Virtuality Visette 1
| Virtuality Visette 1 | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Arcade VR |
| Platform | Virtuality arcade system |
| Creator | W Industries / Virtuality Group |
| Price | System cost ~£30,000 (manufacturing) |
| System | |
| CPU | Amiga 3000 with TMS34020 graphics accelerators |
| GPU | Texas Instruments TMS34020 with TMS34082 FPU |
| Storage | |
| Display | |
| Display | 2 x LCD (Panasonic) |
| Resolution | 372 x 250 per eye (276 x 372 reported variant) |
| Image | |
| Optics | |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (Polhemus Fast Track magnetic) |
| Audio | |
| Microphone | Built-in |
| Connectivity | |
| Device | |
| Weight | ~3.5 kg |
| Input | 3DoF joystick controller |
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The Virtuality Visette 1 was a virtual reality head-mounted display developed by W Industries (later renamed Virtuality Group) for use in the Virtuality 1000 series arcade VR systems. Launched in 1990, the Visette 1 was one of the first commercially available VR headsets and represented a landmark achievement in bringing virtual reality experiences to the general public through video arcades.[1]
History and Development
Company Origins
Virtuality Group was originally founded in October 1987 as "W Industries" by Dr. Jonathan D. Waldern. The company renamed itself to Virtuality in 1993. The company's mission was to develop and commercialize virtual reality technology for entertainment applications.[2]
Product Launch
The Virtuality 1000SU VR system, featuring the Visette 1 headset, was launched in 1990 at the Computer Graphics '90 exhibition held at Alexandra Palace in London. This marked the beginning of commercial virtual reality entertainment.
Dactyl Nightmare
In 1991, W Industries launched Dactyl Nightmare, which became the world's first commercial VR arcade game. The game showcased the capabilities of the Visette 1 and became synonymous with early VR gaming experiences.[3]
Design and Hardware
Display System
The Visette 1 contained a pair of LCD screens supplied by Panasonic. The displays were derived from camcorder accessories and provided a resolution of 372 x 250 pixels per eye (some sources report 276 x 372 per eye). While modest by modern standards, this resolution was groundbreaking for consumer-accessible VR in 1990.
Refresh Rate
The display operated at 20 Hz (20 frames per second), which, combined with system latency, contributed to motion sickness in some users during extended play sessions.
Weight
The Visette 1 weighed approximately 3.5 kilograms, significantly heavier than modern VR headsets. This weight was a result of the display technology, electronics, and audio systems integrated into the unit.
Audio System
The headset integrated four speakers and a built-in microphone, providing immersive audio and enabling voice communication in multiplayer games.
Tracking System
Polhemus Fast Track
The Virtuality 1000 series used a Polhemus "Fast Track" magnetic tracking system to monitor players' movements. The system provided full 6DoF (six degrees of freedom) tracking.
Magnetic Field Tracking
A magnetic transmitter mounted in a ring structure around the play area created a 3D magnetic field. Receivers embedded in both the Visette headset and the controller detected position within this field, allowing the system to determine:
- Head orientation (where the player was looking)
- Head position
- Controller position and orientation (where the player was pointing)
Computing Hardware
The Virtuality 1000 series arcade units were powered by sophisticated computing hardware for their era:
Host System
- Commodore Amiga 3000
- 4 MB of Fast RAM
- CD-ROM drive
Graphics Acceleration
- Dual Texas Instruments TMS34020 graphics processors
- TMS34082 floating-point co-processors
- Combined performance: approximately 40 Mflops
- Polygon rendering: ~30,000 polygons per second at 20 FPS
Input Devices
The Visette 1 was paired with a 3DoF joystick controller that allowed players to interact with the virtual environment. The controller tracked rotation but not position independently of the player's hand movement.
Arcade Implementation
Stand-Up Pods
The Visette 1 was deployed in dedicated arcade pods, which included the headset, controller, computing hardware, and a ring-shaped play area for the tracking system.
Cost
A complete stand-up Virtuality pod cost approximately £30,000 to manufacture in the 1990s. The units were sold at significantly higher prices, with games costing between £5,000 and £10,000 each.
Multiplayer
Multiple Virtuality pods could be networked together for multiplayer VR experiences, a revolutionary feature at the time.
Legacy
The Visette 1 and Virtuality arcade systems are widely recognized as pioneers of commercial virtual reality. By the time of Virtuality Group's bankruptcy in 1997, approximately 1,200 Virtuality arcade machines had been deployed worldwide. These machines provided many people with their first exposure to virtual reality technology, laying the groundwork for public interest in VR that would later support the modern VR industry revival.[4]
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display Type | 2 x LCD (Panasonic) |
| Resolution | 372 x 250 per eye |
| Refresh Rate | 20 Hz |
| Tracking | 6DoF (Polhemus magnetic) |
| Audio | 4 speakers, microphone |
| Weight | ~3.5 kg |
| Host System | Amiga 3000 |
| Graphics | TMS34020 (40 Mflops) |
| Controller | 3DoF joystick |
See Also
References
- ↑ "Virtuality (product)". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtuality_(product).
- ↑ "Virtuality, The 1990s Pioneer That Sold The World On VR". Time Extension. https://www.timeextension.com/features/the-making-of-virtuality-the-1990s-pioneer-that-sold-the-world-on-vr.
- ↑ "Best XR Headsets for Location-based Entertainment – Part One: Legacy hardware". AIXR. https://aixr.org/insights/best-xr-headsets-for-location-based-entertainment-part-one-legacy-hardware/.
- ↑ "The Man Who's Keeping 1990s Virtual Reality Machines Alive". Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/the-man-whos-keeping-1990s-virtual-reality-machines-ali-1778990894.