StereoView 2020 - The world's "oldest" VR Headset

thingiverse

I collect stereoviews, an old form of 3D photography that brings a unique perspective to history. This fascinating format uses a pair of images placed in a viewer to create a three-dimensional photograph, achieved by simultaneously taking two photographs with the only difference being that the cameras are positioned just a few inches apart, mirroring the distance between human eyes. A specialized camera is typically used for this process. Stereoviews were incredibly popular during the 1900s, resulting in countless 3D images captured and sold during this time. For those who owned a stereoviewer, also known as a stereoscope, it was essentially having an early version of an Oculus Rift. This format allows users to experience history firsthand, like they're right there. My initial goal was to use my phone to download stereoviews and view them in stereo. However, I soon realized that the same design could be adapted for Google Cardboard apps or any VR video. The idea of combining an old technology with a new one fascinated me. I wondered what it would take to transform an antique stereoviewer from the 1900s into a modern VR headset. The concept remains the same, but I needed to figure out how to securely place a phone on this vintage wooden stereoscope. It turned out that all you need is a 3D printer, a cell phone, two hair ties, two M3 bolts, and some paint. This combination works surprisingly well! I was even able to make it look authentic with just a bit of paint. During the process, I started thinking: could this be considered the world's "oldest" working VR headset? I'm not sure how to answer that question, but it's certainly an intriguing idea. The prints go together easily and require minimal adjustments. The video below shows my initial struggles with the first iteration, where I made a shim/bracket too thick and had to sand it down. Thankfully, I've since upgraded the model so you won't need to do that. You won't need any supports for this project! Here are the bolts I used: https://amzn.to/2HkVF6w The video below demonstrates how to assemble it.