1968
Ivan Sutherland developed the first head-mounted display system. The system used computer-generated graphics to show users simple wireframe drawings.
1974
Myron Krueger built an “artificial reality” labroratory called the Videoplace. The Videoplace conbined projectors with video cameras that emitted onscreen silhouettes, surrounding users in an interactive environment.
1990
Boeing researcher, Tom Caudell, coins the term “Augmented Reality”.
1992
Louis Rosenberg develops Virtual Fixtures – one of the earliest functioning AR systems, built for the Air Force. The full upper-body exoskeleton allowed the military to control virtually guided machinery to perform tasks from a remote operating space.
1994
Julie Martin creates the first augmented reality Theater production, “Dancing in Cyberspace”, featuring acrobats who danced within and around virtual objects on their physical stage.
Augmented reality makes its way into entertainment as technologies advance.
1998
The 1st and Ten line computer system is broadcast by Sportvision, casting the first virtual yellow first down marker during a live NFL game.
1999
Naval researchers begin working on Battlefield Augmented Reality System (BARS), the robust, original model of early wearable units for soldiers.
The NASA X-38 spacecraft is flown using a Hybrid Synthetic Vision system that used augmented reality to overlay map data to provide enhanced visual navigation during flight tests.
2000
Hirokazu Kato created the ARToolKit, an open-source software library that uses video tracking to overlay computer graphics on a video camera. The ARToolKit is still used widely to compliment many augmented reality experiences.
2003
For the 2003 NFL season, Sportvision unveils the first computer graphic system capable of inserting the 1st and Ten line from the popular Skycam, the NFL’s mobile camera that provides the field’s aerial perspective.
2009
Print media tries out AR for the first time. Esquire Magazine prompts readers to scan the cover to make Robert Downey Jr. come alive on the page
ARToolKit brings augmented reality to web browsers.
The Now: AR hardware and software make the leap towards consumer audiences.
2013
Car manufacturers begin to use augmented reality as the new age vehicle service manuals.
The Volkswagen MARTA app (Mobile Augmented Reality Technical Assistance) provides virtual step-by-step repair assistance, allowing service technicians to foresee how a repair process will look on the vehicle in front of them.
2014
Google announces shipment of Google Glass devices for consumers, thus starting the trend of wearable AR.
Magic leap announces the largest AR investment to date of %50M, Series A.
2015
Augmented reality and Virtual reality investment reach $700 Million this year.
2016
Augmented reality and Virtual reality investment reach $1.1 billion.
Microsoft HoloLens Developer Kit and the Meta 2 Developer Kit set to ship this year.
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