Virtual Reality Glossary by VR Vision
Welcome to the VR Training Glossary
Maintained by VR Vision
Last updated on Aug. 3, 2025
Navigate the VR training language—powered by real use cases and links from VR Vision.
This resource is your go-to reference for understanding the key terms, technologies, and concepts shaping the future of immersive learning. Whether you’re exploring virtual reality for enterprise training, evaluating simulation platforms, or looking to enhance onboarding with XR, this glossary will help you decode the language of innovation. Each term is explained clearly—with practical use cases and links to real-world examples from VR Vision’s solutions.
🎥 360° Video Training
Definition:
A type of immersive video that captures a 360-degree field of view, allowing trainees to look in all directions in a real-world recorded environment using a VR headset.
Why it matters:
Provides cost-effective and realistic situational training for soft skills, safety protocols, or site orientations, improving user engagement and contextual learning.
Example use case:
A safety induction tour using 360 video for new hires at a manufacturing plant.
🤖 AI-Powered Analytics
Definition:
The use of artificial intelligence to analyze VR training data, providing deeper insights into learner behavior, skill progression, and optimization opportunities.
Why it matters:
Enables data-driven decision-making to improve training effectiveness and personalize learning paths at scale.
Example use case:
Vision Portal analyzes session times and task success rates to optimize crane operation training.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
👤 Avatar
Definition:
A digital character that represents a user in a virtual environment, often customizable with various appearance and interactivity options.
Why it matters:
Fosters engagement in multiplayer training sessions and supports presence, identity, and collaborative learning.
Example use case:
A technician appears as an avatar in a remote session for collaborative troubleshooting.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🧊 CGI Simulation
Definition:
Computer-generated imagery simulations use fully 3D-rendered environments to simulate procedures, machinery, and workspaces for interactive VR training.
Why it matters:
Allows full control of training scenarios, increases safety, and eliminates real-world risk by offering scalable, repeatable, and immersive virtual experiences.
Example use case:
Toyota technicians use a CGI digital twin of forklift parts to practice maintenance procedures.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/cgi-simulations/
☁️ Cloud Casting
Definition:
Streaming a VR session from a headset to a cloud interface, enabling real-time observation and control by remote trainers via platforms like the Vision Portal.
Why it matters:
Essential for enterprise-scale training oversight, allowing instructors to intervene, assess, and support remotely in real time.
Example use case:
A trainer monitors a trainee’s session in real time via cloud casting during a bucket truck simulation.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🧠 Cognitive Load
Definition:
Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort required to learn or perform a task.
Why it matters:
VR reduces cognitive load by allowing learners to experience and interact with training material in realistic 3D contexts. This improves retention and speeds up learning — especially for hands-on procedures or spatial tasks.
What is “Cognitive Load” in VR?
Cognitive load in VR refers to the amount of mental effort required for a user to process and retain information while immersed in a virtual reality environment. In training scenarios, it’s the balance between what learners must see, do, and understand — without becoming overwhelmed.
Example use case:
In a bucket truck training simulation, VR Vision reduces text-based instruction by guiding users through muscle-memory driven tasks with real-time visual cues.
Learn more:
We deep dive into enterprise use cases and cognitive function in our VR implementation playbook:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vr-training-implementation-playbook
According to the National Library of Medicine, reducing cognitive load through spatial and interactive design improves learning efficiency in immersive simulations.
📊 Course Comparison Analytics
Definition:
Analytics feature that compares performance data across different VR training modules to identify gaps, improvements, or trends in learning outcomes.
Why it matters:
Supports ongoing training optimization by benchmarking effectiveness of individual or multiple learning programs.
Example use case:
Comparing technician performance between basic electrical and advanced high-voltage modules.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🛰 Digital Twin
Definition:
A highly accurate digital replica of a physical object, space, or system used in VR simulations for operational or technical training.
Why it matters:
Facilitates hands-on, contextual training without needing physical access, which is ideal for complex or dangerous environments.
Example use case:
Creating a virtual replica of a substation switchgear for power line safety training.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/digital-twins/
🔧 Device Management (MDM)
Definition:
The administration of VR headsets and apps through a centralized system such as Meta Quest for Business or Microsoft Intune.
Why it matters:
Improves deployment scalability and security by allowing remote app updates, access control, and troubleshooting across multiple devices.
Example use case:
Using Meta Horizon Services or ArborXR to update training modules on all employee headsets remotely.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/ultimate-guide-vr-training/
🕶 Extended Reality (XR)
Definition:
An umbrella term encompassing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) technologies.
Why it matters:
Reflects the evolving landscape of immersive technologies and positions training solutions as future-proof and multi-platform compatible.
Example use case:
Creating a hybrid VR/AR training program for energy sector engineers to interact with 3D models.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/virtual-reality-training/
👁️ Field of View (FoV)
Definition:
The extent of the observable virtual environment at any given moment, usually measured in degrees. A wider FoV creates a more immersive and realistic experience.
Why it matters:
A higher FoV improves peripheral awareness and immersion, making training simulations feel more natural—especially in safety-critical or spatially complex scenarios.
Example use case:
Technicians training in a virtual substation benefit from a 110° FoV on Quest 3 headsets, allowing them to spot hazards from the corners of their vision.
Learn more:
VR Vision Enterprise Playbook
👁 Foveated Rendering
Definition:
A rendering technique that focuses high-resolution detail only where the user is looking, reducing detail in peripheral vision areas.
Why it matters:
Improves VR performance and comfort by lowering graphical demand without compromising visual quality in the user’s focus area.
Example use case:
Using foveated rendering on a Quest Pro to run high-fidelity crane simulations without lag.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/ultimate-guide-vr-training/
✋ Haptic Feedback
Definition:
Tactile feedback technology that simulates physical sensations through vibration, motion, or force in VR training environments.
Why it matters:
Enhances realism and muscle memory in VR simulations by allowing users to “feel” interactions with virtual objects, tools, or surfaces.
Example use case:
A manufacturing simulation includes haptic controllers to train workers on torque wrench handling, mimicking real tool resistance.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/ultimate-guide-vr-training/
🥽 Head-Mounted Display (HMD)
Definition:
A wearable device that displays immersive content directly in front of the user’s eyes, enabling visual and spatial interaction in VR.
Why it matters:
HMDs are the core hardware enabling virtual reality. Their resolution, tracking accuracy, and comfort directly impact the effectiveness of VR training.
Example use case:
A technician dons a Meta Quest Pro HMD to walk through a step-by-step lockout/tagout VR simulation in a virtual power plant.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/ultimate-guide-vr-training/
🌀 Immersive Learning
Definition:
A training method that fully engages learners through multisensory, interactive environments such as VR, AR, and MR — enhancing realism, retention, and skill transfer.
Why it matters:
Immersive learning increases engagement and knowledge retention by replicating real-world scenarios in safe, repeatable formats — ideal for enterprise upskilling.
Example use case:
A utilities company uses VR to train field technicians on substation safety protocols using a virtual replica of the actual environment.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/virtual-reality-training/
👉 Interaction Design
Definition:
Designing the interface and interactive components of a VR experience, including buttons, gestures, triggers, and feedback systems.
Why it matters:
Makes virtual procedures intuitive and efficient, lowering learning curves and enhancing user control and comfort.
Example use case:
Designing UI triggers and tool interactions for a pipe valve inspection simulation.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/interaction-design-for-virtual-reality/
🎯 Learning Mode (Education vs Evaluation)
Definition:
Modes within VR training that determine how learners interact with content—Education mode offers guided instruction, while Evaluation mode tests performance without guidance.
Why it matters:
Provides flexibility to train and assess separately—trainers can ensure learners first build competence, then validate skill mastery under realistic, pressure-free conditions.
Example use case:
A technician first completes a step-by-step VR walkthrough of a confined space rescue (Education mode), then repeats the scenario solo with performance scoring (Evaluation mode).
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🔌 LMS Integration
Definition:
Connecting VR training systems with Learning Management Systems (LMS) using standards like SCORM or xAPI.
Why it matters:
Allows seamless tracking of learner progress, automates reporting, and enables certification or compliance workflows.
Example use case:
Syncing user completion data from Vision Portal to the client’s internal LMS for compliance tracking.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🔒 Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
Definition:
LOTO is a safety procedure ensuring that machines are properly shut off and unable to start up before maintenance.
Why it matters:
VR is ideal for simulating LOTO procedures without risking injury. VR Vision’s LOTO simulations teach spatial awareness, sequence memorization, and compliance with OSHA and other standards.
Example use case:
A technician virtually practices identifying energy sources and applying LOTO locks on electrical panels in a CGI-simulated substation.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/cgi-simulations
VR training for lockout/tagout can reduce injury risk and align with OSHA’s safety standard 1910.147.
Citation:
OSHA LOTO Standard
🛡️ Meta Horizon Managed Solutions
Definition:
A suite of enterprise device management tools provided by Meta for deploying, securing, and controlling VR headsets (like Quest 2, 3, and Pro) in workplace settings—formerly known as Oculus for Business.
Why it matters:
Gives IT and training teams the ability to remotely manage apps, lock devices to training content, enforce security policies, and monitor usage across large VR fleets.
Example use case:
A utilities company uses Meta Horizon Managed Solutions to deploy VR training to 200 technicians, restricting headsets to only run approved XR modules and pushing updates remotely via the admin console.
Learn more:
https://forwork.meta.com/ca/meta-horizon-managed-solutions/
🧑🤝🧑 Multiplayer Training
Definition:
VR training mode where multiple users participate simultaneously, often with a trainer leading the session.
Why it matters:
Supports collaboration, teamwork, and real-time assessment, replicating realistic group training environments.
Example use case:
Multiple users and one trainer collaborate in a simulated wind turbine repair exercise.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/case-study/toyota-material-handling/
🚪 Onboarding Simulation
Definition:
Virtual experiences designed to introduce new employees to company procedures, environments, and safety practices.
Why it matters:
Speeds up time-to-productivity, reduces onboarding costs, and improves retention through engaging first-day experiences.
Example use case:
New employees at a logistics company complete onboarding in VR, learning site safety and SOPs.
🔗 OpenXR
Definition:
An open, royalty-free standard developed by the Khronos Group that enables cross-platform compatibility for XR applications—allowing a single codebase to support multiple headsets and runtimes.
Why it matters:
Reduces development time and increases hardware flexibility by enabling VR applications to run seamlessly on various devices like Meta Quest, HTC Vive, and Pico without major rewrites.
Example use case:
VR Vision builds a training simulation using OpenXR, ensuring the module works on both PC-tethered and standalone headsets across multiple enterprise deployments.
Learn more:
https://www.khronos.org/openxr/
📈 Performance Analytics
Definition:
A visual tool in platforms like Vision Portal that displays key training metrics, including completion rates, scores, and skill development.
Why it matters:
Empowers stakeholders to measure ROI, identify at-risk learners, and fine-tune course effectiveness.
Example use case:
Managers review dashboards to see which learners have completed forklift certification simulations.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
📊 Predictive Analytics
Definition:
Predictive analytics uses AI and machine learning to forecast learner performance and identify potential knowledge gaps before they lead to errors.
Why it matters:
Through Vision Portal’s data dashboard, companies can proactively detect underperforming trainees, optimize course content, and personalize learning paths based on behavior.
Example use case:
A utility company uses predictive analytics to flag which linemen may need refresher training on PPE protocols after repeated simulation errors.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🧾 Procedural Training
Definition:
VR training focused on step-by-step processes and workflows, often with interactive branching logic and scenario-based choices.
Why it matters:
Reinforces sequential knowledge, critical thinking, and proper technique in repeatable and measurable ways.
Example use case:
An electrical utility lineman practices step-by-step transformer installation procedures.
🖥️ Remote Assistance
Definition:
Features that allow instructors to interact with, observe, and control VR sessions remotely, such as pausing content, skipping procedures, or messaging trainees within the headset.
Why it matters:
Enables real-time coaching and oversight without needing to be physically present—ideal for scaling instructor-led VR training across multiple locations.
Example use case:
A trainer in Toronto launches a VR course for technicians in Ohio, monitors headset activity live, and intervenes via voice and text when safety steps are skipped.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🧑🏫 Remote Trainer Tools
Definition:
Features that allow instructors to interact with, observe, and control VR sessions remotely, such as pausing content or messaging trainees.
Why it matters:
Enhances instructional oversight and allows real-time interventions during training, even across geographies.
Example use case:
A remote instructor observes a team during VR maintenance training and sends corrections via chat.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🎭 Scenario-Based Learning
Definition:
Scenario-based learning is a training method that places learners in realistic problem-solving situations to apply knowledge and make decisions.
Why it matters:
VR Vision specializes in building immersive scenario-based simulations that mimic real-world challenges, allowing employees to learn by doing — not just reading or watching.
Example use case:
A new hire at a beverage bottling facility completes a VR module where they must troubleshoot a machine failure under time pressure and make safe decisions.
🕹️ Simulation-Based Learning
Definition:
A training method that replicates real-world tasks or environments in an immersive, interactive format, allowing learners to practice skills without real-world risks.
Why it matters:
Improves engagement, knowledge retention, and safety by allowing repeated, hands-on practice in a controlled virtual environment—especially valuable for high-risk or technical jobs.
Example use case:
Utility workers use a VR crane simulator to practice switchgear operations, with built-in consequences for missed steps or safety violations.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/cgi-simulations/
🌐 Spatial Computing
Definition:
The ability of computers to understand and interact with the physical world in 3D space — combining VR, AR, AI, sensors, and real-time data.
Why it matters:
Enables more intelligent, context-aware simulations and analytics by mapping real environments into virtual training systems.
Example use case:
A digital twin training program overlays real-time IoT data into a VR simulation, letting users visualize pipeline flow in context.
Citation:
NVIDIA: What Is Spatial Computing?
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vr-application-development/
🧩 SCORM / xAPI
Definition:
SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) and xAPI (Experience API) are industry standards for tracking and reporting learning activity in digital training platforms.
Why it matters:
These standards are essential for integrating VR training modules into existing enterprise Learning Management Systems (LMS). VR Vision’s Vision Portal supports xAPI and SCORM for seamless data interoperability and analytics.
Example use case:
A manufacturing company uses SCORM to track completion of VR lockout/tagout procedures and exports the data into their LMS for compliance audits.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative governs the xAPI standard, enabling real-time tracking across digital learning ecosystems.
Citation:
xAPI Specification — ADL
🧠 Simulation-Based Training
Definition:
An immersive learning approach where users perform tasks in realistic virtual environments that mimic real-world scenarios.
Why it matters:
Builds muscle memory, improves safety, and prepares learners for unpredictable or high-risk situations.
Example use case:
Simulating confined space entry with real-time feedback and scoring in a digital twin environment.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/cgi-simulations/
🔐 Single Sign-On (SSO)
Definition:
Authentication system that enables users to log into multiple systems (e.g., LMS, Vision Portal) with one set of credentials.
Why it matters:
Simplifies access, reduces friction, and improves enterprise security protocols.
Example use case:
Users access Vision Portal, LMS, and device dashboard using one set of company credentials.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🧰 Turnkey VR Training
Definition:
An end-to-end VR training solution that includes everything needed to deploy immersive learning—from content creation to hardware setup, platform access, and analytics.
Why it matters:
Turnkey solutions reduce internal workload and ensure seamless deployment at scale. Ideal for enterprises seeking fast, expert-led implementation with measurable ROI.
Example use case:
A utility company partners with VR Vision for a turnkey deployment that includes headset configuration, custom crane simulation development, and Vision Portal integration for performance tracking.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/360-video-production/
🎮 Unity SDK
Definition:
A collection of software tools and libraries provided by Unity Technologies that developers use to build interactive VR training experiences and simulations.
Why it matters:
Unity SDK enables rapid development of high-performance, cross-platform VR content with robust physics, animation, and interaction systems—perfect for enterprise-grade training modules.
Example use case:
VR Vision uses its proprietary Unity SDK to create scalable, interactive VR simulations for clients like Toyota and Siemens, with real-time analytics and multiplayer support.
Learn more:
https://unity.com/products/unity-industry
👨🏫 Virtual Instructor-Led Training (vILT)
Definition:
A synchronous, instructor-guided learning experience delivered in a virtual environment, often combining video conferencing, shared VR sessions, and live feedback.
Why it matters:
vILT merges the structure of classroom training with the flexibility of remote learning and the engagement of VR — ideal for hybrid workforces.
Example use case:
A VR Vision instructor hosts a live onboarding session with new hires across North America, using multiplayer VR to walk them through factory operations.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
🚪 Vision Portal
Definition:
VR Vision’s proprietary SaaS platform for managing, analyzing, and scaling enterprise VR training deployments.
Why it matters:
Centralizes training control, integrates with LMS, and enables real-time remote assistance and data reporting across organizations.
Example use case:
A training manager uploads new crane modules, launches them to 50 users, and reviews analytics.
Learn more:
https://vrvisiongroup.com/vision-portal/
📦 XR Module
Definition:
A self-contained unit of extended reality (XR) training content designed to teach or evaluate specific skills using immersive technologies like VR, AR, or MR.
Why it matters:
Enables scalable, repeatable learning experiences tailored to roles, procedures, or equipment—XR modules are the building blocks of enterprise training programs.
Example use case:
An energy company deploys a CGI-based XR module to teach safe SF6 gas-switching procedures, complete with interactive steps, scoring, and real-time analytics.