Augmented reality technology has witnessed many breakthroughs throughout history before gaining the traction it has today. Without further ado, here are the major turning points in the history of overlaying computer-generated information onto the real world.
History of Early Research on Augmented Reality
Computer scientists, artists and researchers ushered in the age of augmented reality before tech companies followed in their footsteps.
Sensorama: The First Example of Extending Experiences
today we distinguish AR from a neighboring technology known as virtual reality (VR). But at first there was no distinction.
The early beginnings of AR can begin sensor llama It was the first example of adding multisensory to a virtual experience. We simulated vehicles with sights, smells, sounds and movements. Sensorama was invented by cinematographer Morton Heilig in 1957 and patented in 1962.
Sword of Damocles: First head-mounted display overlaying virtual information
Computer scientist Ivan Sutherland sword of damocles 1968. display, named after a Greek legendincluded computer graphics that place virtual information in the user’s physical environment.
Videoplace creates the first interface that allows users to interact with their surroundings
video place interfacewas created by computer artist Myron Kruger in the 1970s and 80s to allow users to interact with virtual objects for the first time. Kruger called his own invention “artificial reality” and built his own laboratory.
Thomas Caudell first coined the term Augmented Reality.
Boeing researcher Thomas Cordell coined the term augmented reality in 1990 when he was working on a project for head-mounted displays that employees could wear to assemble aircraft parts.
Virtual Fixtures: The First Immersive AR System
Louis Rosenberg develops an immersive AR system, virtual fixture, at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory in 1992. The system relied on his two physical robots controlled by the user. Virtual overlays added physical barriers to the environment while users performed their actual tasks. The purpose was to train military personnel in controlling machinery.
These early attempts were primarily used for research purposes and military applications. After the arrival of ARToolkit, ARQuake, and tech giants such as Google and Microsoft, AR began to appeal to the masses.
ARToolkit paves the way for mass adoption by providing developers with an open source kit.
In late 1999 and early 2000, Hirokazu Kato developed an open source AR development kit. It is still open source and hosted on GitHub. A library for developing augmented reality applications based on video tracking functionality.
ARQuake: The First Outdoor AR Game
Developed by Bruce H. Thomas in 2000, ARQuake is an augmented reality version of the popular game Quake. Built from a first-person perspective, the game allows the user to play outside the physical world. Players can see monsters in virtual locations and shoot them using real props.
Tech giants are here.
google glass
In 2013, Google released a prototype of Google Glass, voice command smart glasses. Displayed information to the user on a head-mounted device. The consumer side of the project was eventually flipped, but Google Glass, Despite the backlash at the time, has earned a solid place in the history of augmented reality.Research continues today enterprise application.
microsoft hololens
Released in 2015, microsoft hololens is an augmented reality headset that is actually a wearable computer running Windows 10. You can browse the web and scan your surroundings. It can be used for experiences that merge with the real world. Many real-world use cases include mixed reality applications in enterprise environments such as healthcare, staff training, and manufacturing.
glasses
Spectacles is Snap’s take on smart glasses. First created he is in 2016. Their primary focus is to enable creators and innovators to push the boundaries of his AR experience creation.
Rethinking the Path to Immersive Experiences
If you’re new to the AR space and want to learn more about how the technology fits into the metaverse and web3, read on as well.
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