A Brief History Of VR Headsets

A Brief History of Virtual Reality headsets 

As spatial computing has entered the mainstream spotlight, it is crucial to reflect on the extensive 60+ year history of Virtual Reality (VR) and how human ingenuity, along with Moore's Law, has propelled us from deep lab research and development to the cusp of mainstream adoption.

Although the concept of a simulated reality dates back much further, we’re going to start where stereoscopic computing uses technology. As well, the focus will lean more towards full immersive VR, but will touch on some of the innovations in augmented reality. Let's begin with the first-ever head-mounted display (HMD) from the 1960s.

1960s & The Sword of Damocles

The roots of virtual reality can be traced back to 1961 when Ivan Sutherland, an American computer scientist, first conceived the idea of the Ultimate Display—a revolutionary technology aimed at replicating reality through visual displays in an HMD.

Fast forward to 1968, where Sutherland, in collaboration with his students at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, brought an early prototype of his vision to life. The result was The Sword of Damocles headset, an extremely primitive device equipped with basic controls and a user interface. Due to its considerable weight, the headset was suspended from the ceiling, allowing it to track the user's head movements. Although the visuals displayed were basic wireframe animations, they corresponded to the user's head position. While highly esoteric and academic in nature, Sutherland's groundbreaking technology laid the foundation for modern VR development and is regarded as the pivotal moment that shaped VR as we know it today.

1970s

Despite its limited sophistication, especially when compared to other contemporary computing technologies, Sutherland's innovations showcased the potential for head-tracking HMDs that could revolutionize human interaction with technology, despite numerous technical constraints and arduous development processes.

The concept of HMDs began to pique interest in military and research and development circles. Although development was not yet widespread, it did catch the attention of the US Air Force.

Thomas Furness, a researcher at the USAF, introduced The Headsight—a groundbreaking HMD that incorporated head tracking to enable pilots to view computer-generated images overlaid onto their real-world surroundings. The purpose of this headset was to provide a realistic training experience, simulating various in-flight scenarios. The Headsight featured a video camera on top, which delivered live video to the user through a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display, creating a stereoscopic effect that enhanced depth perception by presenting slightly different images to each eye.

The Headsight was a wearable device, marking the first instance where form factor was considered for prolonged use of an HMD. It also marked the initial introduction of simulated reality in the US military, thereby paving the way for more sophisticated simulations.

1980s

While the 1970s showed limited growth but signs of progress in the realm of simulated reality, the 1980s witnessed continued expansion in the military training domain, extending beyond flight simulations to include military vehicles, repairs, and combat scenarios. Other prominent government research sectors, such as NASA, also delved into the field. Additionally, the 1980s marked the emergence of the first era of private companies venturing into virtual reality development.

VPL Research

One of the pioneering private VR companies was VPL Research, founded by Jaron Lanier and Thomas Zimmerman, former employees of Atari. VPL, an acronym for "visual programming language," explored various areas, notably including head-mounted displays (HMDs) and advanced input devices.

Zimmerman invented a prototype that would later become the "DataGlove," developed at VPL. This glove allowed users to manipulate digital objects using their own hands. Alongside the DataGlove, VPL Research introduced the DataSuit, a full-body wearable equipped with sensors to track arm, leg, and rear movements. They also introduced the EyePhone, an HMD for an immersive body and hand tracking experience. The DataGlove, a groundbreaking device, was sold for $10,000.

Despite their groundbreaking developments, VPL Research filed for bankruptcy in 1990.

The VIEW Project by NASA

In the late 1980s, NASA's Ames Research Center initiated the Virtual Environment Workstation (VIEW) project, primarily focused on astronaut training and related research and development.

VIEW played a pivotal role in the advancement of HMDs, making significant improvements in terms of ergonomics, comfort, enhanced stereoscopic graphics, and real-time graphics rendering. This allowed astronauts to simulate environments with minimal input lag.

The VIEW researchers developed a simulation that accurately replicated the physics of microgravity in space, providing astronauts with the ability to precisely simulate zero gravity.

While the overall peripheral design was clunky during this period, the DNA for modern headset design was clearly evident.

1990s

With a touch of private development and monumental breakthroughs, it was only a matter of time before virtual reality (VR) started to capture mainstream interest. VR emerged from niche research circles and entered the cultural zeitgeist, expanding the dreams and visions of what VR could achieve beyond limited simulations. While research continued in various organizations, a combination of media portrayal and consumer gaming propelled VR interest to unprecedented heights.

VR arcade systems hit the market, with the Virtuality group leading the way by opening a VR arcade in London. Their systems, such as the Virtuality SU2000 and VR-1, featured head-mounted displays (HMDs), controllers, head tracking, and multiplayer gaming. This period also witnessed the development of the first games specifically designed for virtual reality, like Dactyl Nightmare. However, these systems were massive rigs and only found in professional arcades.

As personal computing gaming devices became more advanced, the idea of VR became an enticing next step, capturing the interest of gamers worldwide.

Home gaming console companies like Nintendo, Sega, and Atari in the 1990s aimed to push the boundaries of immersion for gamers, each focusing on new innovations.

The introduction of multiplayer gaming in VR laid the foundation for the most successful mainstream use case of VR today. Despite the eventual downfall of Virtuality in 1997, much of the success of social VR can be traced back to these early arcade experiences.

Unfortunately, the entire sector struggled to develop and release products to the market. Sega announced a "Sega VR" accessory for the Sega Genesis, but it was canceled during development due to technical limitations and motion sickness, a similar fate to the Atari Jaguar.

Nintendo successfully launched the Virtual Boy in 1995, but it fell short of the initial technological ideals. It ended up being a stationary headset with less than 30 basic games, lacking full color presentation and head tracking. With a high price tag of $500 (~$1000 adjusted for inflation), this poorly received product became the worst-selling Nintendo console of all time.

Another headset, the Cybermaxx, was one of the first PC-VR headsets launched in the 1990s, featuring stereoscopic display and head tracking. However, it failed due to performance issues, poor tracking accuracy, and a lack of content.

The 1990s marked the first mainstream hype cycle for virtual reality and gaming. However, the story was similar for all these products—the technology simply wasn't advanced enough yet.

The failure of commercial VR headsets in the 1990s led to a period of stagnation for VR gaming, which would not experience a notable resurgence until nearly two decades later.

2000s

The turn of the millennium brought a sense of weight from the crashes of VR gaming in the 1990s, but progress was still being made in the field. While gaming experienced a period of stagnation, VR continued to be explored and technical challenges were slowly being overcome.

Notable headsets from this era included the Vuzix iWear and the Sensics PiSight. These head-mounted displays (HMDs) improved the field of vision and head tracking capabilities, but were primarily used for commercial prototyping purposes. The technology was becoming smaller and more affordable, but it had not yet reached mass applicability. Moreover, the experiences offered were largely limited to visual displays and lacked true immersion, as much of the content was presented in 2D. Nevertheless, significant improvements were made in terms of size and form factor compared to previous decades.

Entering the Modern Era

Gaming still seemed to be the missing link for driving VR adoption to the next stage, but there were no major breakthroughs in the consumer VR space for over a decade, despite continued usage in research and simulation.

Interest in consumer VR had diminished, but the dream was still alive. One individual played a crucial role in ushering in the modern era of VR: Palmer Luckey.

Luckey was captivated by the potential of consumer virtual reality and set out to create an affordable version with head tracking and a smooth user experience. He founded Oculus VR and began developing the Oculus DK1 (Developer Kit 1) in his own garage workshop. In August 2012, Luckey launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of raising $250,000. The campaign far exceeded expectations, raising nearly $2.5 million with the support of 9,500 backers, ten times the original goal.

This Kickstarter success indicated, more than anything in a long time, that consumers still had a strong desire to see consumer VR become a reality.

The success of the DK1 led to the development of the DK2, which featured increased visual fidelity and, notably, rotational movement tracking.

An Acquisition to Accelerate VR

The rapid development of Oculus VR and its growing audience caught the attention of Mark Zuckerberg, who was in the process of developing his vision for what would later become Meta. In 2014, Oculus was acquired by Facebook, and the designs of the Oculus DK2 were further refined to create the Oculus Rift, which was launched by Facebook in 2016.

The Oculus Rift marked a significant improvement as a consumer-level product and sparked a renewed interest in VR. Tethered to a gaming-oriented PC, the Rift became one of the leading headsets for VR gaming, generating widespread developer and user interest in the field. This period also witnessed the emergence of popular VR experiences like Beatsaber, Superhot VR, Job Simulation, and The Lab. Although these experiences were limited compared to traditional gaming, the immersive 6DoF (six degrees of freedom) experiences compensated for any content limitations.

Around the same time, HTC announced the Vive headset in collaboration with Valve, the owners of the popular PC marketplace, Steam. Alongside the Rift, the Vive played a significant role in the resurgence of home-based VR and introduced several important innovations. One standout feature of the Vive was its room-scale tracking, which relied on lighthouse sensors positioned on walls to accurately track the user's hands and head movements. Although this tracking method was more cumbersome compared to current spatial tracking standards, it is still highly regarded. Both the Rift and the Vive have seen subsequent model releases with improved specifications.

Valve's involvement with the Vive ensured seamless compatibility with SteamVR, making it a popular choice among gamers, many of whom were already users of the Steam platform. For many users, the Vive was their first introduction to modern VR—and it was also the first headset I personally purchased.

Console VR Returns

The VR wave also extended to the concept of headsets connected to gaming consoles, an approach that had failed in the 1990s. In 2016, Sony introduced the PSVR, an HMD connected to the PlayStation 4 (and later, the PlayStation 5). While the higher cost of the headset in addition to the console deterred some potential buyers, the launch and execution of the PSVR were considered successful, and an updated version is still being produced.

The Quest to Go Mainstream

In the late 2010s, the market for personal HMDs had grown significantly, but it still faced barriers to widespread adoption due to high prices and a lack of compelling content. To address these challenges, Oculus, under the ownership of Facebook, launched the Oculus Quest headset in 2019.

The Oculus Quest revolutionized the design of HMDs by eliminating the need for a gaming PC or console. The compute power was integrated into the device itself, sacrificing some fidelity and depth but greatly expanding accessibility. Additionally, the Quest introduced "inside-out" tracking, which relied on on-board sensors and cameras to determine user locations, making setup and mobility much simpler compared to fixed room setups. The Quest was lightweight, mobile, and relatively affordable, marking a significant step forward in making VR more accessible to a broader audience. However, it was the successor, the Quest 2, launched a year later, that truly defined Meta's vision for lightweight, affordable, and easy-to-access VR. The Quest 2 improved upon the Quest's usability, resolution, power, form factor, and price, making it the most sold HMD to date.

Meta (formerly Facebook) also adopted a strategy of deep funding for game developers and app designers through investments, grants, and acquisitions. This resulted in a vibrant ecosystem with a strong content library spanning not just games but also productivity, education, fitness, health, and more. With a relatively low price point and a thriving user base, VR has gained significant momentum.

The Current Era: Bigger Than Ever.

Despite some public criticism and concerns about the social implications of VR, Meta launched the Quest Pro, focusing on productivity and enterprise applications. While it may not have gained widespread popularity, it has provided a solid option in the market.

The VR industry received a major validation when Apple, a company known for its influence on computing platforms, announced the Apple Vision Pro. While details are still limited, the Vision Pro is expected to combine the best aspects of HMDs, improved on all them, including high resolution displays and near-perfect eye tracking, with deep implementation of Apple's design and ecosystem. This announcement has generated significant interest and reframed the potential of spatial computing. Although the Vision Pro is positioned as a "Pro" device with a higher price tag of $3,500 and being a V1 product, it is expected to reignite interest in VR and attract more people to the space.

In addition to Apple's entry, other major tech companies are investing in software and hardware for HMDs. Developers like Bigscreen VR are focusing on creating lightweight form factor headsets, and HTC continues to innovate in the VR space, as well as more than ever other companies.

What's Next?

Spatial computing and HMDs have not faded away but have gone through cycles of temporary setbacks and continued innovation. The user base for both VR and AR is expected to grow, and developers, both existing and new, will play a crucial role in shaping the future of human interaction with HMDs.

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