Includes bibliographical references (pages 541-566) and index.

Preface -- Figure credits -- Overview -- What is virtual reality? -- A history of VR -- An overview of various realities -- Immersion, presence, and reality trade-offs -- The basics: design guidelines -- Objective and subjective reality -- Perceptual models and processes -- Perceptual modalities -- Perception of space and time -- Perceptual stability, attention, and action -- Perception : design guidelines -- Motion sickness -- Eye strain, seizures, and aftereffects -- Hardware challenges -- Latency -- Measuring sickness -- Summary of factors that contribute to adverse effects -- Examples of reducing adverse effects -- Adverse health effects: design guidelines -- High-level concepts of content creation -- Environmental design -- Affecting behavior -- Transitioning to VR content creation -- Content creation: design guidelines -- Human-centered interaction -- VR interaction concepts -- Input devices -- Interaction patterns and techniques -- Interaction: design guidelines -- Philosophy of iterative design -- The define stage -- The make stage -- The learn stage -- Iterative design: design guidelines -- The present and future state of VR -- Getting started -- Appendix A : example questionnaire -- Appendix B : example interview guidelines -- Glossary.

When virtual reality (VR) is done badly, not only is the system frustrating to use, but it can result in sickness. There are many causes of bad VR; some failures come from the limitations of technology, but many come from a lack of understanding perception, interaction, design principles, and real users. This book discusses these issues by emphasizing the human element of VR.