Virtual environments such as the CAVE™and the ImmersaDesk™, which are based on graphics supercomputers or workstations, are large and expensive. Most physicians have no access to such systems. The recent development of small Linux personal computers and high‐performance graphics cards has afforded opportunities to implement applications formerly run on graphics supercomputers. Using PC hardware and other affordable devices, a VR system has been developed which can sit on a physician's desktop or be installed in a conference room.

Affordable PC‐based VR systems are comparable in performance with expensive VR systems formerly based on graphics supercomputers. Such VR systems can now be accessible to most physicians. The lower cost and smaller size of this system greatly expands the range of uses of VR technology in medicine.