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|Developer = NVIS Inc.
|Developer = NVIS Inc.
|Manufacturer = NVIS Inc.
|Manufacturer = NVIS Inc.
|Announcement Date = December 2002
|Announcement Date =  
|Release Date = January 2003
|Release Date = 2003
|Price = $24,000
|Price = $24,000
|Website = https://www.nvisinc.com
|Website = https://www.nvisinc.com
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|Resolution = 1280x1024 per eye (SXGA)
|Resolution = 1280x1024 per eye (SXGA)
|Refresh Rate = 60 Hz
|Refresh Rate = 60 Hz
|Pixel Density = 3084.34 PPI
|Pixel Density =  
|Persistence =  
|Persistence =  
|Precision =  
|Precision =  
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}}
}}


The '''NVIS nVisor SX60''' is a professional [[head-mounted display]] (HMD) for [[virtual reality]] applications, announced in December 2002 at [[SIGGRAPH]] and released in January 2003 by [[NVIS Inc.]]<ref name="roadtovr">Road to VR. "A Look at 4 Virtual Reality HMDs Before Oculus." Engadget, November 27, 2016. https://www.engadget.com/2016-11-27-road-to-vr-a-look-at-4-virtual-reality-hmds-before-oculus.html</ref><ref name="vrcompare">VRcompare. "NVIS nVisor SX60: Full Specification." Retrieved 2025. https://vr-compare.com/headset/nvisnvisorsx60</ref><ref name="specpdf">NVIS Inc. "nVisor SX60 – Product Specifications" (PDF). SpectraTech. 2009. https://www.spectratech.gr/Web/NVIS/pdf/nVisor-SX60.pdf</ref>. Priced at $24,000 at launch, the device was designed for high-end military, industrial, and research applications, representing state-of-the-art technology for its time<ref name="reddit">Reddit. "My rarest VR find so far! This is the nVisor SX60, which was sold for $24000 in 2003." February 10, 2022. https://www.reddit.com/r/virtualreality/comments/sp4cj4/my_rarest_vr_find_so_far_this_is_the_nvisor_sx60/</ref>.
The '''NVIS nVisor SX60''' is a professional [[head-mounted display]] (HMD) for [[virtual reality]] applications, released in 2003 by [[NVIS Inc.]]<ref name="roadtovr">Road to VR. "A Look at 4 Virtual Reality HMDs Before Oculus." Engadget, November 27, 2016. https://www.engadget.com/2016-11-27-road-to-vr-a-look-at-4-virtual-reality-hmds-before-oculus.html</ref><ref name="vrcompare">VRcompare. "NVIS nVisor SX60: Full Specification." Retrieved 2025. https://vr-compare.com/headset/nvisnvisorsx60</ref><ref name="specpdf">NVIS Inc. "nVisor SX60 – Product Specifications" (PDF). SpectraTech. 2009. https://www.spectratech.gr/Web/NVIS/pdf/nVisor-SX60.pdf</ref>. Priced at $24,000 at launch, the device was designed for high-end military, industrial, and research applications, representing state-of-the-art technology for its time<ref name="reddit">Reddit. "My rarest VR find so far! This is the nVisor SX60, which was sold for $24000 in 2003." February 10, 2022. https://www.reddit.com/r/virtualreality/comments/sp4cj4/my_rarest_vr_find_so_far_this_is_the_nvisor_sx60/</ref>.


==Overview==
==Overview==
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===Display Technology===
===Display Technology===
The nVisor SX60 utilized dual 0.83-inch reflective [[LCOS]] ([[Liquid Crystal on Silicon]]) display panels sourced from [[Forth Dimension Displays]]<ref name="specpdf"/>. LCOS' sequential-color drive eliminates sub-pixels, producing a continuous "film-like" image that avoids the [[screen-door effect]]<ref name="roadtovr"/>. The device featured:
The nVisor SX60 utilized dual reflective [[LCOS]] ([[Liquid Crystal on Silicon]]) display panels<ref name="specpdf"/>. LCOS' sequential-color drive eliminates sub-pixels, producing a continuous "film-like" image that avoids the [[screen-door effect]]<ref name="roadtovr"/>. The device featured:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
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|-
|-
| Resolution || 1280×1024 pixels per eye (SXGA standard)
| Resolution || 1280×1024 pixels per eye (SXGA standard)
|-
| Native display resolution || 2048×1536
|-
| Pixel density || 3084.34 PPI
|-
|-
| Refresh rate || 60 Hz (VESA SXGA)
| Refresh rate || 60 Hz (VESA SXGA)
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==Applications==
==Applications==
Due to its collimated optics and high pixel density, the nVisor SX60 was primarily used in:
Due to its collimated optics and high resolution, the nVisor SX60 was primarily used in:


* '''Military and Defense'''
* '''Military and Defense'''
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* [[Vizard]] VR toolkit - included a dedicated nvis module for proper stereo and projection settings<ref name="worldviz"/>
* [[Vizard]] VR toolkit - included a dedicated nvis module for proper stereo and projection settings<ref name="worldviz"/>
* Custom military and industrial simulation software
* Custom military and industrial simulation software
* Demonstrated running consumer software including *[[Half-Life 2]]* at [[GDC]] 2013<ref name="gdc2013">Lang, B. "GDC 2013: Inside Half-Life 2 with the $15,000 NVIS SX60 HMD." Road to VR. 2013.</ref>
* Consumer software demonstrations including *[[Half-Life 2]]*


==Reception and Legacy==
==Reception and Legacy==
Academic reviewers praised the display clarity and "retina-caliber" image quality but noted the limited field of view compared to later consumer headsets<ref name="eurographics"/>. A 2015 University of Wisconsin comparison found the SX60's 60 Hz refresh "serviceable" but inferior to modern 90-120 Hz systems<ref name="tsgdoc">Technical Support Group. "Head-Mounted Displays – Comparison Table." TSG Doc Wiki. 2024.</ref>.
Academic reviewers praised the display clarity and image quality but noted the limited field of view compared to later consumer headsets<ref name="eurographics"/>. A 2015 University of Wisconsin comparison found the SX60's 60 Hz refresh "serviceable" but inferior to modern 90-120 Hz systems<ref name="tsgdoc">Technical Support Group. "Head-Mounted Displays – Comparison Table." TSG Doc Wiki. 2024.</ref>.


At its release in 2003, the nVisor SX60 represented cutting-edge VR technology, offering features that remained unmatched in the consumer space for over a decade<ref name="roadtovr"/>. The $24,000 price tag kept it firmly in the professional market, but its influence on VR development was significant.
At its release in 2003, the nVisor SX60 represented cutting-edge VR technology, offering features that remained unmatched in the consumer space for over a decade<ref name="roadtovr"/>. The $24,000 price tag kept it firmly in the professional market, but its influence on VR development was significant.
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==Company History==
==Company History==
NVIS Inc. was a major player in the professional VR space throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, developing numerous products for military, industrial, and commercial organizations. The company specialized in high-performance [[HMD]] solutions when consumer VR was virtually non-existent. In 2016, NVIS was acquired by [[Kopin Corporation]], a leader in wearable display technologies. All NVIS products and support are now handled through Kopin's Training & Simulation division<ref name="kopin">NVIS/Kopin. "NVIS Products." December 19, 2023. https://www.nvisinc.com/</ref>.
NVIS Inc. was a major player in the professional VR space throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, developing numerous products for military, industrial, and commercial organizations. The company specialized in high-performance [[HMD]] solutions when consumer VR was virtually non-existent. In 2017, NVIS was acquired by [[Kopin Corporation]], a leader in wearable display technologies. All NVIS products and support are now handled through Kopin's Training & Simulation division<ref name="kopin">NVIS/Kopin. "NVIS Products." December 19, 2023. https://www.nvisinc.com/</ref><ref name="acquisition">MarketScreener. "Kopin Corporation acquired NVIS, Inc. for $5.7 million." August 7, 2017. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/KOPIN-CORPORATION-9828/news/Kopin-Corporation-acquired-NVIS-Inc-for-5-7-million-35005174/</ref>.


==See Also==
==See Also==
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<ref name="worldviz">WorldViz. "nVis HMDs Documentation." Retrieved 2025. https://docs.worldviz.com/vizard/latest/nVis_SX_HMD.htm</ref>
<ref name="worldviz">WorldViz. "nVis HMDs Documentation." Retrieved 2025. https://docs.worldviz.com/vizard/latest/nVis_SX_HMD.htm</ref>
<ref name="artracking">Advanced Realtime Tracking GmbH. "Technical Datasheet – Targets" (PDF), p. 2. 2021.</ref>
<ref name="artracking">Advanced Realtime Tracking GmbH. "Technical Datasheet – Targets" (PDF), p. 2. 2021.</ref>
<ref name="gdc2013">Lang, B. "GDC 2013: Inside Half-Life 2 with the $15,000 NVIS SX60 HMD." Road to VR. 2013.</ref>
<ref name="tsgdoc">Technical Support Group. "Head-Mounted Displays – Comparison Table." TSG Doc Wiki. 2024.</ref>
<ref name="tsgdoc">Technical Support Group. "Head-Mounted Displays – Comparison Table." TSG Doc Wiki. 2024.</ref>
<ref name="ndsu">NDSU Center for Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience. "Facilities." Retrieved 2025. https://www.ndsu.edu/centers/cvcn/facilities.php</ref>
<ref name="ndsu">NDSU Center for Visual and Cognitive Neuroscience. "Facilities." Retrieved 2025. https://www.ndsu.edu/centers/cvcn/facilities.php</ref>
<ref name="kopin">NVIS/Kopin. "NVIS Products." December 19, 2023. https://www.nvisinc.com/</ref>
<ref name="kopin">NVIS/Kopin. "NVIS Products." December 19, 2023. https://www.nvisinc.com/</ref>
<ref name="acquisition">MarketScreener. "Kopin Corporation acquired NVIS, Inc. for $5.7 million." August 7, 2017. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/KOPIN-CORPORATION-9828/news/Kopin-Corporation-acquired-NVIS-Inc-for-5-7-million-35005174/</ref>
</references>
</references>


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