We have witnessed the development of various innovative Metaverse platforms. However, we often forget to know the history of Virtual Reality (VR) technology hardware development which became the primary access to enter the 3D Metaverse world. VR technologies have experienced a sophisticated evolution in the last decades. Starting from the pioneering VR concept to the cutting-edge VR headsets we enjoy today, VR hardware development has held an important role in supporting more realistic immersive experiences.
The History of VR Technology
Early concepts and VR experiments first appeared in the 1960s with the form of Sensorama. This era became the first era of VR technology to be applied successfully after the scientists researched about VR technology concept. The early concept became a stepping stone that led to the advances in display technology in the 1990s when many companies launched more advanced VR headsets like Sega VR and Virtuality. Even though it was still limited in terms of immersiveness, those developments have brought a wider view of the huge potential that VR technology will have in the future.
Besides, in the 1990s, VR enthusiasts still had very little attention due to VR headset's simple and uncomfortable features for the users to enter the virtual world. In the 2010s, the emergence of the Oculus Rift catapulted global interest in VR. Oculus Rift succeeded in introducing a high-quality visual display, precise head, and position tracking, as well as controls that enable more natural interactions in virtual environments.
The Potentials of VR Technology
The immersive levels of VR hardware are indicated by the development focus on accurate head, hand, and body tracking. Therefore, the users’ sensation when enjoying VR technology will be more realistic when all those focuses are achieved. The more realistic are the user's experience, the more advanced VR hardware potential development in the future.
Moreover, an emphasis on comfortable design and improved visual quality should be a concern for innovation. If we compare the design of VR headsets in the 1990s and 2010s, the newest design holds a bigger advantage. Modern VR tools are striving to overcome the screen grid effect, increase the viewing angle, as well as minimize the effect of long-time user discomfort. The haptic feedback development like gloves and vest also allow the users to feel physical sensation in the virtual world.
The Future of VR Technology
When we are slowly shifting to the future, VR hardware development keeps bringing more promising potential. With resolution increasement, wider viewpoints, and more realistic graphics, VR device technology will be more capable so that it can deepen the realistic existence of virtual worlds that we can sense. The development from a simple initial concept to increasingly sophisticated and comfortable VR headsets that we know today shows that the evolution of VR device technology continues to strive to bring innovations that change the way we interact through technology.
Not a boasting when we say the future of VR technology seems bright and full of interesting new potential. Because of that, there is nothing to lose in that we remain faithful to be a witness for the development of VR device technology that is sustainable in the future. Technology is always giving something new, and with that we can be relevant, anytime.