Gallery: The Inside Story of How Oculus Cracked the Impossible Design of VR

  • The Oculus Rift currently shipping.
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    01

    oculus-gallery-01.jpg

    The Oculus Rift, currently shipping.
  • Image may contain Accessories Goggles Accessory and Wristwatch
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    02

    1M9A8187-EDIT-copy-new.jpg

    An early design experiment involved a ratcheting closure mechanism at the rear.
  • Image may contain Accessories Goggles Accessory Helmet Clothing and Apparel
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    03

    IMG-0249-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    Early efforts at integrating audio into the Rift involved swing-out headphones on oversize side straps.
  • Image may contain Handbag Accessories Accessory Bag and Purse
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    04

    IMG-0267-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    Slowly, the Rift began to look less robotic and more personal.
  • Image may contain Adapter
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    05

    IMG-0278-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    A sample of some early investigations into adjusting the distance between lenses.
  • Image may contain Clothing and Apparel
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    06

    IMG-0292-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    Many design prototypes solved one problem only to introduce others ...
  • Image may contain Accessories Accessory Belt Strap and Goggles
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    07

    IMG-0302-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    ... like looking unduly severe.
  • Image may contain Buckle
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    08

    IMG-0319-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    A lens housing from a design prototype.
  • The Crescent Bay prototype first introduced in fall 2014 was the first to incorporate most of the functions and design...
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    09

    IMG-0333-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    The Crescent Bay prototype, first introduced in fall 2014, was the first to incorporate most of the functions and design choices that would surface in the consumer version.
  • Image may contain Machine Motor Engine Helmet Clothing and Apparel
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    10

    IMG-0352-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    However, it wasn't so long ago that all that power presented an unruly mess of cables—a "preposterous umbilical cord," as engineer Nirav Patel describes it.
  • Image may contain Helmet Clothing and Apparel
    Christie Hemm Klok/WIRED
    11

    IMG-0358-EDIT-copy-GREY-ROUGH-CROP.jpg

    Today the Rift has narrowed things down to a single cable, but that's still something that Oculus looks forward to being able to leave behind.
Read More
I Put on Meta and Xreal’s XR Glasses. Face Computers Are Finally Getting Good
Xreal’s long-hyped Aura glasses arrive soon for $1,279. Here’s how they fare against Meta’s recently announced VR Glasses.
Boone Ashworth
Meta Finally Ditched the Cameras—and Made Its Best Smart Glasses Yet
No cameras? No problem. Ditching the surveillance baggage makes Meta’s audio-only frames surprisingly easy to live with.
Boone Ashworth
I Did Push-Ups With Snap’s Chunky AR Glasses
They fit better than they look and stay put when you move, but Snap’s $2,195 Specs still feel like a developer prototype in search of a purpose.
Boone Ashworth
A New Neurotech Startup Launches to Rival Sam Altman’s Merge Labs
Bridge Neurotech is planning to build a wearable brain-computer interface that uses ultrasound.
Emily Mullin
Meta’s New Gen 3 Smart Glasses Are Mostly Familiar
Meta and Ray-Ban’s new smart glasses have slightly better batteries and mics. And yes, they still have cameras.
Boone Ashworth
Formlabs Has a 3D Printer for Normies
The Form Studio 1 is a $699 desktop-sized printer that fits on a desk and only stinks a little bit.
Boone Ashworth
HTC Made Smart Glasses That Are Way More Private
These smart glasses do just about everything Meta glasses can, but they're not tied to a social media platform.
Boone Ashworth
The Valve Steam Frame Is Pure Gaming Fun—When It Actually Works
The Steam Frame’s promise of greatness for stand-alone and streaming VR gaming doesn’t quite connect.
Matt Kamen
Razer’s Newest Headset Covers All Your Listening Needs From Morning to Night
The Razer Barracuda V2 Pro headset has a place in the office as well as at your gaming battle station.
Louryn Strampe
Liquid Glass Finally Makes Sense on the iPhone Duo
Liquid Glass was a divisive redesign. But with a radically different iPhone, the pieces are finally falling into place.
Craig Grannell
Sony Wants You to Forget About Discs With Its Gorgeous Transparent Controllers
Sony has new, spiffy see-through controllers and covers for its PlayStation 5 that let you see the hardware guts inside.
Boone Ashworth
How This Tiny Startup Built the World’s Safest Bike Helmet
Inspired by head-banging woodpeckers, Vancouver-based Pikio Labs has discovered a new approach to skull protection.
Chris Haslam