From Sensorama to Apple Vision Pro: A Journey Through XR’s History
The Beginnings: Sensorama and the First HMD
The journey of Extended Reality (XR) dates back to 1956 when cinematographer Morton Heilig created Sensorama, the first Virtual Reality (VR) machine.
This innovative movie booth combined 3D, stereoscopic color video with audio, smells, and a vibrating chair, immersing viewers in a unique cinematic experience. Heilig’s pioneering work didn’t stop there; in 1960, he patented the first head-mounted display (HMD), merging stereoscopic 3D images with stereo sound, laying the groundwork for future VR technologies.
Early Steps in Augmented Reality: The Sword of Damocles
By 1965, the field of XR took another significant leap with Ivan Sutherland’s development of „The Sword of Damocles“ Considered the first augmented reality (AR) HMD and tracking system, it aimed to enhance users‘ perception of the world. Despite its primitive user interface and simple wireframe graphics, it marked a crucial step in the evolution of AR.
Mediated Reality and the Reality-Virtuality Continuum
In the 1970s, Steve Mann’s research into mediated reality, which later influenced tech giants like Google, Apple, and Microsoft, focused on augmenting human perception through digital overlays in the real world. Building on this concept, Paul Milgram and Fumio Kishino introduced the Reality-Virtuality continuum in 1994, illustrating a spectrum of experiences from purely real to purely virtual environments.
The 1990s: Pioneering AR and the Birth of Sportsvision
The 1990s saw Thomas Caudell & David Mizell develop the first see-through HMD, coining the term „augmented reality.“ In a significant mainstream breakthrough, Sportsvision broadcast the first live NFL game in 1998 with a yellow yard marker overlay, revolutionizing sports broadcasting.
Modern Advancements: The 2010s Onward
The 2010s heralded rapid advancements in XR technology. Key developments included:
- First Oculus Rift Prototype: A milestone in VR technology.
- 2014 – A Landmark Year: Sony and Samsung jumped into the VR headset market, while Google launched the affordable Cardboard VR viewer and the Google Glass AR glasses.
- Microsoft’s HoloLens: Released in 2016, it introduced a more interactive AR experience, often referred to as „mixed reality.“
- Pokémon GO: This 2016 game brought AR to the masses, demonstrating the technology’s mainstream appeal.
A Push into the Mainstream
Apple’s AR Kit and Google’s MR Toolkit made AR accessible on smartphones, broadening the technology’s reach. In 2017, the IKEA Place app showcased AR’s practical use in retail, allowing users to visualize furniture in their homes before purchasing.
The Current State: Meta Quest 3 and Apple Vision Pro
Today, we see state-of-the-art AR and VR combinations through devices like Meta Quest 3. The recent announcement of Apple Vision Pro signals a potential expansion in audience reach, acceptance, and continued research and development in mixed reality technologies.
