The Sword of Damocles: Foundation of Modern Augmented Reality

Have you ever think about how did the first augmented reality device looked like?

Yes, Google Glass maybe the first popular augmented reality device that was ever commercialized to the public, but it was in fact not the first. Military equipment such as the Striker Helmet, a pilot manufactured by BAE Systems was developed way before Google Glass and have more advance functionality such as X-Ray vision to see through their own cockpit.

Now the important question is, which is the first successful Augmented Reality device ever invented? The answer is, code name The Sword of Damocles by Ivan Sutherland in 1968.

As you can see, the experimental AR device had a binocular display, head motion tracking, vector generator (to display wireframe objects) and a general purpose computer. Being something that came from the 60s, no doubt it was a very heavy device. Mr. Ivan Sutherland, an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering in Harvard University had the device suspended on the ceiling of his laboratory during the whole development. Last year, at the 2015 Proto Awards, Ivan was honored with a "Special Founder Award".

Feed your curiosity with a 22 seconds demonstration video made by Ivan Sutherland himself.