Virtual Reality

By piratecurlz
  • Period: to

    The History of Virtual Reality

    Dates are approximate
    Research from:
    Burdea, Grigore, and Philippe Coiffet. Virtual Reality Technology. English ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1994. 5-12. Print.
    "Virtual Reality History." 24 Oct 1995. The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Web. 2 Dec 2009. http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/Cyberia/VETopLevels/VR.History.html.

  • Douglas Engelbart sees computers as greater tools.

    Computers are huge at this time without much use (late 1950s). Engelbart sees a greater use with a digital display. His ideas are dismissed.

  • Computers evolve.

    Fear of nuclear attack encourages research in radars. Experimentation with computer graphics begins.

  • Morton Heilig invents "Sensorama Simulator"

    Morton Heilig wanted to design a theater that encorporated smell, touch, and the entire visual spectrum. He also designs a simulation mask or Head-mounted display (HMD).

  • Ivan Sutherland continues work on Head-Mounted Display (HMD)

    Ivan Sutherland makes it possible to use computer instead of analog scenes.

  • Military wants digital simulators.

    Much research goes into Virtual Reality. NASA also needs simulators (1970s and early 1980s).

  • Star Wars with computer special effects is released.

    In 1970s, special effects are made by computer graphics. Star Wars is released in 1976.

  • Video games take off.

    Video games become popular in the 1980s.

  • NASA creates Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) "Virtual Visual Environment Display (VIVED)"

    NASA creates a head motion sensor (1981).

  • High-Performance Computers

    High Performance Computers make Virtual Reality possible (mid 1980s).

  • Scott Fisher adds sensing glove to VIVED

    (1985)

  • Fisher and Elizabeth Wenzel invent hardware with 3-D virtual sound.

    Fisher and Wenzel invent hardware that stays in place when one's head turns. VIVED now becomes VIEW (Virtual Interface Environment Workstation). The original software is transferred to Hewlett-Pakard 9000 (1988).

  • NCSA produces animation of smog.

    This animation confirmed the usefulness of animation (1990).

  • Commercial Virtual Reality Workstation "Vision" and "Provision"

    Hardware integration complications are fixed with the "Vision" and "Provision" (1991).

  • Sense8 invents "WorldToolKit"

    "WorldToolKit" greatly helps Virtual Reality Technology (1992).

  • NATAL

    NATAL technology is currently being researched. NATAL is a 3-D interactive technology.