Toronto. … there was Stereo. After all, Virtual Reality (VR) is just Stereo on steroids – i.e. interactive video in stereo. Modern day VR is experimenting with various techniques such as projecting directly on the human retina.
In the PHSC, for many years we had two very skilled experts in stereo – the late Dr Robert Wilson and Stan White. Bob was a geologist by trade and a stereo enthusiast by preference. Stan was a long time professional photographer and teacher. Both also belonged to the National Stereoscopic Association (NSA) in the states. Stan introduced the series of September Stereo sessions presenting his own work and that of the NSA.
We also had the pleasure of a couple of stereo presentations by a member of the PHSC in Buffalo – Paul Pasquarello. For the June, 2008 presentation, Paul brought his own projection set up and showed his own work which was wide view stereo. A second presentation by Paul was at the October 2010 meeting.
We first saw Virtual Reality in action when we visited the DME lab at Ryerson University here in September, 2016.
A few individuals like Bob and Stan could ‘free view’ stereo stills and see the 3D effect (I didn’t cover the many folk who can see the once popular drawings in soft cover books that could be ‘free viewed’ as well). For the rest of us or viewing projected stereo stills, stereo movies, VR, etc. some form of eye ware is essential to ensure images appear only to the correct eye. The two images – still or movie – are combined by our brain to create the 3D image.
Even today, TV or VR need eye waree to see the 3D effect. Rather unwieldily head gear for a VR experience.