VPL Research

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VPL Research was one of the first companies that developed and sold virtual reality products. It was founded by computer scientist Jaron Lanier in 1984. [1] "VPL" stood for "Virtual Programming Languages". [2] In 1990, VPL Research filed for bankruptcy and in 1999 all of its patents were bought by Sun Microsystems. [3]

Contents

VPL's funding came in part from Marvin Minsky. [4]

Products

A VPL Research DataSuit, a full-body outfit with sensors for measuring the movement of arms, legs, and trunk. Developed circa 1989. Displayed at the Nissho Iwai showroom in Tokyo VPL DataSuit 1.jpg
A VPL Research DataSuit, a full-body outfit with sensors for measuring the movement of arms, legs, and trunk. Developed circa 1989. Displayed at the Nissho Iwai showroom in Tokyo

The DataGlove

This device originally started as an input system for computers. It was later used for virtual reality systems. Thomas Zimmerman invented the prototype of the DataGlove and began looking for other people to help work on it. The device used 6502 microcontrollers. Zimmerman met Mitch Altman and asked him to join VPL part-time because Altman knew how to program the microcontrollers. [5]

The system was wired to a computer. It was interactive and contained fiber-optic bundles to track movements and orientation. That data would then be transmitted to the computer so that the information could be duplicated virtually. It allowed for people to manipulate and re-orient virtual objects. Applications for this wearable device centered on input computer control, gaming, and also the potential for remote surgery.

VPL licensed the DataGlove technology to Mattel, which used it to make the Power Glove.

The EyePhone

This was a head mounted display (HMD) that was meant to immerse users into a computer simulation. It could track head movements. The headset used Fresnel lenses. [6]

The DataSuit

The DataSuit was a full-body outfit with sensors for measuring the movement of arms, legs, and trunk.

The Reality Built For Two (RB2)

The AudioSphere

Team members

R&D team
Management
Associated people

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References

  1. "VPL Research | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  2. Burbules, Nicholas C. (2006), Weiss, Joel; Nolan, Jason; Hunsinger, Jeremy; Trifonas, Peter (eds.), "Rethinking the Virtual", The International Handbook of Virtual Learning Environments, Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, pp. 37–58, doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-3803-7_1, ISBN   978-1-4020-3803-7 , retrieved 2023-10-12
  3. "Sun Snaps Up Original VR Patents". Wired. ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  4. "Virtual reality: spreadsheets for industry - tutorial". BNET. CBS. Archived from the original on 2011-02-22. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  5. Altman, Mitch. An Interview with Mitch Altman (Inventor and Virtual Reality Pioneer from the 80's). Terndrup, Matthew.
  6. Delaney, Ben (2014). Sex, Drugs and Tessellation: The Truth About Virtual Reality, as Revealed in the Pages of CyberEdge Journal. CyberEdge Information Services. p. 274. ISBN   978-1500893293.
  7. "Techie Entrepreneurs – Young Harvill". Evergreen Magazine. 2015-06-17.
  8. "Altered States: a software developer's vision of the future of virtual reality". Computer Graphics World. ISSN   0271-4159 . Retrieved 2020-06-15.
  9. "Jean-Jacques Linkedin Profile Page".
  10. Altman, Mitch. An Interview with Mitch Altman (Inventor and Virtual Reality Pioneer from the 80's). Terndrup, Matthew.
  11. "An Oral History of Nintendo's Power Glove". Mental Floss – online magazine. 2017-02-22.