VPL Research was the company founded by Jaron Lanier that became an early commercial virtual-reality pioneer.
Lanier established VPL Research in 1985 in California. The company developed and sold early VR equipment, including the DataGlove and EyePhone head-mounted display. These products helped move VR from research laboratories toward commercial experimentation.
VPL’s equipment was expensive and technically limited compared with modern systems. Even so, its gloves, displays, and software shaped the vocabulary and visual image of early VR. Lanier also helped popularize the phrase “virtual reality” through his work and public demonstrations.
VPL Research later filed for bankruptcy, and its patents were acquired by other companies. That history is why VPL is important as an early innovator rather than as a surviving headset manufacturer.