I-O Display Systems: Difference between revisions
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{{Company Infobox | {{Company Infobox | ||
|image= | |image=[[File:i-glasses2.jpg|350px]] | ||
|Type= Private | |Type= Private | ||
|Industry= [[Virtual Reality]], [[Personal Display Systems]], [[Stereoscopic 3D]] products | |Industry= [[Virtual Reality]], [[Personal Display Systems]], [[Stereoscopic 3D]] products | ||
| Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
|Website= (Defunct) | |Website= (Defunct) | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{see also|Companies}} | |||
'''I-O Display Systems, LLC''' (originally styled '''Virtual i·O''') was an American technology company that specialized in the development and manufacturing of [[head-mounted display]]s (HMDs). Founded in 1993 in Seattle, Washington by entrepreneurs [[Greg Amadon]] and [[Linden Rhoads]], the company is best known for its ''i-glasses'' product line, which provided personal display systems for [[virtual reality]] (VR) and video applications.<ref name="PSBJMar97">"Financial reality pressures Virtual i‑O into Chapter 11", Puget Sound Business Journal, March 16, 1997, https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1997/03/17/story6.html</ref> The company was a significant pioneer in the early consumer VR market of the 1990s, attracting almost US$20 million in venture funding before filing for bankruptcy in 1997.<ref name="PSBJMay97">"Effort to salvage Virtual i‑O fails", Puget Sound Business Journal, May 25, 1997, https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1997/05/26/story4.html</ref> | '''I-O Display Systems, LLC''' (originally styled '''Virtual i·O''') was an American technology [[company]] that specialized in the development and manufacturing of [[head-mounted display]]s (HMDs). Founded in 1993 in Seattle, Washington by entrepreneurs [[Greg Amadon]] and [[Linden Rhoads]], the company is best known for its ''i-glasses'' product line, which provided personal display systems for [[virtual reality]] (VR) and video applications.<ref name="PSBJMar97">"Financial reality pressures Virtual i‑O into Chapter 11", Puget Sound Business Journal, March 16, 1997, https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1997/03/17/story6.html</ref> The company was a significant pioneer in the early consumer VR market of the 1990s, attracting almost US$20 million in venture funding before filing for bankruptcy in 1997.<ref name="PSBJMay97">"Effort to salvage Virtual i‑O fails", Puget Sound Business Journal, May 25, 1997, https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/1997/05/26/story4.html</ref> | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
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===Bankruptcy and Closure (1997)=== | ===Bankruptcy and Closure (1997)=== | ||
Despite gaining market share in the emerging VR headset market, the company faced financial difficulties as consumer VR adoption grew slower than anticipated. Co-founders Amadon and Rhoads resigned in January 1997, and Virtual i·O filed for Chapter 11 protection on March 14, reporting US$9.7 million in assets against US$21.6 million in | Despite gaining market share in the emerging VR headset market, the company faced financial difficulties as consumer VR adoption grew slower than anticipated. Co-founders Amadon and Rhoads resigned in January 1997, and Virtual i·O filed for Chapter 11 protection on March 14, reporting US$9.7 million in assets against US$21.6 million in liabilities-most owed to TCI and Thomson SA.<ref name="PSBJMar97"/> | ||
Annual headset returns peaked at 30 percent owing to fragile cables and dust ingress,<ref name="Tampa97">"Reality has not lived up to the promise for virtual‑reality games", Tampa Bay Times, 28 Sep 1997, https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/09/28/reality-has-not-lived-up-to-the-promise-for-virtual-reality-games/</ref> further complicating the company's financial position. A court-appointed turnaround team failed to secure a buyer, and operations ceased on April 30, 1997; the remaining assets reverted to TCI the following month.<ref name="PSBJMay97"/> | Annual headset returns peaked at 30 percent owing to fragile cables and dust ingress,<ref name="Tampa97">"Reality has not lived up to the promise for virtual‑reality games", Tampa Bay Times, 28 Sep 1997, https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1997/09/28/reality-has-not-lived-up-to-the-promise-for-virtual-reality-games/</ref> further complicating the company's financial position. A court-appointed turnaround team failed to secure a buyer, and operations ceased on April 30, 1997; the remaining assets reverted to TCI the following month.<ref name="PSBJMay97"/> | ||
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===i-glasses Series=== | ===i-glasses Series=== | ||
The i-glasses line included several models with varying specifications and target markets: | The [[i-glasses]] line included several models with varying specifications and target markets: | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
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! Model Name !! Key Features !! Resolution (per eye where applicable) !! Virtual Screen Size !! Weight !! Connectivity !! Notes | ! Model Name !! Key Features !! Resolution (per eye where applicable) !! Virtual Screen Size !! Weight !! Connectivity !! Notes | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '''i-glasses (Original/PC Version)''' || Full color video, [[stereoscopic 3D]] capable, optional head tracking, see-through capability ("VideoMute"), could be worn with eyeglasses.<ref name="MindfluxPC">"i-O Display Systems i-glasses! PC - Mindflux", Mindflux, https://www.mindflux.com.au/products/hardware/iglassespcd.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 640x480 || Claimed equivalent to an 80-inch screen from 13 feet.<ref name="MindfluxPC"/> || Approximately 8 ounces (227g) || PC (VGA), Video (Sega, Nintendo, Atari, 3DO) || Released May 1995 at US$549.<ref name="VRShop">"Virtual IO I‑Glasses – Specs and Info", The VR Shop, 14 Feb 2022, https://www.virtual-reality-shop.co.uk/virtual-io-i-glasses/</ref> | | '''[[i-glasses]] (Original/PC Version)''' || Full color video, [[stereoscopic 3D]] capable, optional head tracking, see-through capability ("VideoMute"), could be worn with eyeglasses.<ref name="MindfluxPC">"i-O Display Systems i-glasses! PC - Mindflux", Mindflux, https://www.mindflux.com.au/products/hardware/iglassespcd.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 640x480 || Claimed equivalent to an 80-inch screen from 13 feet.<ref name="MindfluxPC"/> || Approximately 8 ounces (227g) || PC (VGA), Video (Sega, Nintendo, Atari, 3DO) || Released May 1995 at US$549.<ref name="VRShop">"Virtual IO I‑Glasses – Specs and Info", The VR Shop, 14 Feb 2022, https://www.virtual-reality-shop.co.uk/virtual-io-i-glasses/</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '''i-glasses SVGA''' || Portable monitor, flicker-free (120Hz refresh), built-in stereo headphones, adjustable color/brightness/contrast.<ref name="MindfluxSVGA">"i-O Display Systems i-glasses SVGA - Mindflux", Mindflux, https://www.mindflux.com.au/products/hardware/iglassessvga.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> Supported frame sequential stereo with nVidia game drivers or other applications (optional stereo version).<ref name="ManualsLibSVGA">"IO Display Systems i-glasses User Manual - ManualsLib", ManualsLib, https://www.manualslib.com/manual/110089/Io-Display-Systems-I-Glasses.html?page=1#manual, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 800x600 (scaled from VGA/SVGA/XGA) || Virtual image of a 90cm screen from 2m (approximately 35 inches from 6.5 feet) || 7 ounces (198g) || VGA || Released 1998 at US$699 for 3D version.<ref>"i‑glasses SVGA product sheet", Mindflux Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20000818064717/http://www.mindflux.com.au/products/io-display/iglassesSVGA.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | | '''[[i-glasses SVGA]]''' || Portable monitor, flicker-free (120Hz refresh), built-in stereo headphones, adjustable color/brightness/contrast.<ref name="MindfluxSVGA">"i-O Display Systems i-glasses SVGA - Mindflux", Mindflux, https://www.mindflux.com.au/products/hardware/iglassessvga.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> Supported frame sequential stereo with nVidia game drivers or other applications (optional stereo version).<ref name="ManualsLibSVGA">"IO Display Systems i-glasses User Manual - ManualsLib", ManualsLib, https://www.manualslib.com/manual/110089/Io-Display-Systems-I-Glasses.html?page=1#manual, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 800x600 (scaled from VGA/SVGA/XGA) || Virtual image of a 90cm screen from 2m (approximately 35 inches from 6.5 feet) || 7 ounces (198g) || VGA || Released 1998 at US$699 for 3D version.<ref>"i‑glasses SVGA product sheet", Mindflux Archive, https://web.archive.org/web/20000818064717/http://www.mindflux.com.au/products/io-display/iglassesSVGA.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '''i-glasses HRV''' || High-resolution video monitor for camcorders, VCRs, DVDs. Intended for patient comfort in dental/medical settings.<ref name="PearsonDentalHRV">"I-Glasses HRV (iO Display Systems) | Dental Product", Pearson Dental Supply, https://www.pearsondental.com/catalog/product.asp?majcatid=6655&catid=4529&subcatid=7091&pid=35311, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 640x480 (each eye) || Equivalent to viewing a 70-inch monitor from 13 feet<ref name="jpdhrv">"i-O Display shows off PRO SVGA compatible headset at SID 2003", Jon Peddie Research, https://www.jonpeddie.com/news/i-o-display-shows-off-pro-svga-compatible-headset-at-sid-2003/, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || Not specified || S-Video, RCA stereo-audio, composite video (Incompatible with computer signals for the Pro version) || A "Pro" version offered better video quality and contrast. Released 1999 at US$499.<ref name="VRShop"/> | | '''[[i-glasses HRV]]''' || High-resolution video monitor for camcorders, VCRs, DVDs. Intended for patient comfort in dental/medical settings.<ref name="PearsonDentalHRV">"I-Glasses HRV (iO Display Systems) | Dental Product", Pearson Dental Supply, https://www.pearsondental.com/catalog/product.asp?majcatid=6655&catid=4529&subcatid=7091&pid=35311, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 640x480 (each eye) || Equivalent to viewing a 70-inch monitor from 13 feet<ref name="jpdhrv">"i-O Display shows off PRO SVGA compatible headset at SID 2003", Jon Peddie Research, https://www.jonpeddie.com/news/i-o-display-shows-off-pro-svga-compatible-headset-at-sid-2003/, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || Not specified || S-Video, RCA stereo-audio, composite video (Incompatible with computer signals for the Pro version) || A "Pro" version offered better video quality and contrast. Released 1999 at US$499.<ref name="VRShop"/> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '''i-glasses HRV Pro''' || Introduced in April 2003, used Three Five Systems Z86D-3 microdisplays<ref name="jpdhrv"/> || 800x600 (1.44 million pixels per display) || Equivalent to viewing a 70-inch monitor from 13 feet || Not specified || S-Video, composite video || Priced at $1,199 for 2D version and $1,499 for 3D-capable version in 2003.<ref name="jpdhrv"/> | | '''[[i-glasses HRV Pro]]''' || Introduced in April 2003, used Three Five Systems Z86D-3 microdisplays<ref name="jpdhrv"/> || 800x600 (1.44 million pixels per display) || Equivalent to viewing a 70-inch monitor from 13 feet || Not specified || S-Video, composite video || Priced at $1,199 for 2D version and $1,499 for 3D-capable version in 2003.<ref name="jpdhrv"/> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| '''Personal I-O Eye-Glasses/I-Glasses (GVD310)''' || Marketed for private entertainment in vehicles, public transport, and for hospital patients.<ref name="RockyAmericasGVD310">"Personal I-O Eye-Glasses/I-Glasses Virtual Reality Head-Mount Display (HMD) LCD - Rocky Americas", Rocky Americas, http://www.rockyamericas.com/gvd310.htm, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 180,000 pixels (800 x 225) || Virtual 36-inch screen from 6 feet || 7 ounces (198g) for head-wear part || RCA type AV source with 2-channel stereo audio (DVD, VCD, VCR, MP4, Game Console, PC, Digital Camera, Video Camera) || Featured detachable Dolby surrounding stereo earphones and on-unit controls for volume, brightness, and contrast. | | '''[[Personal I-O Eye-Glasses]]/[[I-Glasses (GVD310)]]''' || Marketed for private entertainment in vehicles, public transport, and for hospital patients.<ref name="RockyAmericasGVD310">"Personal I-O Eye-Glasses/I-Glasses Virtual Reality Head-Mount Display (HMD) LCD - Rocky Americas", Rocky Americas, http://www.rockyamericas.com/gvd310.htm, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> || 180,000 pixels (800 x 225) || Virtual 36-inch screen from 6 feet || 7 ounces (198g) for head-wear part || RCA type AV source with 2-channel stereo audio (DVD, VCD, VCR, MP4, Game Console, PC, Digital Camera, Video Camera) || Featured detachable Dolby surrounding stereo earphones and on-unit controls for volume, brightness, and contrast. | ||
|} | |} | ||
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Early press coverage praised the light weight (227g) and competitive price compared with the Sony Glasstron, yet criticized visible pixelation and limited software support.<ref name="Wired99">"Little Big Screen", Wired, 1 Aug 1999, https://www.wired.com/1999/08/little-big-screen</ref> Analysts at TWICE magazine cited insufficient in-store demonstrations and fragile demo units as key barriers to mainstream adoption.<ref name="PSBJMay97"/> | Early press coverage praised the light weight (227g) and competitive price compared with the Sony Glasstron, yet criticized visible pixelation and limited software support.<ref name="Wired99">"Little Big Screen", Wired, 1 Aug 1999, https://www.wired.com/1999/08/little-big-screen</ref> Analysts at TWICE magazine cited insufficient in-store demonstrations and fragile demo units as key barriers to mainstream adoption.<ref name="PSBJMay97"/> | ||
By late 1996, the company was shipping roughly 300 units per month, with professional and medical buyers representing 25 percent of volume.<ref name="3DOWorld"/> Despite modest early | By late 1996, the company was shipping roughly 300 units per month, with professional and medical buyers representing 25 percent of volume.<ref name="3DOWorld"/> Despite modest early sales-about 30,000 units went to U.S. dentists alone for chair-side "patient distraction" video<ref name="Wired99"/>-revenue fell short of projections, contributing to the company's financial difficulties. | ||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
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The company's contributions to VR technology include: | The company's contributions to VR technology include: | ||
#'''Patent Portfolio''': Its patent portfolio covering lightweight catadioptric optics and magneto-inertial tracking was cited by subsequent VR manufacturers throughout the early 2000s.<ref name="Patent5642227"/> | |||
#'''Virtual Cinema Concept''': The company's emphasis on an "80-inch virtual cinema" foreshadowed the media-consumption positioning later used by Sony Glasstron, Myvu, and Meta Quest "theater mode" features.<ref name="Wired99"/> | |||
#'''Technological Advancements''': The challenges and innovations addressed by I-O Display Systems and its contemporaries helped pave the way for the more sophisticated immersive technologies available today. | |||
#'''Historical Significance''': Surviving i-glasses units remain a reference platform for retro-VR enthusiasts and museums such as the Deutsches Museum in Munich.<ref>"Virtual i‑O i‑glasses! Personal 3D Viewer", Google Arts & Culture, https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/virtual-i-o-i-glasses-personal-3d-viewer-head-mounted-display/4wHrXHZrWs9ZBA, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | |||
While I-O Display Systems is no longer in operation, its products represented an important step in the evolution of consumer [[virtual reality]] technology. The company's efforts to create accessible HMDs helped introduce the concept of personal virtual displays to a broader audience during a period when the technology was still in its early stages of development. | While I-O Display Systems is no longer in operation, its products represented an important step in the evolution of consumer [[virtual reality]] technology. The company's efforts to create accessible HMDs helped introduce the concept of personal virtual displays to a broader audience during a period when the technology was still in its early stages of development. | ||
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<ref name="SistematicsFormed">"Listado de productos por marca I-O Display Systems", Sistematics.com, https://www.sistematics.com/en/i-o-display-systems-m-353.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | <ref name="SistematicsFormed">"Listado de productos por marca I-O Display Systems", Sistematics.com, https://www.sistematics.com/en/i-o-display-systems-m-353.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | ||
<ref name="MindfluxSVGA">"i-O Display Systems i-glasses SVGA - Mindflux", Mindflux, https://www.mindflux.com.au/products/hardware/iglassessvga.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | <ref name="MindfluxSVGA">"i-O Display Systems i-glasses SVGA - Mindflux", Mindflux, https://www.mindflux.com.au/products/hardware/iglassessvga.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | ||
<ref name="Ultimate3DHeaven">"iTheater by iGlasses IO Display - Ultimate3DHeaven", Ultimate3DHeaven, https://www.ultimate3dheaven.com/itbyigiodi.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | <ref name="Ultimate3DHeaven">"iTheater by iGlasses IO Display - Ultimate3DHeaven", Ultimate3DHeaven, https://www.ultimate3dheaven.com/itbyigiodi.html, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | ||
<ref name="LXDCorp">"LXD Incorporated - Wikipedia", Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LXD_Incorporated, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | <ref name="LXDCorp">"LXD Incorporated - Wikipedia", Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LXD_Incorporated, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | ||
<ref name="GooglePatents5903395A">"US5903395A - Personal visual display system - Google Patents", Google Patents, https://patents.google.com/patent/US5903395A, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | <ref name="GooglePatents5903395A">"US5903395A - Personal visual display system - Google Patents", Google Patents, https://patents.google.com/patent/US5903395A, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | ||
<ref name="GooglePatents5991085A">"US5991085A - Head-mounted personal visual display apparatus with image generator and holder - Google Patents", Google Patents, https://patents.google.com/patent/US5991085A, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | <ref name="GooglePatents5991085A">"US5991085A - Head-mounted personal visual display apparatus with image generator and holder - Google Patents", Google Patents, https://patents.google.com/patent/US5991085A, accessed May 7, 2025</ref> | ||