On TV
Virtual Reality (1991) – “Many Believe It Will Revolutionize The Way We Live”
ABC Primetime covers the VR scene in Sept. 1991. Although this news report conflates computer animation footage with Virtual Reality, it also features interviews with Jon Waldern, Fred Brooks, Howard Rheingold, Mike McGreevey, and C L Dodgson (virtually,...
Apple Plans Ahead
24 years ago Apple ran this advertisement predicting a tablet based voice assistant. The futuristic ad takes place in September 2011. With yesterday's announcement of Siri, they missed their prediction by only one month (out of 24 years.) Wish all my...
Flashback To The ’40s
We all know that the 1950's were the golden age of 3D movies, Hollywood's attempt to fend off the rapidly growing television audience. Their 3D thrust was short lived, and with a few exceptions, we enjoyed almost 50 years of 2D bliss. This time around 3D...
Back In The Day – Japan 1990
Based on a mix of US and Japanese technology, this brief news segment shows a vibrant VR community in 1990 Japan. There's gloves and HMDs from VPL, although the LCD displays inside the helmet are from Sony Japan. There's also a nice augmented reality...
Attack of the Avatar (Show)
Trust the folks at G4 to bring us the real scoop on state-of-the-art VR from the inventors of the assembly line, Ford Motor Company. G4's reportage AND Ford's VR applications are both impressive; both the MSM and GM/Chrysler have something to...
Air Hair – Competition for VR Hair Replacement For Men
First there was Virtual Reality Hair Replacement for Men: https://youtu.be/m04Q3JdDVFY Now there's Air Hair, training to master the art of the cut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgX2P_2eTuk
The return of Virtual Reality?
Well we all saw how the VR hype slowly faded out in the late 90s - so how can i put up such a title? Some people might have noticed the recent boom of 3D related stuff. It somehow started last year, suddenly the buried technology was quickly excavated and...
Siggraph ’92 Wrap
The media drops in on Siggraph '92 in Chicago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8pBnuB5rys Definitely a show that I outsmarted myself on. Had an exhibitor's badge from a friend (thanks Marilyn!), and while touring the exhibits...
Yet Another Fashion Emergency – J D Roth Talks Virtuality on GamePro TV
The ill fated GamePro TV did a 1991 "Cutting Edge" feature on the original Virtuality arcade systems, including footage from their premier multi-player Dactyl Nightmare title. Be careful not to fry your eyeballs on host J.D. Roth's outfit; did...
Aftershock and a Fashion Emergency
On it's way to the Whistlestop, this VR system (1 of 10 on tour) makes a stop at Louisville's channel 32 early, early morning show. Perfect makeup notwithstanding, I don't think the host was thinking that anything below the belt would be on...
Meet My Friend “Ralph”
Simulator Sickness and the lingering effects of Virtual Reality, drunken behavior in particular, are the subject of this Brian Williams NBC special from 1996. Brian's teaser: "When they were first unveiled, the science of it all was staggering,...
Regis Takes a Spin
You know the wave has crested when Regis and Kathie Lee make your specialty an early morning featurette. Reeg hams it up beautifully. If it hadn't been for that 3:30am load in, it might have been perfect. Dave Polinchock provides expert...
Fear of Flying? Try the Forte VFX-1
1994 brought a fully packaged consumer head mount, the Forte-VFX-1 Brochure. Stereoscopic and with head tracking included, it somehow found it's way into the hands of psychologist Les Posen who employed this device to treat patients with...
Urinated in His Pants?
Proving that VR doesn't automatically lead to hurling the intrepid subject of this 1995 video wolfs down a cornucopia of fast food and hops on some VR games at Toronto's CN Tower. The manager of the arcade facility prevaricates a bit, telling...
“Clearly In The Development Stage”
We knew it was in the development stage, but did the Computer Chronicles have to remind any potential customers. That's OK because the conference's resident AI expert (didn't AI bubble and burst in the 80's) tells us: "... the resolution is...