ref name=”0”></ref>.