The incredible rise and fall of virtuality: the VR pioneers of the 90s
The incredible rise and fall of virtuality: the VR pioneers of the 90s
Leicester, England - The 90s were an exciting decade for the technology world, especially in the field of Virtual Reality (VR). Virtuality Inc. played a key role and not only presented the first VR machines, but also aroused the interest of a general public. What is hidden behind the history of this company is a mixture of pioneering spirit, creative minds and technical know-how.
Virtuality was founded in 1987 by Dr. Jonathan D. Waldern in Leicester, England. Originally started as a W-industries, the company attracted attention in 1988 when it won an innovation award from the British Technology Group. With the prize money of £ 20,000, the development of a first VR prototype could be promoted. In 1990 the time had come: W-Industries presented the first publicly accessible VR machine, the "Virtuality 1000SU", at the "Computer Graphics ’90" trade fair. This device was a revolutionary step that was equipped with an open capsule and a VR helmet called "Visette". The machine enabled the players to immerse themselves in the virtual world, while the game "Dactyl Nightmare" was specially developed for this system and later became remaked for Oculus Rift. This reports Heise.The beginnings of virtual reality
But how did this innovative development come about? We owe additional information Time Extension. Dr. Waldern, a PhD student of the Loughborough University, had already experimented with the "Roaming Caterpillar" in the 1980s before founding together with Al Humrich, Terry Rowley and Richard Holmes W Industries. With an investment of £ 2,500 each, where Waldern held the majority, they pursued the goal of commercially implementing VR. The technical skills of the founders were of crucial importance, as was their persistence, in their houses and garages on the early prototypes. At the same time, the search for inexpensive components was a challenge.
However, the successes were not long in coming. The company was renamed Virtuality in 1990 and offered the first interactive simulation games at trade fairs that impressed the audience. With the support of the Leading Leisure company, which took over 75% of W Industries, an interactive simulator was also developed. A crucial breakthrough achieved in 1991 when the commercial version of the seating device was presented on the Wembley Stadium.
technological evolution and challenges
The innovative strength of virtuality remained even beyond the first successful years. In 1991 the company began to develop a data glove called "Space Glove", while the "Virtuality 2000cs" series, which вправила came out on a powerful IBM PC, in 1994. This new generation of VR technology came up with an improved graphics card and the VR glasses "Visette 2", which was more compact and more powerful, reports Computer Week.
Despite these progress and the initial enthusiasm, Virtuality was soon faced with growing challenges. The company increases the competition through more powerful home consoles and the difficulties of keeping the attractiveness of the arcades. Finally, Virtuality reported bankruptcy in 1997, and the remaining patents and technologies were sold to other companies. The cult status of the old virtuality systems, however, remains to this day and inspires museum visitors and collectors alike.The remarkable beginnings of virtual reality by virtuality Inc. show that pioneering spirit and technical innovation often go hand in hand and a strong team can also make a big difference. For Dr. Waldern, who founded the Digilens company after the bankruptcy, remains an exciting field in which he can live out his passion for technology.
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