Virtual reality is a simulated experience that can be similar to or completely different from the real world.
Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (e.g. video games) and education (e.g. medical or military training). Other potential uses include shopping, architecture, engineering and more.
Here are ten fun facts about virtual reality:
1. The first recorded instance of virtual reality was in the 1960s.
2. A company called VPL Research developed some of the earliest VR hardware in the 1980s.
3. One of the most famous examples of early VR was “The Sword of Damocles“, a head-mounted display created by Ivan Sutherland.
4. In 2014, Facebook bought Oculus Rift for $2 billion with the intention of bringing VR to the masses.
5. Samsung’s GearVR was released in 2015 as one of the first commercially available VR headsets.
6. Google Cardboard, a low-cost DIY headset, was released in 2014.
7. Sony’s PlayStation VR headset was released in October 2016.
8. HTC and Valve released the high-end headset called Vive in April 2016.
9. There are already over 200 companies working on developing content for VR.
10. It’s estimated that by 2025, the global market for virtual reality will be worth $120 billion.
