In 1992, the Redmond-based company Virtual Vision, founded by local tech pioneer Gordon Kuenster, developed the Virtual Vision Sport eyeglasses. Borrowing from virtual reality technology, the lightweight device displayed what appeared to be a big-screen television picture to the wearer, by using a tiny LCD screen and mirror attached inside one of the eyepieces, with earbuds for sound at each temple. The eyewear—a cross between glasses and goggles--connected to a belt pack carrying the electronics, which included a interface module with audio and video inputs, a TV tuner, and a battery pack. The Virtual Vision Sport glasses sold in electronics stores for about $900.

This photo shows Nancy Gemmell, an industrial designer at Virtual Vision, watching a "Top Gun'' video through the Virtual Vision Sport eyeglasses.

Caption information source: "A New Era Before Your Very Eyes" by Jim Erickson, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 19, 1992
Caption information source: "Virtual Vision Brings Portability to Virtual Reality" by Rich Warren, Chicago Tribune, June 4, 1993. Retrieved at https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-06-04-9306040080-story.html