When Was Virtual Reality Invented?

Virtual Reality (VR) is an interactive computer-generated simulation, while users can interact with that imaginary world nearly like it would be a real one. So question is When was Virtual reality invented? VR has had a long and fascinating journey – decades of innovation, development and hype. Here, we fly through the history of virtual reality and important events along its timeline to see how major tech firms have taken VR from being yet another research project in academia that comes with a hefty price tag only available if you’re backed by military budget-level funding, all they way into our own broadening world.

Early Concepts and Precursors to VR

1838: Stereoscopic Photography

Stereoscopic photography kicked off the illusion of 3D way back in 1838 when Sir Charles Wheatstone posited this idea. He showed that when two similar but slightly different images were shown to each eye, the brain could combine them into a single stereoscopic image. This was one of the foundational principles for all future VR technologies.

1929: The Link Trainer

One of the first known ancestor to VR was the Link Trainer, which were developed by Edwin Link in 1929. This earlier form of immersive experience was the Link Trainer, a flight simulator that used motion and sound to train pilots. Although it was not VR in the sense of today, however a great leapfrog into creating realistic simulations.

1950s: Morton Heilig’s Sensorama

Cinematographer Morton Heilig pondered a machine that would appeal to all the senses and provide complete immersion in the 1950s. Created in 1962, by Heilig this prototypes were focused on more than just visuals and introduced sound, vibration as well as the ability to generate odors. But the fact is that Sensorama, even if it failed at market level is a pioneering case of multi sensory immersion.

The Birth of Modern VR

1960s: Ivan Sutherland’s Ultimate Display

The VR Developments Got a Big Boost in The Sixties All the way back in 1965, computer scientist Ivan Sutherland proposed “The Ultimate Display” – a world as real or realistic looking as what we see everywhere else. In a long line articles of this time Sutherland talks about how he and his student Bob Sproull created the first head-mounted display (HMD) device called “Sword of Damocles” in 1968. This was an important system as it exposed head-tracking and the idea of immersive experiences.

1970s and 1980s: Flight Simulators and Early VR Systems

Flight simulators were one of the first applications for VR technology and made considerable progress through the 1970s with notable improvement in simulator realism during1980’s. These used computer generated graphics and motion platforms within the simulator to train pilots in a safe, controlled environment for practice.

Meanwhile, at MIT a team headed by Nicholas Negroponte and his Architecture Machine Group pioneered VR research with projects that evolved into early instances of interactive computer graphics and HCI. Their work was instrumental in defining the field of study around VR.

1985: Jaron Lanier and VPL Research

The phrase “virtual reality” was first used in a book called ” Myron Krueger: Computer Space! Lanier started one of the first companies to sell and develop VR products, VPL Research. Several other pioneering VR systems were created by VPL Research, including the DataGlove, EyePhone Head-Mounted Displays (HMD) and Boom – however these are not mentioned in this paper! That was a huge leap forward in VR technology because now users could interact with virtual environments through hand gestures and head movements.

The Rise of Consumer VR

1990s: Early Consumer VR Attempts

Though the 1990s saw some of our first consumer VR products, even those have generally struggled. To make matters worse, major companies like Sega and the Japanese company Nintendo declared bankruptcy because of their VR gaming systems (Sega brings up its death again with a loss-making episode known as Mega-CD) such it was the case The years 90 saw escalate to become two massive failures including Sega VR that only came out in prototype form and there is no complete model remaining today intended for peripheral use; same goes for Nintendo Virtual Boy lineup being forgotten instantaneously straight away after launch. However, these tools suffered from technical drawbacks like low-resolution screens and constrained processing power which hindered performance and usability.

2010s: The VR Renaissance

In fact, the early 2010s were essentially an awakening in VR technology with rapid hardware innovation thanks to computing power improvements and motion tracking. It was also during this phase that the important milestone:

• 2012: Oculus Rift Kickstarter – Palmer Luckey and Oculus VR talked about the launch of their Kickstarter campaign for Oculus Rift in this podcast. The strong consumer demand for an immersive VR experience was proven by the success of the campaign.
• 2014: Facebook Acquires Oculus VR – In 2013, Facebook acquired virtual reality developer Oculus for $2 billion – a huge vote of confidence in the technology sector.
• 2016: Launch of Consumer VR Headsets – In 2016, major tech companies launch their own consumer-grade VR headwear: HTC (Vive), Sony (PlayStationVR) and Google (Daydream).

Recent Developments and Future Prospects

2020s: Continued Innovation and Adoption

As we move through the 2020s, VR technology is only increasing in popularity and use across industries. The trackings system keeps getting better, the resolution of our screens is increased and processing powers have by miles increase all helping to make VR experiences more immersive than ever before. Key developments include:

• Standalone VR Headsets: Things like the Oculus Quest 2 and Quest 3, Apple Vision Pro standalone VR headsets have also been quite popular as they are easier to transport, simpler to use initially than a PC-based rig, yet still provide solid versions of virtual reality experiences.
• Enterprise Applications: VR is becoming a go to solution for training, simulation as well as design and collaboration. Meanwhile thinks major VR players like Microsoft (HoloLens) and Varjo are working on more advanced solutions for the business.
• Social VR: Provides users with social experiences where they can hang out, work together, and have fun in virtual spaces. E.g., Facebook Horizon world , VRChat and many more like Roblox.

Apple Vision Pro

The advent of the Apple Vision Pro is a major step in this directionApple has made its way into Real World Industries. The Vision Pro is meant to deliver an experience that seamlessly mixes together the virtual with reality thanks to high-resolution displays, advanced sensors and robust processing abilities. Apple will be Apple leading its routes in user experience, design and ecosystem integration to stand out which is long overdue for the entire VR/AR market.

Meta Quest

The Meta Quest, previously known as Facebook; from this iteration to the Meta Queest 2. For example, the Oculus Quest 3 – a standalone VR headset that provides all of your essential needs for virtual reality without requiring an additional PC to run. Meta’s wholly owned subsidiary investments in VR software, hardware and content development; including social VR platforms like Horizon Worlds have accelerated the mainstreaming of VR technology.

Conclusion on When Was Virtual Reality Invented?

The story of virtual reality is the epitome of human innovation and unquenchable thirst for compelte immersion. Over the past century VR technology has come a long way, from early concepts like stereoscopic photography to the incredible experience that advanced VR systems provide today. Advances in both hardware and software have provided a glimpse at how VR could revolutionize the way we work, play, learn – even communicate with one another.

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