How Virtual Reality Headsets Were Built

An illustrated inventions story from Wonder Inventions — free to read, with narration.

How Virtual Reality Headsets Were Built — an illustrated inventions story, set in United States. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

How Virtual Reality Headsets Were Built — book cover — Wonder Inventions
How Virtual Reality Headsets Were Built — an illustrated inventions story, set in United States. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Page 1

Elise floated in her zero-gravity bedroom, watching the candy-colored nebula swirl outside the space station window. "Grandma Kailani, can you pass me the…
Elise floated in her zero-gravity bedroom, watching the candy-colored nebula swirl outside the space station window. "Grandma Kailani, can you pass me the helmet?" she asked, reaching for a stray datapad. Kailani chuckled, pushing off a wall to glide closer. "Why do you always need that clunky thing, Elise? It's not like we're going outside."

Elise floated in her zero-gravity bedroom, watching the candy-colored nebula swirl outside the space station window. "Grandma Kailani, can you pass me the helmet?" she asked, reaching for a stray datapad. Kailani chuckled, pushing off a wall to glide closer. "Why do you always need that clunky thing, Elise? It's not like we're going outside."

Page 2

"But Grandma, I'm playing that new VR game!" Elise exclaimed, grabbing the helmet. "It's so cool, it feels like I'm really there.
"But Grandma, I'm playing that new VR game!" Elise exclaimed, grabbing the helmet. "It's so cool, it feels like I'm really there. But who even invented these things? How did people imagine new worlds before virtual reality?" Kailani shrugged, handing over the bulky helmet. "Well, let's find out, shall we?" she said, nodding towards the glowing, ancient book on Elise's shelf.

"But Grandma, I'm playing that new VR game!" Elise exclaimed, grabbing the helmet. "It's so cool, it feels like I'm really there. But who even invented these things? How did people imagine new worlds before virtual reality?" Kailani shrugged, handing over the bulky helmet. "Well, let's find out, shall we?" she said, nodding towards the glowing, ancient book on Elise's shelf.

Page 3

Elise opened the 'Wonder Inventions' encyclopedia and the room shimmered. "Here we go again!" she shouted, clutching the book as swirling light engulfed them.
Elise opened the 'Wonder Inventions' encyclopedia and the room shimmered. "Here we go again!" she shouted, clutching the book as swirling light engulfed them. Kailani gasped. "Just like Seneca said, 'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.' I hope we are ready for this ending and new beginning Elise!"

Elise opened the 'Wonder Inventions' encyclopedia and the room shimmered. "Here we go again!" she shouted, clutching the book as swirling light engulfed them. Kailani gasped. "Just like Seneca said, 'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.' I hope we are ready for this ending and new beginning Elise!"

Page 4

They landed in a dimly lit laboratory. "Whoa! Where are we?" Elise asked, her voice echoing in the large, cluttered space.
They landed in a dimly lit laboratory. "Whoa! Where are we?" Elise asked, her voice echoing in the large, cluttered space. A man with messy hair turned around, startled. "I am Ivan Sutherland, and you are... in my lab! I am trying to make something very important."

They landed in a dimly lit laboratory. "Whoa! Where are we?" Elise asked, her voice echoing in the large, cluttered space. A man with messy hair turned around, startled. "I am Ivan Sutherland, and you are... in my lab! I am trying to make something very important."

Page 5

"Ivan Sutherland? You're the 'father of virtual reality'!" Elise exclaimed, pulling out her notebook. "It's 1968, isn't it?
"Ivan Sutherland? You're the 'father of virtual reality'!" Elise exclaimed, pulling out her notebook. "It's 1968, isn't it? I read about your 'Sword of Damocles' project!" Sutherland smiled. "Indeed! I'm trying to create a window into another world—a computer-generated reality, of sorts, but it is proving to be a difficult task!"

"Ivan Sutherland? You're the 'father of virtual reality'!" Elise exclaimed, pulling out her notebook. "It's 1968, isn't it? I read about your 'Sword of Damocles' project!" Sutherland smiled. "Indeed! I'm trying to create a window into another world—a computer-generated reality, of sorts, but it is proving to be a difficult task!"

Page 6

"But why is it so big and clunky?" Kailani asked, pointing to the helmet. "And why 'Sword of Damocles'? That sounds scary!" Sutherland sighed.
"But why is it so big and clunky?" Kailani asked, pointing to the helmet. "And why 'Sword of Damocles'? That sounds scary!" Sutherland sighed. "It's heavy because computers were huge back then! It had to be suspended from the ceiling, and if the system failed, it might fall! Hence the name! The goal is to make the headset lighter and cheaper than the 1960s model, which cost tens of thousands of dollars."

"But why is it so big and clunky?" Kailani asked, pointing to the helmet. "And why 'Sword of Damocles'? That sounds scary!" Sutherland sighed. "It's heavy because computers were huge back then! It had to be suspended from the ceiling, and if the system failed, it might fall! Hence the name! The goal is to make the headset lighter and cheaper than the 1960s model, which cost tens of thousands of dollars."

Page 7

"What about the lag?" Elise asked, scribbling furiously. "I read that the early versions had terrible latency. Didn't that make people sick?" Sutherland nodded…
"What about the lag?" Elise asked, scribbling furiously. "I read that the early versions had terrible latency. Didn't that make people sick?" Sutherland nodded grimly. "Indeed. Refresh rates were slow back then. We needed faster computers and better displays. It wouldn't be for years until the technology caught up." He turned to them, a gleam in his eye. "We needed smaller, cheaper components.

"What about the lag?" Elise asked, scribbling furiously. "I read that the early versions had terrible latency. Didn't that make people sick?" Sutherland nodded grimly. "Indeed. Refresh rates were slow back then. We needed faster computers and better displays. It wouldn't be for years until the technology caught up." He turned to them, a gleam in his eye. "We needed smaller, cheaper components.

Page 8

Suddenly, Elise remembered something she'd read in the encyclopedia. "Wait!" she exclaimed. "Didn't NASA use VR headsets in the 1980s to train astronauts?
Suddenly, Elise remembered something she'd read in the encyclopedia. "Wait!" she exclaimed. "Didn't NASA use VR headsets in the 1980s to train astronauts? And didn't that help improve the technology?" Sutherland gasped. "You are right! I designed helmet mounted display and tracking system! Then this knowledge was implemented into NASA's VIEW lab!", and it contributed to other modern display and interactive systems.

Suddenly, Elise remembered something she'd read in the encyclopedia. "Wait!" she exclaimed. "Didn't NASA use VR headsets in the 1980s to train astronauts? And didn't that help improve the technology?" Sutherland gasped. "You are right! I designed helmet mounted display and tracking system! Then this knowledge was implemented into NASA's VIEW lab!", and it contributed to other modern display and interactive systems. That's how our modern VR became so popular, generating 22.9 billion in revenue in 2021!"

Page 9

The lab shimmered again. "Time to go!" Kailani yelled, grabbing Elise's hand. "Thanks, Mr. Sutherland! It was great meeting you!" Back in her zero-gravity…
The lab shimmered again. "Time to go!" Kailani yelled, grabbing Elise's hand. "Thanks, Mr. Sutherland! It was great meeting you!" Back in her zero-gravity bedroom, Elise closed the encyclopedia with a satisfied sigh. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "Virtual reality went from giant ceiling-mounted contraptions to something I can wear to play games!"

The lab shimmered again. "Time to go!" Kailani yelled, grabbing Elise's hand. "Thanks, Mr. Sutherland! It was great meeting you!" Back in her zero-gravity bedroom, Elise closed the encyclopedia with a satisfied sigh. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "Virtual reality went from giant ceiling-mounted contraptions to something I can wear to play games!"

Page 10

She grabbed her VR headset. "Hey Grandma, check this out!" she said. "I think that Seneca guy would be glad to see this new beginning!" Elise put on the sleek…
She grabbed her VR headset. "Hey Grandma, check this out!" she said. "I think that Seneca guy would be glad to see this new beginning!" Elise put on the sleek, lightweight headset and grinned. Outside the window, the candy-colored nebula seemed even more vibrant, now that she understood the incredible journey it had taken to create her virtual world.

She grabbed her VR headset. "Hey Grandma, check this out!" she said. "I think that Seneca guy would be glad to see this new beginning!" Elise put on the sleek, lightweight headset and grinned. Outside the window, the candy-colored nebula seemed even more vibrant, now that she understood the incredible journey it had taken to create her virtual world.

About this story

  • Location: United States
  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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