Skip to main content Skip to main navigation
heart-solid My Visit Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution IK development site for ODI
Press Enter to activate a submenu, down arrow to access the items and Escape to close the submenu.
    • Overview
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Museum Maps
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
    • Overview
    • Exhibitions
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
    • Overview
    • Topics
    • Collections
    • Research Resources
    • Stories
    • Podcasts
    • Overview
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
    • Overview
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
    • Overview
    • Our Organization
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
    • Newsdesk
heart-solid My Visit Donate

Headset, Virtual Reality, Prototype

Air and Space Museum

There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Object Details

Manufacturer

NASA Ames Research Center

Summary

This is a hand-built, prototype headset for one of the first "Virtual Reality" displays ever built. Developed at the NASA-Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California and completed in 1985, it was intended to test concepts of presenting visual information to pilots or astronauts, by creating a computer-generated image of an artificial reality. Sensors tracked the movement of the wearer's head, so that the images displayed moved accordingly, as if he or she were looking out a real cockpit during a flight.
James Humphries donated this to the Museum in 1997.

Credit Line

Gift of James Humphries

Inventory Number

A19970613000

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

EQUIPMENT-Training Devices

Materials

Armature - Styrofoam on which it is mounted
Frame - metal
Headphones - metal, plastic

Dimensions

Other: 1 ft. 5 in. diameter x 5 in. tall x 1 ft. 1 in. wide (43.2 x 12.7 x 33cm)

Country of Origin

United States of America

See more items in

National Air and Space Museum Collection

Location

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA

Exhibit Station

Human Spaceflight

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Metadata Usage

Not determined

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv98dbf8067-7d6f-428e-abc0-57bf23c0166d

Record ID

nasm_A19970613000

Discover More

Image of Saturn 5 guidance and control ring

Guidance, Navigation, and Control

Image of Saturn 5 guidance and control ring

Guidance, Navigation, and Control

arrow-up Back to top
Home
  • Facebook facebook
  • Instagram instagram
  • LinkedIn linkedin
  • YouTube youtube

  • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
  • Shop Online
  • Job Opportunities
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use