Virtuality is commonly defined in opposition to the idea of reality or actuality, so that ‘virtual’ stands for and represents effectively a real object or phenomenon, or the potentiality of an actual object of phenomenon. Initially studied in philosophy, the concept has been appropriated in technology studies, giving rise to the notions of ‘virtual reality’, ‘virtual environment’, and ‘virtual world’. These terms capture the processes and technologies enabling simulation of physical reality and sensorial experiences, in which user interactions and engagement are supported by computer graphical interfaces or stereoscopic displays. ‘Virtual reality’ indicates both the enabling technologies and their applications in the creation of immersive 3D environments.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement n° 612789.