A man who invented VR goggles 50 years too soon (2016)
Early “VR goggles” from the 1960s prompt debate over what counts as true virtual reality and how often visionary mockups precede the hardware needed to make them real. Commenters compare VR’s slow path to mainstream adoption with the evolution of mobile phones and tablets, arguing that incremental component improvements and good timing, rather than lone-genius inventions, determine when a technology finally takes off. The thread also touches on the roles of patents, corporate risk-taking (e.g., Apple, Google, Meta, OpenAI), and why VR may remain niche while AR and other forms of spatial computing see broader everyday use.
Adoption, Timing, and “Too Early” Tech
- Many compare VR today to early cell phones: technically impressive but still niche and expensive.
- Several note sharp inflection points: mid–late 1990s for mobile phones in Europe, later in the US.
- Discussion highlights how rapid adoption followed once competition, pricing, and usability aligned.
- Some think VR may still be “too soon” for mass use, despite modern headsets; others see current products as close and improving.
Incremental Progress vs. Breakthroughs
- Strong emphasis on incremental improvements (cost, size, battery, screens) enabling later “breakthrough” products.
- Apple’s iPhone/iPad are cited as examples of arriving when components were “good enough,” not of totally new ideas.
- Debate: one side credits timing and existing concepts; the other stresses the difficulty of polishing details into a great product.
VR, Early Prototypes, and What Counts as ‘Invention’
- Some argue the 1960s “TV glasses” were just a nonfunctional mockup for stereoscopic TV, not true VR, and overhyped.
- Others broaden the term: any head-mounted stereoscopic display is seen as part of VR’s lineage.
- Earlier working systems (e.g., head-mounted displays with tracking) are referenced as more legitimate precursors.
- There’s nostalgia for 1980s–2000s VR attempts (flight sims, tank simulators, touring demos with heavy CRT helmets).
Current VR Tech and Design Trade-offs
- Discussion on moving headset batteries/computing to a pocket or rear module: feasible bandwidth-wise with modern cables, but complex and latency-sensitive.
- Meta is praised for relatively cheap standalone headsets; Apple is seen as signaling that the ecosystem is “ready,” even if current devices are bulky or expensive.
- Some see VR as inherently limited to niches (sims, specific professional tasks) due to locomotion and haptics constraints; AR and “infinite 3D monitors” are viewed more optimistically.
Ideas, Patents, and Value
- Tension between “ideas are cheap; execution matters” and “some ideas are genuinely rare and valuable.”
- Arguments over whether patents help progress (by incentivizing R&D and disclosure) or hinder it (by blocking incremental development and commercialization).