Virtual reality inventions that were decades in advance, astonishing millions but were forgotten due to lack of support and funding.
Throughout history, the Virtual reality captured the imagination of millions of people, But its development is not as recent as one might think. From the first steps in the 1950s, there were inventors who created amazing devices that attempted to offer immersive experiences long before the arrival of today’s technologies.
There are two key inventions in the history of virtual reality that revolutionized the way entertainment was perceived: the Sensorama and the Telespheric Mask. Despite their innovations, both projects were forgotten, but their advances laid the foundations for what is known today as virtual reality.
Virtual reality in 1957!.jpg
What Sensorama and the telespheric mask were like, the virtual reality inventions of the past
He Sensorama It was developed in 1957 by Morton Heilig, this device not only projected 3D movies, but also offered a multi-sensory immersionIt was a kind of closed cabin where the viewer was isolated from the outside world to enter into a visual and sensory experience. In addition to the images, one could feel vibrations, hear stereo sound and even smell certain aromas. One of the most famous short films projected on this machine was a bicycle ride through the bustling streets of Manhattan, which gave the user the feeling of really being there.
However, despite its ingenious design and advanced technology for its time, the Sensorama failed to attract enough attention to become a mainstream product. Lack of funding and the difficulty of producing it in large quantities limited its success. Today, some models of this device can still be seen in museums, but its impact on the entertainment industry has been largely forgotten.
On the other hand, the Telespheric Maskpatented in 1960, was another impressive invention by Heilig. It was a portable device that projected 3D images and stereo soundcreating an immersive experience for the user. This helmet can be considered as the precursor of the current virtual reality glassesAlthough the first versions were uncomfortable and quite heavy compared to modern OLED glasses, their proposal was revolutionary for the time, especially considering that many countries still did not have color television.
Unfortunately, like Sensorama, the Telespheric Mask did not find the support it needed to evolve. Despite its promise, it was relegated to a corner of history, overshadowed by other, more conventional technologies. If Heilig’s ideas had been more appreciated and funded at the time, we might have much more advanced virtual reality technologies today.
These inventions, which seemed too futuristic at the time, open up the debate about how many brilliant innovations are ignored today, just because they are too advanced for today’s standards. Perhaps we are delaying the future of virtual reality without even knowing it.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
