Abstract
This article analyses virtual reality research output (91,429) published and indexed in Scopus database during 1996–2017, on a series of aspects, such as the growth rate, global share, citation impact, share of international collaborative publications, distribution of publications by broad subjects, productivity and citation profile of top organizations and authors, preferred media of communication and bibliographic characteristics of highly-cited publications. Virtual reality annual research output registered a 10.94% average growth rate. The top 16 countries contributed global publication share ranging from 1.68% to 24.19%. The USA is the global leader in virtual reality research with highest 24.19% global publication share, followed by China (14.33%), Germany (7.59%), UK (7.34%), and Japan (6.63%). During 1996–2017, the top 16 countries together contributed nearly 92.55% global publications. Computer science, among 10 subjects, contributed the highest publication share (61.48%), followed by engineering (37.71%), mathematics (15.13%), medicine (11.27%), social sciences (8.11%), and physics and astronomy (5.07%). The top 15 most productive global organizations and authors were analysed on a series of indicators such as publication output, citations received, citations per publication, share of international collaborative publications and relative citation index. The top 15 most productive journals together reported 10.66% global publication share in virtual reality research output. The study also analysed 1,333 highly-cited publications in the subject of virtual reality.
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