An Introduction to Virtual and Augmented Reality Designing Impactful Experiences

Part 1: Virtual Reality  1. What Is Virtual Reality?  2. VR Displays and Tracking  3. Virtual Worlds  4. Presence: The Psychology of VR  Part 2: Augmented and Mixed Reality  5. What Is Augmented Reality?  6. AR Displays and Graphics  7. Computer Vision and Artificial Intelligence  8. AR Registration and Tracking  Part 3: 3D Interaction  9. What Is 3D Interaction?  10. Locomotion  11. Object Interaction and Haptics  12. Evaluating VR and AR  Part 4: Virtual Humans  13. What Are Virtual Humans?  14. Embodiment  15. Social VR  16. Virtual Agents

Biography

Marco Gillies is Professor of Computing, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK.

Xueni ‘Sylvia’ Pan is Professor of Virtual Reality, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK.

"Gillies and Pan provide an excellent foundation for building impactful immersive experiences, connecting hardware, software, and human factors in an accessible way. Their clear introduction to VR/AR balances technical fundamentals with psychological principles, framing these technologies as a medium grounded in decades of research on perception, presence, and interaction. With rigorous yet approachable content, practical insights, case studies, and expert interviews, the book serves as both a course backbone and a practical field guide. The expert perspectives, which I found immensely valuable, add credibility and immediacy.”

Albert "Skip" Rizzo, Ph.D. Director, Medical Virtual Reality – University of Southern California-Institute for Creative Technologies. Research Professor - Dept. of Psychiatry and School of Gerontology.

"An essential resource for anyone serious about virtual and augmented reality. With its deep engagement with the research community and insightful interviews with leading experts, this book is perfectly positioned to become a staple for both students and instructors in the field."

Yue Li, Associate Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Director of the HER Lab.

“While there are plenty of existing resources focusing on the technical details of XR development, it is much harder to find a textbook for both technical and creative courses that focuses on how to create impactful experiences. This book provides a clear framing of XR through key topics, each of which include well-structured learning resources: discussion points, exercises, and interviews with experts. This is an ideal course textbook for structuring new courses and supporting existing ones.”

 Dr Helen C. Miles, Senior Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University.