The history of virtual reality:
From the 50s to the present day

Visit virtual reality (VR) is a technology that immerses the user in a simulated 3D environment. Contrary to what one might think, its origins go back more than 60 yearsVR is the result of the perseverance of daring visionaries who believed in their inventions and pushed back the limits of what we thought possible at the time.

Discover thehistory of virtual reality and how this revolutionary technology has evolved from the 1950s to the present day.

 A timeline of virtual reality milestones

The history of virtual reality (VR)the bridge between our physical and digital worlds, goes back much further than many people imagine, with key developments spanning several decades.

The pioneers of virtual reality (1950-1970)

Morton Heilig's Sensorama (1957):

In 1957, filmmaker Morton Heilig invented the "Sensorama", a machine designed to immerse users in an imaginary world, offering a unique experience. a new cinematic experience. Later in 1960, he filed a patent for his idea.

The Sword of Damocles by Ivan Sutherland (1968):

In 1968, Ivan Sutherland created L'épée de Damoclès, regarded as the first functional VR headset. The "helmet" was too heavy to be commercialized, but it could display simple shapes that changed perspective according to the user's head movements.

The "Super Cockpit" by Thomas Furness (1970):

In 1970, Thomas Furness, a military engineer, developed the "Super Cockpit". immersive flight simulator for the military. This project, which lasted over 10 years, resulted in a training cockpit capable of projecting computer-generated 3D maps and data in real time. It's the first virtual reality flight simulator!

The era of VR concepts and prototypes (1970-1990)

• • In 1973, Myron Krueger coined the termartificial reality".
  • In 1978the ancestor of Google Earth VR is born. Developed by MIT and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), Aspen Movie Map allowed users to visit the city as if they were actually there. This invention marks the beginnings of the interactivity offered by VR.
  • In 1991The first virtual reality headset dedicated to gaming: The Sega VR. However, the project was never commercialized for fear of failure.

The VR revolution (2000-2015)

• • From 2010 to 2012 is the beginning of the democratization of virtual reality! It began with the appearance of theOculus Riftcreated by Palmer Luckey.
  • In 2014, Facebook (now Meta) acquires Oculusmarking the entry of the technology giants into the field of VR.

The democratization of virtual reality (2016-2019)

• • In 2016 the first commercial version of theOculus Rifta major step towards making VR accessible to the general public.
  • In 2017VR is taking root in society, with many companies developing their own headsets. We also see theemerging practical applicationsThe SST VR program, for example, offers first-aid training in an RV (SST VR).
  • In 2019 theOculus Questa stand-alone wireless headset that revolutionizes the VR experience, making it more accessible and comfortable. 2020 marks the arrival of SST VR and FIRE VR with stand-alone headsets!

Recent innovations and current trends in virtual reality (2020-2024)

• • In 2020the launch of Meta Quest 2 (formerly Oculus Quest 2). In the first quarter of 2021, Meta shipped over 4.6 million headsets, demonstrating the popularity of virtual reality.
  • In 2023the Meta Quest 3 succeeds Meta Quest 2. It merges virtual reality and augmented reality, and introduces the term mixed reality. To find out more about the differences between Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3, please visit read our article
  • In 2024, l'Apple Vision Pro was releasedis a mixed reality headset that integrates iOS to access Apple services in virtual spaces.

The future of virtual reality

The history of virtual reality is a fascinating testament to what humans are capable of. Today, the virtual reality continues to evolve and find new new applications in various fieldsfrom education and entertainment to vocational training and scientific research.

The same applies to the raugmented reality which becomes a learning tool for fire safety training! Find out more about our virtual and augmented reality training courses: FIRE AR and VR Ikea

Irwino places innovation at the heart of its concerns, and sees in the virtual reality, the future of training. If these are also your convictions, don't hesitate to contact us for more information.

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