Where did Virtual Reality come from?

Virtual Reality is mainly considered to have begun in the 1950s, however we can look back further even to the 1920s when the world’s first flight simulator was developed. This was a high-tech all singing, all dancing training device for novice pilots!

Around 1957, the ‘Sensorama’ was invented and in 1962 it was patented as a viewing screen within an enclosed booth displaying stereoscopic images. This coupled with audio output, oscillating fans and odours being introduced brought the first experience of what we know today as 4D, or, early virtual reality.

The first head mounted display was developed around the same time and it was called ‘Headsight’. Once again, it was a tool for pilots (this time, helicopters). This meant they could see what was around the helicopter from the cockpit. The first headset for the purpose we recognise as VR today was invented in 1968, called the Ultimate Display. This was attached to a computer which enabled the person using it to see an entire virtual world around them. Who would’ve thought that was around in 1968?! The down side, however, was that the display was so heavy it actually had to be lifted and put in place by a suspension system, otherwise nobody would be able to use it.

In the 1980s VR started to be used on projects for NASA conducting research into human-computer interaction. Dr Mchael McGreevy pioneered this, as well as several other innovative virtual reality systems.

Fast forward to the 1990s and a range of virtual reality gear was being marketed by Jaron Lanier and Tom Zimmerman. This was called the ‘Eye Phone’ and this somewhat cool but slightly creepy video shows exactly what the idea behind it was. This proved to be incredibly popular at first but they were ahead of their time and the popularity slowly decreased. This, if anything, actually damaged the idea of virtual reality in the eyes of the consumer. Many felt that the technology had promised the world but just hadn’t quite lived up to what it could be. This initial dip in the hype had a really adverse effect on the technology’s growth and people began to lose interest.

Following from this you may remember seeing a 4D show at a theme park, this can be considered a form of virtual reality and became very common and easily recognisable. Following on from this we began to see more simulator machines appearing in shopping centres and arcades, usually a big white pod that would move and immerse you into a rollercoaster ride using sound, sight and movement.

More recently we’ve seen VR creeping into everything from gaming experiences, to Facebook and YouTube videos all the way to entire theme parks! Look out for our next blog to hear about some of the latest amazing advances with this technology!