A NASA researcher wearing the Virtual Interactive Environment Workstation (VIEW). This comprises a special headset and instrumented gloves, and allows the user to enter the world of 'virtual reality'. NASA's interest is in developing the system for use by astronauts, allowing them to 'explore' the surface of planets without actually being there. Video images from robots on the planet's surface are projected into the headset, and the user is able to 'feel' objects and perform manual tasks remotely through the special force- feedback gloves. Other uses may include exploring computer-generated worlds of architectural and engineering structures before they are built.