The visual event is captured using many cameras that cover the action from all sides. The 3D structure of the event, aligned with the pixels of the image, is computed for a few selected directions using a stereo technique. Triangulation and texture mapping enable the reconstruction of the event from any viewpoint on graphics workstations. By reconstructing two views of the event, one view each for the user's left and right eyes, and supplying these images to a stereo-viewing system, the viewer can experience being in the scene rather than just watching it. Virtualized reality, then, allows the viewer to move freely in the scene, independent of the transcription angles used to record the scene.
Virtualized reality has significant advantages over virtual reality.
The virtual reality world is typically described using simplistic, artificially-created CAD models. Virtual reality starts with the real world scene and virtualizes it. It is a fully 3D medium as it knows the 3D structure of every point in the image. The applications of virtualized reality are many. Training can become safer and more effective by enabling the trainee to move about freely in a virtualized environment.