This allowed astronauts to simulate environments with minimal input lag. VIEW played a pivotal role in the advancement of HMDs, making significant improvements in terms of ergonomics, comfort, enhanced stereoscopic graphics, and real-time graphics rendering. In the late 1980s, NASA's Ames Research Center initiated the Virtual Environment Workstation (VIEW) project, primarily focused on astronaut training and related research and development. The DataGlove, a groundbreaking device, was sold for $10,000.ĭespite their groundbreaking developments, VPL Research filed for bankruptcy in 1990. They also introduced the EyePhone, an HMD for an immersive body and hand tracking experience. Alongside the DataGlove, VPL Research introduced the DataSuit, a full-body wearable equipped with sensors to track arm, leg, and rear movements. This glove allowed users to manipulate digital objects using their own hands. ![]() Zimmerman invented a prototype that would later become the "DataGlove," developed at VPL. VPL, an acronym for "visual programming language," explored various areas, notably including head-mounted displays (HMDs) and advanced input devices. One of the pioneering private VR companies was VPL Research, founded by Jaron Lanier and Thomas Zimmerman, former employees of Atari. Additionally, the 1980s marked the emergence of the first era of private companies venturing into virtual reality development. Other prominent government research sectors, such as NASA, also delved into the field. While the 1970s showed limited growth but signs of progress in the realm of simulated reality, the 1980s witnessed continued expansion in the military training domain, extending beyond flight simulations to include military vehicles, repairs, and combat scenarios. It also marked the initial introduction of simulated reality in the US military, thereby paving the way for more sophisticated simulations. The Headsight was a wearable device, marking the first instance where form factor was considered for prolonged use of an HMD. The Headsight featured a video camera on top, which delivered live video to the user through a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display, creating a stereoscopic effect that enhanced depth perception by presenting slightly different images to each eye. The purpose of this headset was to provide a realistic training experience, simulating various in-flight scenarios. Thomas Furness, a researcher at the USAF, introduced The Headsight-a groundbreaking HMD that incorporated head tracking to enable pilots to view computer-generated images overlaid onto their real-world surroundings. Although development was not yet widespread, it did catch the attention of the US Air Force. The concept of HMDs began to pique interest in military and research and development circles. Sword of Damocles, attached to a ceilingĭespite its limited sophistication, especially when compared to other contemporary computing technologies, Sutherland's innovations showcased the potential for head-tracking HMDs that could revolutionize human interaction with technology, despite numerous technical constraints and arduous development processes. While highly esoteric and academic in nature, Sutherland's groundbreaking technology laid the foundation for modern VR development and is regarded as the pivotal moment that shaped VR as we know it today. Although the visuals displayed were basic wireframe animations, they corresponded to the user's head position. ![]() Due to its considerable weight, the headset was suspended from the ceiling, allowing it to track the user's head movements. The result was The Sword of Damocles headset, an extremely primitive device equipped with basic controls and a user interface. The roots of virtual reality can be traced back to 1961 when Ivan Sutherland, an American computer scientist, first conceived the idea of the Ultimate Display-a revolutionary technology aimed at replicating reality through visual displays in an HMD.įast forward to 1968, where Sutherland, in collaboration with his students at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, brought an early prototype of his vision to life. Let's begin with the first-ever head-mounted display (HMD) from the 1960s. As well, the focus will lean more towards full immersive VR, but will touch on some of the innovations in augmented reality. ![]() A Brief History of Virtual Reality headsetsĪs spatial computing has entered the mainstream spotlight, it is crucial to reflect on the extensive 60+ year history of Virtual Reality (VR) and how human ingenuity, along with Moore's Law, has propelled us from deep lab research and development to the cusp of mainstream adoption.Īlthough the concept of a simulated reality dates back much further, we’re going to start where stereoscopic computing uses technology.
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