Where did VR come from?

Virtual reality is a concept that has been around for a lot longer than most people realize. The concept behind virtual reality was discovered by Charles Wheaton in 1838. This was in the form of the stereoscope, a wooden viewing glass similar to older cameras that displayed two of the same image through two different lenses. This stereoscope was also the predecessor of the 1800s camera.

The first virtual reality headset was coined “The Sword of Damocles.” This was followed by a headset created by the U.S. military used to train pilots. Where virtual reality really got its start was with the popular video game company Nintendo. In a move that at the time seemed to be unrealistic and grasping at straws, Nintendo released the Virtual Boy in 1995. While they meant to pioneer the way for similar ideas Nintendo overestimated what they would be able to do with the technology provided to them. With poor sales and a confusing reception, the Virtual Boy looked to doom all virtual reality consoles that may have been released had it succeeded. Virtual reality was still something people considered to be science-fiction.

With the failure of the Virtual Boy, almost nobody was willing to even consider making a virtual reality apparatus. The gaming industry, being the industry virtual reality was most relevant in, was unwilling to see another virtual reality console released. A bad taste was left in the people’s mouth. This stood for nearly twenty years. Until the well known Oculus Rift and HTC Vive were released. These two headsets are what the Virtual Boy was meant to be. A way to start a new technological race. With the astounding success of both the Oculus and the Vive came more and more consumers who were open to the ideas of virtual reality.

https://www.colocationamerica.com/blog/history-of-virtual-reality