History

1956 Sensorama – 3D visuals, vibration, stereo sound, wind, smell
1961 Headsight System – head mounted display (HMD) + remote video camera
1965 Ultimate display – strereoscopic HMD
1972 General Eletric develops the first computerizet flight simulator
1977 Firts documented Sayre Glove – gesture recognition
1979 The military starts experimenting width simulation headset
1980 The first virtual interactive map
1987 “Virtual Cockpit” – British Aerospace
1990 Surge Sense8
1991 W. industries – Virtuality and viewing glasses
1991 Sega VR
1992 The Lawnmower Man – clasic movie
1995 Nintendo releases Virtual Boy
1997 Device that makes it possible to experiment real motion in a cabina
1999 The Matrix – movie
2003 Creation of teh famous 3D virtual world Second life
2004 Google buys Earth-view
2005 Launch of Nintendo Wii
2012 Oculus Rift, a VR device
2014 Sony project Morpheus VR headset (prototype)
2014 Vienna University of Technology Virtualizer
2014 Samsung – Gear VR headset 
2015 Virtuix Omni Accessories
2015 Windows – Microsoft – AR headset Hololens
2016 HTC VIVE
2017 OctopusEngine – low cost VR 😉

1956 – Sensorama

The idea for virtual reality began in the 1950’s with a man named Morton H. Eilig.  Eilig has been known as the “Father of Virtual reality”.  He used his knowledge and cinematography experience to develop the Sensorama in 1957.  The Sensorama is a machine that simulates reality by using 3-D motion picture with smell, stereo sound, vibrations of the seat, and wind in the hair to create the illusion.  A Sensorama 3D motion camera was used to take panoramic photos to use inside the Sensorama machine.

Ivan Sutherland – Ultimate Display

    The first piece of  a wearable display is what inspired almost all Virtual Reality headgear.  Ivan Sutherland, a computer scientist, invented what he called the Ultimate Display in 1965.  The Ultimate Display created augmented reality, instead of virtual reality.  Unlike virtual reality which creates entirely virtual and artificial world,  augmented reality adds Virtual 3-Dimensional figures into the real world.  The Ultimate Display was connected to a computer which graphics for the display.  This device was the guide for all the developments within the field of virtual reality.

Thomas A. Furness – Flight Simulator


In 1966, Thomas A. Furness made the first Flight Simulator with a display for the United States Air Force.  The simulator was used to train new pilots.  After this was created, most development towards virtual reality went towards flight simulators for the Air Force pilots, and no entertainment purposes.
The first use of virtual reality for videogame purposes, and not simulations or entertainment, was created by Nintendo.  In 1995, Nintendo made their own version of a virtual reality.  They combined their game making experience with other virtual reality concepts and made the Virtual Boy.  The system included two, 32 bit screens that created a 3-Dimensional effect when it is placed against the face.  Although the idea was new and revolutionary, it didn’t do well as a gaming device because people weren’t accustomed to the 3D images and red display they often felt sick using it.  Only 22 games were created for the Virtual Boy, and only about 800,000 units were sold.
Despite the failure of the Virtual Boy,  the concept of 3D gaming was inspired by it.  In the years to come, independent companies, such as Gear VR, Oculus, and Virtuix.  Some large electronic companies are also starting to develop virtual reality devices such Project Morpheus, by Sony Playstation, and Project Fortaleza, by Microsoft XBox.
Citations


“Virtual Reality History – HowStuffWorks.” HowStuffWorks. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/other-gadgets/virtual-reality8.htm>.
“Virtual Reality.” Virtual Reality. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. <http://www.vrs.org.uk/>.


“VIRTUAL REALITY – History.” VIRTUAL REALITY – History. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. <http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/Cyberia/VETopLevels/VR.History.html>.


“The Rise and Fall and Rise of Virtual Reality.” The Verge. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. <http://www.theverge.com/a/virtual-reality>.


“Index.” Index. Web. 2 Feb. 2015. <http://www.mortonheilig.com/>.

2012 – Oculus Rift

After a $2.4 Million Kickstarter, Oculus started developing their product the Oculus Rift. You can currently buy the newest development kit for $350, and they are hoping to eventually lower that price to a commercially available level. Since then they have partnered with Samsung, and were acquired by Facebook. Why are all these brand name companies buying these new technologies? It’s because they work.

Virtual reality & augmented reality | IoT