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Virtual Reality Attempted through Murals
Artists attempt to trick the brain into believing it is not in the physical space where it actually is. Key to this concept is filling the entire view of the viewer and 360 degree murals were created. Also during the 1800s, stereoscopic viewers were popular. Many of us will likely remember them from our childhood. -
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Edward Link: Creator of first flight trainer
Virtual Reality SiteAs air travel became more abundant, the need to train pilots also increased. Flight simulators were insrumental in the development of VR technology and devices. -
Stanley Weinbaum writes short story that predicts that future!
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In the early 1930s, S. Weinbaum publishes a short story describing an alternate reailty visited by someone wearing special goggles. The wearer could hear the sounds, see the sights and smell the scents of the fictious environment. -
Douglas Englebart's Vision for the Future of Technology
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In the late 1950s, engineer Douglas Englebart shares an idea to visual computer data, which is the basis of VR. -
Philco Corporation develops Headsight
Headsight is the first computer headset. -
Mort Heilig creates Sensorama
Imagine an arcade game that is an entire cabinet but within this cabinet, there is a 3D screen, a scent distributor and vibrating seat. This is the Sensorama, built by filmmaker Mort Heilig. -
Ultimate Display concept appears
Ivan Sutherland shares his "Ultimate Display" concept, which becomes the ultimate goal of VR. Basically, it is the idea of convincing the brain it is elsewhere. -
Head-mounted display prototype & Flight simulation progress
Photo CreditI. Sutherland produces what is now considered the first headset prototype.
Meanwhile, Thomas Furness is developing evermore advanced flight simulators for training pilots. This eventually leads to the development of the Super Cockpit. -
Computer Generated Graphics make their appearance
During the 70s, computer engineers designed computers that could not only store data but also create graphics based on that data. -
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Entertainment Industry heightens interest in computer generated effects
Movies produced during the 1970s and 1980s experimented with computer generated images and effects to great commercial success. These films include Star Wars, Ghost Busters and The Terminator. -
Myron Krueger contributes interactive art technology
Photo CreditMyron Krueger creates the first interactive technology, working with art. He goes on to make further contributions to the responsive technology field.
Also during the late 70s, the military because testing headsets. -
Invention of the Dataglove
Interface device Dataglove is created in 1977. The Dataglove can detect the hand movements of the wearer, sending that informatin to the CPU. The largest consumer of the Dataglove was the toy company Mattel. -
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Data becomes Visual and Animated
During this decade the data provided for a computer can be made into animation. The entertainment and military were both demanding progress on this front.
It's important to note that these animations were not yet interactive; they simple made visuatlizations of the data. -
High Capacity Computing
High capacity computing encourages the VR field, allowing further development of software and hardware with increase speed and memory capacity. -
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Virtual Reality Gets its Name
Jaron Lanier first coins the term "Virtual Reality" to describe immersive technology. -
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Interest in VR bows to the Internet
Quote CreditGenerally during the 1990s, the internet was the main focus of the technological realm. VR took backseat.
Nintendo released a device named Virtual Boy but it was a failure.
In “1991 the Virtuality Group put virtual reality arcade video games into the wild. These make use of virtual reality goggles and booths.” -
The Matrix reinvigorates VR Interest
The Matrix tells the story of an entire world that does not realize it does not live in the reality it sees. This film bring VR back into the public's interest while also still enjoying the ever increasing accessibility of the internet and Web 2.0 (information is now interactive, not passive). -
Oculus Rift bring Virtual Reality to...Reality!
Teenager Palmer Luckey creates a Kickstarter campaign to build interest and funding for his VR headset, named Rift. After being purchased by Facebook in 2014, the Oculus Rift is scheduled to enter the market for public purchase in Spring of next year (2016).
Other less expensive options have come from Google through Google Cardboard. This is an assembly-required kit for turning certain cell phones into VR screens.
