Ivan Sutherland is widely regarded as the founding father of virtual reality (VR). He was born on March 21, 1945, in Pennsylvania, USA. As a child, he showed an early interest in electronics and programming.
In 1963, he enrolled at MIT, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 1967.
After graduating from MIT, Sutherland worked as a software engineer for various companies before starting his own company, Sketchpad Inc., in 1968. Sketchpad Inc. was focused on developing interactive computer graphics software.
In 1969, the company released its first product, Sketchpad, which allowed users to create and manipulate 3D shapes using a mouse.
However, it was Sutherland’s next project that would truly revolutionize the world of virtual reality. In 1972, he created a VR system called “Sword of Damocles” (later renamed to “The Castle”). The Sword of Damocles was a massive head-mounted display (HMD) that provided users with a fully immersive 3D experience.
The system consisted of a large screen mounted on a pole above the user’s head, which was tracked by sensors to provide a realistic sense of depth and movement.
The Sword of Damocles was groundbreaking in its time and paved the way for future VR systems. It was used for research purposes at various universities and institutions and eventually led to the development of more advanced VR technologies.
In addition to his work in virtual reality, Sutherland also made significant contributions to the field of computer graphics.
In 1973, he created a computer program called “Skywriter” that allowed users to draw shapes in the sky using a light pen. This program was later used by NASA for training astronauts and by the military for target practice.
Overall, Ivan Sutherland’s pioneering work in virtual reality and computer graphics has had a profound impact on the technology industry. His innovative ideas and technologies have laid the foundation for modern VR systems and continue to inspire developers today.
