Professor Tom Furness
For 54 years I have been building interfaces between humans and machines that unlock human intelligence and link minds.
This has led to the invention and development of what we know today as virtual and augmented reality.
Along with a few dozen inventions, my students and colleagues have spun off more than 25 companies working in the VR/AR space. I have also been fascinated with the interaction of light and matter and the whole subject of how we can use light, not only to communicate information to our senses, but also to probe the inner reaches of our bodies to assess health and well-being. During my journey I have worked with many wonderful people, students and colleagues, who have become good friends. I am excited about life and the future and want to help turn the hearts of the children into making the world a better place. I just celebrated my 77th birthday!
About the Virtual World Society (https://www.virtualworldsociety.org)
Being the grandfather of virtual reality (https://vimeo.com/113259572)
An audio interview on Patterns of Success (http://patternsofsuccess.com/3/)
Another audio interview on Voices of VR: (http://voicesofvr.com/245-50-years-of-vr-with-tom-furness-the-super-cockpit-virtual-retinal-display-hit-lab-virtual-world-society/)
My Augmented World Expo – 2015 Talk: Being the Future (https://youtu.be/zr89F88AuUI)
Interview with NPR (http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2015/12/17/459839163/grandfather-of-vr-the-virtual-can-show-the-beauty-of-the-real)
2016 Proto Founders Award
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13KD_jKKv8s)
Please note that only 10 patents are listed here out of 22 issued and 9 pending.