An infographic produced by Syracuse University’s Communications program offers a nice overview of the evolution of virtual reality. Check it out below.
Of course, the graphic is likely to leave out certain details some experts might find important — for instance, stereoscopes that produce a 3D effect date back to the 1800s. Still, I appreciate the fact that this particular presentation outlines a visible progression of the technology dating back to the 1930s.
In particular, it notably includes mention of both the Microsoft Kinect’s debut in 2010 and the iPhone VR viewers that existed in 2011 prior to the popularization of Google Cardboard just a few years later. When Oculus appeared in 2012, at the most fundamental level the company aimed to combine and fine-tune the tracking, rendering and display technology seen in these earlier efforts, putting it all together into a powerful package.
If you’re looking for a different take, we published a more detailed infographic looking at the history of VR last year.