VPL EyePhone: Difference between revisions
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The '''EyePhone''' was a pioneering [[virtual reality]] [[head-mounted display]] (HMD) developed by [[VPL Research]] and released in June 1989.<ref name="wikipedia">Wikipedia. "EyePhone". July 27, 2022.</ref> Created by [[Jaron Lanier]] and [[Thomas G. Zimmerman]], with Lanier having coined the term "virtual reality,"<ref name="vrs">Virtual Reality Society. "VPL Research Jaron Lanier". July 13, 2017.</ref> the EyePhone was one of the first commercially available VR headsets and played a significant role in the early development of virtual reality technology. | The '''EyePhone''' was a pioneering [[virtual reality]] [[head-mounted display]] (HMD) developed by [[VPL Research]] and released in June 1989.<ref name="wikipedia">Wikipedia. "EyePhone". July 27, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EyePhone</ref> Created by [[Jaron Lanier]] and [[Thomas G. Zimmerman]], with Lanier having coined the term "virtual reality,"<ref name="vrs">Virtual Reality Society. "VPL Research Jaron Lanier". July 13, 2017. https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality-profiles/vpl-research.html</ref> the EyePhone was one of the first commercially available VR headsets and played a significant role in the early development of virtual reality technology. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
===Company Background=== | ===Company Background=== | ||
[[VPL Research]] was founded in 1984 by [[Jaron Lanier]] in a corner of his cottage in [[Palo Alto]], California.<ref name="flashbak">Flashbak. "Jaron Lanier's EyePhone: Head And Glove Virtual Reality In The 1980s". November 24, 2014.</ref> The company name "VPL" stood for "Virtual Programming Languages."<ref name="wiki-vpl">Wikipedia. "VPL Research". May 26, 2025.</ref> VPL Research became one of the first companies to develop and sell virtual reality products, with funding that came in part from [[Marvin Minsky]].<ref name="wiki-vpl"/> | [[VPL Research]] was founded in 1984 by [[Jaron Lanier]] in a corner of his cottage in [[Palo Alto]], California.<ref name="flashbak">Flashbak. "Jaron Lanier's EyePhone: Head And Glove Virtual Reality In The 1980s". November 24, 2014. https://flashbak.com/jaron-laniers-eyephone-head-and-glove-virtual-reality-in-the-1980s-26180/</ref> The company name "VPL" stood for "Virtual Programming Languages."<ref name="wiki-vpl">Wikipedia. "VPL Research". May 26, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPL_Research</ref> VPL Research became one of the first companies to develop and sell virtual reality products, with funding that came in part from [[Marvin Minsky]].<ref name="wiki-vpl"/> | ||
===Development and Release=== | ===Development and Release=== | ||
The EyePhone was announced and brought to market in June 1989.<ref name="britannica">Britannica. "VPL DataGlove".</ref> It was first demonstrated at the [[SIGGRAPH]] "Tomorrow's Realities" exhibit on June 1, 1989, followed by extensive press coverage in ''[[TIME]]'' and ''[[Analog Science Fiction & Fact]]'' that popularized the phrase "virtual reality" in mainstream media.<ref name="time90">TIME. "Technology: (Mis)Adventures in Cyberspace". November 5, 1990.</ref> The device was later displayed at various technology conferences, including the Texpo Telecommunications Show in San Francisco on June 7, 1989.<ref name="flashbak"/> Despite being marketed as a revolutionary VR device, the EyePhone was primarily a research device due to its high cost and technical limitations.<ref name="wiki-vpl"/> | The EyePhone was announced and brought to market in June 1989.<ref name="britannica">Britannica. "VPL DataGlove". https://www.britannica.com/technology/VPL-DataGlove</ref> It was first demonstrated at the [[SIGGRAPH]] "Tomorrow's Realities" exhibit on June 1, 1989, followed by extensive press coverage in ''[[TIME]]'' and ''[[Analog Science Fiction & Fact]]'' that popularized the phrase "virtual reality" in mainstream media.<ref name="time90">TIME. "Technology: (Mis)Adventures in Cyberspace". November 5, 1990.</ref> The device was later displayed at various technology conferences, including the Texpo Telecommunications Show in San Francisco on June 7, 1989.<ref name="flashbak"/> Despite being marketed as a revolutionary VR device, the EyePhone was primarily a research device due to its high cost and technical limitations.<ref name="wiki-vpl"/> | ||
===Commercial Models=== | ===Commercial Models=== | ||
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The EyePhone featured: | The EyePhone featured: | ||
* '''Display Type''': Dual active-matrix [[LCD]] panels that provided slightly different images to each eye to create stereoscopic 3D<ref name="vrs"/> | * '''Display Type''': Dual active-matrix [[LCD]] panels that provided slightly different images to each eye to create stereoscopic 3D<ref name="vrs"/> | ||
* '''Resolution''': Varied by model - 185 × 138 (Model 1), 320 × 240 (Model 2 LX), 720 × 480 (Model HRX) pixels per eye<ref name="vrcompare">VRcompare. "VPL EyePhone: Full Specification".</ref> | * '''Resolution''': Varied by model - 185 × 138 (Model 1), 320 × 240 (Model 2 LX), 720 × 480 (Model HRX) pixels per eye<ref name="vrcompare">VRcompare. "VPL EyePhone: Full Specification". https://vr-compare.com/headset/vpleyephone</ref> | ||
* '''Field of View''': 90°-108° horizontal (model dependent), 75° vertical<ref name="vrcompare"/> | * '''Field of View''': 90°-108° horizontal (model dependent), 75° vertical<ref name="vrcompare"/> | ||
* '''Optics''': Modified [[LEEP optics]] design with [[Fresnel lenses|Fresnel condensing lenses]]<ref name="wiki-vpl"/> | * '''Optics''': Modified [[LEEP optics]] design with [[Fresnel lenses|Fresnel condensing lenses]]<ref name="wiki-vpl"/> | ||
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===Physical Design=== | ===Physical Design=== | ||
The EyePhone had a distinctive design: | The EyePhone had a distinctive design: | ||
* '''Weight''': 200 grams (visor only), approximately 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) for complete system with cables<ref name="nextweb">The Next Web. "Virtual reality video demonstration from 1990 is a blast from the past". November 14, 2016.</ref> | * '''Weight''': 200 grams (visor only), approximately 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) for complete system with cables<ref name="nextweb">The Next Web. "Virtual reality video demonstration from 1990 is a blast from the past". November 14, 2016. https://thenextweb.com/news/virtual-reality-1990-japan</ref> | ||
* '''Color''': Beige plastic construction<ref name="cbinsights">CB Insights. "VPL Research - Products, Competitors, Financials".</ref> | * '''Color''': Beige plastic construction<ref name="cbinsights">CB Insights. "VPL Research - Products, Competitors, Financials". https://www.cbinsights.com/company/vpl-research</ref> | ||
* '''Form Factor''': Stiff fabric headstrap without counterweight<ref name="meester">Meester, Raymond. "The circle of VR. Part 1: A brief history of consumer…". Medium. November 19, 2023.</ref> | * '''Form Factor''': Stiff fabric headstrap without counterweight<ref name="meester">Meester, Raymond. "The circle of VR. Part 1: A brief history of consumer…". Medium. November 19, 2023. https://medium.com/@raymond_meester/the-circle-of-vr-f9be78d63e88</ref> | ||
* '''Audio''': Built-in stereo headphones<ref name="vrs"/> | * '''Audio''': Built-in stereo headphones<ref name="vrs"/> | ||
* '''IPD Adjustment''': Adjustable interpupillary distance<ref name="vrcompare"/> | * '''IPD Adjustment''': Adjustable interpupillary distance<ref name="vrcompare"/> | ||
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The EyePhone featured: | The EyePhone featured: | ||
* '''Degrees of Freedom''': 3 DoF (three degrees of freedom) for rotational head tracking<ref name="vrcompare"/> | * '''Degrees of Freedom''': 3 DoF (three degrees of freedom) for rotational head tracking<ref name="vrcompare"/> | ||
* '''Tracking System''': [[Polhemus]] FASTRAK electromagnetic sensor<ref name="polhemus">Webster, R.; Clark, A. "EyePhone HMD and DataGlove with Polhemus tracking system". ResearchGate. 2015.</ref> | * '''Tracking System''': [[Polhemus]] FASTRAK electromagnetic sensor<ref name="polhemus">Webster, R.; Clark, A. "EyePhone HMD and DataGlove with Polhemus tracking system". ResearchGate. 2015. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/</ref> | ||
* '''Tracking Frequency''': 60 Hz<ref name="polhemus"/> | * '''Tracking Frequency''': 60 Hz<ref name="polhemus"/> | ||
* '''Latency''': Less than 50 ms when coupled with SGI rendering<ref name="polhemus"/> | * '''Latency''': Less than 50 ms when coupled with SGI rendering<ref name="polhemus"/> | ||
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! Product !! Function !! Price | ! Product !! Function !! Price | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[DataGlove]] || Hand tracking and interaction device with fiber-optic sensors and 6502 microcontrollers || $9,000<ref name="delta2020">Delta2020. "Here's what you didn't know about the history of Virtual Reality".</ref> | | [[DataGlove]] || Hand tracking and interaction device with fiber-optic sensors and 6502 microcontrollers || $9,000<ref name="delta2020">Delta2020. "Here's what you didn't know about the history of Virtual Reality". https://delta2020.com/blog/221-here-s-what-you-didn-t-know-about-the-history-of-virtual-reality</ref> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[DataSuit]] || Full-body tracking suit with sensors for arms, legs, and trunk || N/A | | [[DataSuit]] || Full-body tracking suit with sensors for arms, legs, and trunk || N/A | ||
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* '''Web Dance''' - A virtual auditorium for multi-user experiences<ref name="acm"/> | * '''Web Dance''' - A virtual auditorium for multi-user experiences<ref name="acm"/> | ||
* '''NASA Research''' - Data visualization spaces used for teleoperation research<ref name="acm"/> | * '''NASA Research''' - Data visualization spaces used for teleoperation research<ref name="acm"/> | ||
* '''Reality Built for Two (RB2)''' - Shared virtual reality experiences where multiple users could interact in the same virtual space<ref name="technes">TECHNES Encyclopedia. "VPL Research EyePhone".</ref> | * '''Reality Built for Two (RB2)''' - Shared virtual reality experiences where multiple users could interact in the same virtual space<ref name="technes">TECHNES Encyclopedia. "VPL Research EyePhone". https://encyclo-technes.org/en/base/60195x/4998</ref> | ||
==Cultural Impact== | ==Cultural Impact== | ||
===Media Appearances=== | ===Media Appearances=== | ||
The EyePhone and other VPL Research products gained significant media attention: | The EyePhone and other VPL Research products gained significant media attention: | ||
* Featured in the 1992 science fiction film "[[The Lawnmower Man]]," which used actual VR equipment from VPL Research labs<ref name="wiki-vpl"/><ref name="teslasuit">Teslasuit Blog. "The History of Virtual Reality: Ultimate Guide. Part 1". September 26, 2022.</ref> | * Featured in the 1992 science fiction film "[[The Lawnmower Man]]," which used actual VR equipment from VPL Research labs<ref name="wiki-vpl"/><ref name="teslasuit">Teslasuit Blog. "The History of Virtual Reality: Ultimate Guide. Part 1". September 26, 2022. https://teslasuit.io/blog/history-of-virtual-reality-ultimate-guide/</ref> | ||
* Covered extensively in technology publications of the late 1980s and early 1990s | * Covered extensively in technology publications of the late 1980s and early 1990s | ||
* Helped popularize the term "virtual reality" in mainstream culture through coverage in ''TIME'' and ''Analog Science Fiction & Fact''<ref name="time90"/> | * Helped popularize the term "virtual reality" in mainstream culture through coverage in ''TIME'' and ''Analog Science Fiction & Fact''<ref name="time90"/> | ||
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* It influenced the development of subsequent VR technologies | * It influenced the development of subsequent VR technologies | ||
* It established many conventions still used in VR today, including stereoscopic displays and head tracking | * It established many conventions still used in VR today, including stereoscopic displays and head tracking | ||
* The device survives in museum collections and has become a sought-after artifact of the first VR boom<ref name="listhead">Wikipedia. "List of virtual reality headsets". 2025.</ref> | * The device survives in museum collections and has become a sought-after artifact of the first VR boom<ref name="listhead">Wikipedia. "List of virtual reality headsets". 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_virtual_reality_headsets</ref> | ||
==Company Closure== | ==Company Closure== | ||