The tech world seems to launch a VR revolution about every decade. Right now, devices like the Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro are leading the charge. But let’s take a step back and remember an early attempt at VR: Nintendo’s Virtual Boy, released in 1995.
It’s easy to dismiss the Virtual Boy as a failure, but it had some clever technology behind it. Gavin Free from the Slo-Mo Guys explores this in a fascinating video here. If you only know modern headsets, you’ll find the Virtual Boy looks quite different. Instead of a headset, it’s a table-mounted device, similar to a kaleidoscope or a View-Master.
What set the Virtual Boy apart wasn’t just its design. While today’s VR tries to create immersive 3D worlds, the Virtual Boy took a clever shortcut: it relied on the user’s own eyes and brain.
It had two displays, one for each eye, with a strange resolution—just 1×224 pixels! Each display was tiny, around 0.4 inches high. Lenses magnified the image, and mirrors angled at about 45° redirected the view. The mirrors moved quickly, creating the illusion of motion much like how old TVs worked.
This design also allowed for a basic 3D effect. Just like modern headsets, it showed images to each eye from slightly different angles.
However, there were clear downsides. The display used only red LEDs, leading to a simple monochrome image. Full color was a distant dream, as blue LEDs were a more recent innovation. This limitation likely contributed to its poor reception.
Despite its innovative ideas, the Virtual Boy flopped. Users reported eye strain and dizziness. It was discontinued just a year later, with only 22 games released. Was the world not ready for VR back then? It seems so.
Today, VR has advanced significantly, with high-quality graphics and wider applications, from gaming to training simulations. Yet, lessons from early devices like the Virtual Boy remind us how far we’ve come.
Interestingly, a recent survey states that about 70% of people are now aware of VR and its potential, compared to just 20% in the late ’90s. This growth can be attributed to the integration of VR in fields like education and healthcare, showing that the technology is finally finding its place in society.
Looking back, the journey of VR highlights how innovation often takes time. While the Virtual Boy didn’t succeed, it laid important groundwork for the modern advancements we’re experiencing today. Understanding this history enriches our appreciation for the VR we have now.
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