Dyson (Almost) Invented the Precursor to Google Glass

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A prototype of the Dyson Halo, an early virtual reality headset.

By Katie Nelson2014-06-02 17:20:18 UTC

Twelve years before Google Glass arrived, Dyson was working on a version of its own.

In light of Dyson's 21st anniversary, the company known for its vacuum cleaners and blade-free fan released long-kept secrets about other inventions it had been working on aside from its popular air-moving products. The Dyson Halo was a virtual reality headset whose prototype was first dreamed up in 2001. However, it never made it off the ground and the project was canned in 2004, freeing up inventors to focus on marketing Dyson in the U.S.

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Halo featured two mirrors that reflected the headset's full-color, 3D computer screen into the viewer's line of vision. In 2001, however, the technology necessary to contain a computer within the device itself had not yet come to fruition. Rather, the computer was Walkman-sized and was connected to the glasses via cords.

In a move ahead of its time, Halo's design included a prototype of a virtual keyboard that allowed users to type on any surface, Dyson said in a statement to technology blog The Next Web. In addition, it had an audio-only mode that enabled users to complete voice-activated tasks, similar to iPhone's Siri.

Dyson creator Sir James Dyson tries on a prototype of Dyson Halo.

Image: Dyson

Alongside Halo, Dyson also released previously covert information about a diesel engine filter and a fuel cell digital motor. Although many of Dyson's inventions, like Halo, have not been fully developed, this does not necessarily mean the ideas go to waste.

"Prototypes are archived under lock and key, since they are often unprotected by patents. But the technology often resurfaces," Sir James Dyson said in a statement. "Our work on the headset introduced Dyson engineers to vision systems, which in turn has informed our research into intelligent robotics. The path to a new product is rarely linear, but that’s the fun of it all."

In February, Dyson announced plans to invest approximately $8 million in building a robotics lab at Imperial College of London, Digital Trends reported.

Reps for Dyson did not immediately respond for comment.

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Topics: Dev & Design, dyson, Gadgets, Google Glass, Google Glass, Tech