History of Virtual Reality

Historically, virtual reality in its beginning preceded time through the concept that has been developed and formalized. Every development with VR has contributed to the creation of illusion. Dating back to the nineteenth-century virtual reality is presented in the 360-degree murals intended to fill the entire sight of a person. In top galleries, this modern art has occupied much of the exhibits spaces and is continuing to expand. Virtual reality has branched from pen to paper and paintbrush to canvas all the way to innovated headsets.

Overtime mankind has slowly been innovating “richer ways to stimulate our senses” with “advent of electronics and computer technology” (Virtual Reality Society, website design by TheFreshUk). Virtual reality is being questioned whether it is taking over the world or not. This new medium poses the question, how does virtual reality, an alternate universe pose a threat to society?

Stimulating Material

In the science fiction action film, Ready Player One produced and directed by Steven Spielberg takes place in the year 2045 and much of society uses a virtual reality to escape the desolation of the real world to find themselves in the software of the OASIS. The film star, Tye Sheridan plays teenager Wade Watts who finds easter eggs in a hidden game within the program and the winner is promised full ownership of the Oasis. Ben Mendelsohn plays businessman Nolan Sorrento, he runs a large company determined to win the game and take over the OASIS for his personal intentions. Wade Watts joins several allies all determined to win the game before a big company like Nolan has a chance to.

Headsets in film:

The heads sets in Ready Player One at a first glance look like “generation one Oculus Rift in size and shape” (Maggie Lane, an “experienced writer, producer, and journalist. Strong arts and design professional with a B.A from Columbia University in the City of New York”). The Head-Mounted Display in the movie projects ‘harmless lasers beaming directly into a person’s retinas” which is far off from “current display biased HMDs”. The headset appears to be lightweight and wireless also throughout the film “Wade upgrades his HMD to a model with semi-transparent glass.

Headsets today:

Headsets today are connected to PCs and the PC is “either a mobile-based power/resolution or require a PC wireless display link. While we don’t have lasers entering our retinas” (Maggie Lane). Although, the future is full of uncertainty and “we can assume somebody is working on them”. Headsets such as the Oculus Go and Vive Pro are similar to the ones seen in the film.

Headsets “tomorrow”:

Magic Leap has the unique design, and a technology with full immersion because this software “beams information directly into your eyes that utilize your sense in depth, which should make for a more comfortable experience then hours in a headset staring at pixels” (Maggie Lane). Although, it is imperfect and “somewhat clunky” and not quite like what the software creates in the OASIS. Magic Leap One is one of the most top anticipated event launched in the history of VR. Virtual reality “may no longer be applicable because it’s predicted that AR and VR headsets will merge” into one device that will be done to expand in new segments and shareholder value.

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