Virtual Reality (VR) is the technology that allows you to immerse yourself in an environment of synthetic 3D images. Cut from reality, this virtual world is a universe in itself with which the user can interact. Contrary to what one might think, this technology is not new. Without going back on all the milestones of its history, here are some highlights that should allow you to understand better where it currently is, and what it promises. From immersive cinema to virtual travel
It was in the 1960s that the fundamentals of VR were first laid down when Morton Heilig designed the Sensorama, an individual immersive cinema that required implication of all five senses, and when Ivan Sutherland created the first functional VR headset, the Ultimate Display HMD. A mechanical arm fixing it above the head of the user, hence its nickname “sword of Damocles,” supported this hyper-heavy helmet.
Tags: Articles • Catherine Meilleur