Virtual Reality (VR) technology has been around for a long time, but where did it all begin? In order to understand the origins of VR, we need to go back in time and take a look at the early developments in this field.
One of the earliest attempts to create an immersive virtual environment was made by Ivan Sutherland in 1968. He created a program called “Sketchpad” that allowed users to draw and manipulate 3D objects in a virtual space. However, this technology was very limited and only available on large mainframe computers.
In the 1970s, researchers at the University of Utah began developing a system called the “Sword of Damocles,” which used a head-mounted display (HMD) to create a virtual environment that users could explore. This technology was also very limited and only available to a select few.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that VR technology began to really take off. In 1982, researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara developed a system called the “Head-Mounted Display” (HMD), which used a headset with two screens to create a stereoscopic display that allowed users to see in 3D. This technology laid the groundwork for future VR systems.
In the following years, several companies began to develop their own VR systems. In 1986, the first commercial VR system, called the “NewTech DataGloves,” was released. It used special gloves with sensors to track the user’s hand movements and translate them into virtual actions.
However, it wasn’t until the 1990s that VR technology really became mainstream. In 1991, the first consumer VR system, called the “Virtual Boy,” was released by Nintendo. It used a headset with two screens to create a stereoscopic display and special controllers to track the user’s hand movements.
Since then, VR technology has continued to evolve and improve. Today, there are many different VR systems available, from high-end gaming systems to more affordable devices like the Oculus Quest. As the technology continues to advance, it’s likely that we will see even more exciting developments in the future.