digital was essential for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. virtual and augmented reality were key technologies in blurring the boundaries as people around the world were under lockdown at home. our TOP 10 virtual and augmented reality (AR) stories relive these moments of joy, from forward-thinking cultural exhibitions to the hugely beneficial working-from-home tools. it even includes a couple of new headsets ideas, such as a set of slim goggles and minute contact lenses.

continuing our TOP 10 round-ups of 2020, we look back at 10 virtual and augmented reality stories that attracted our and, most importantly, designboom readers’ attention over the past 12 months.

1 – panasonic unveils ‘steampunk’ virtual reality goggles with eyeglass design

image courtesy of panasonic

to start our TOP 10 virtual and augmented reality stories, we take it back to CES 2020 where designboom was reporting live from las vegas. panasonic unveiled the world’s first high dynamic range (HDR) capable virtual reality goggles. the technology allows wearers to view high-quality content in a compact and lightweight design with an eyeglass-like shape. they are equipped with micro OLED panels that eliminate a ‘screen door effect’, where the fine lines separating pixels become visible in the displayed image.

2 – KAWS & acute art launch monumental AR sculptures in 12 locations around the world

image courtesy of KAWS and acute art

KAWS collaborated with acute art for the launch of expanded holiday, a series of AR sculptures that was publicly exhibited in 12 major cities and locations of six continents from 12 to 26 march. using cutting-edge technology, this project represented a new exhibition model that transcends the physical world and reduces transportation and travel for a global art world – something we all felt as 2020 continued. besides the public exhibition, the launch also included an AR collectible edition and open edition for lease, which were available via acute art’s new platform for collecting and trading AR art.

3 – AR contact lenses place micro-displays inside your eyes

image courtesy of mojo vision

california-based tech startup mojo vision revealed its smart contact lenses, which use augmented reality to place information inside of the wearer’s eyes. the company’s forthcoming mojo lens AR lenses use 14k pixels-per-inch micro-displays to project statistics like health tracking and other data. they also pack wireless radio, image-recognition tech (which it claims will be able to understand the activities you’re engaged in, so as to not disturb you when it’s not wanted), and motion sensors.

4 – olafur eliasson + acute art release ‘wunderkammer’ collection of augmented reality artworks

image: olafur eliasson, wunderkammer, 2020 (detail), courtesy of acute art and the artist

olafur eliasson has worked together with acute art to produce wunderkammer, an augmented reality collection of natural elements, small artworks and experiments from the artist’s studio. following the collaboration with KAWS earlier in the year, and the launch of its app, acute art then released a second series of artworks, this time with eliasson to open up a world of new possibilities. these works were available to download for free through the app, allowing audiences from all over the world to to collect digitally and enjoy them from the comfort of their own homes.

5 – cai guo-qiang sets off virtual fireworks above the forbidden city in his first VR artwork

image courtesy cai studio

chinese artist cai guo-qiang unveiled his first virtual reality artwork, created in partnership with HTC VIVE arts. the work, titled ‘sleepwalking in the forbidden city’, debuted as part of ‘odyssey and homecoming’ — the artist’s major exhibition at the palace museum, beijing, which remains on view until february 5, 2021. for this exhibition, cai guo-qiang uses VR technology to create a fireworks ceremony dedicated to the forbidden city and its 600-year history. the performance is inspired by those typically seen to mark the lunar new year.

6 – sabine marcelis’ digital tactile experiments offer material experiences in a virtual world

in questioning how we can still experience tactility in a digitally driven society,sabine marcelis presented a virtual representation of design and furniture works that can be experienced through a 3D display technology. the project presents the potential for a solution on how we can still form intimate material experiences across increasingly digital interfaces. for ‘virtual tactility’, marcelis considered her designs to be true sensorial experiences and not simple static works — the experience becomes the function, with a refined and unique aesthetic.

7 – facebook’s ‘infinite office’ is a virtual reality working environment

image courtesy of oculus

working from home needed to be included in our TOP 10 virtual and augmented reality stories of 2020. at its first ever fully digital AR/VR-focused conference, facebook introduced ‘infinite office’ — a platform designed to create a virtual working environment. targeting those who were working from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘infinite office’ integrates with real environments. however, to enhance focus and flexibility, users can toggle between a fully immersive experience and a mix of virtual displays with ‘passthrough’ for a greater awareness of their surroundings.

8 – everyday experiments by IKEA + SPACE10 explores how technology redefines our homes

image courtesy of SPACE10 and IKEA

IKEA and its external innovation hub, SPACE10, launched ‘everyday experiments’ — an ongoing series of digital proposals and prototypes that explore how tomorrow’s technologies may redefine life at home. the collection so far includes 18 experiments that apply the latest technology available to experience-driven details of everyday living. examples include field’s ‘extreme measures,’ a playful way to calculate the dimensions of a certain space through an ‘expanding elephant’; and ‘optical soundsystem’ by manvsmachine, a speculative design prototype for an augmented reality (AR) application which would allow you to ‘see’ music within your environment.

9 – gramazio kohler pilots ‘augmented bricklaying’ for kitrvs winery façade in greece

researchers from gramazio kohler collaborated with incon.ai, a spinoff recently launched by the robotic systems lab of ETH zurich, to develop a custom-made optical guidance system for constructing façades. using 13,596 individually rotated and tilted bricks, the design team used an augmented reality fabrication interface to build the façade of a winery in greece. this system was used by local masons to construct the 225 square meter façade in less than three months. the augmented bricklaying process combines the power of computational design with the dexterity and skills of human craftspeople — introducing an entirely new fabrication paradigm.

10 – virtual reality (VR) technology in the fight against COVID-19 at george washington university hospital

our TOP 10 virtual and augmented reality stories of 2020 concludes with a direct exploration of COVID-19 – it had to be, after all. the george washington hospital in washing D.C. used innovative virtual reality technology to assess its first COVID-19 patient back in march. co-developed by GWU thoracic surgical chief keith mortman and surgical theater — a well-known developer of VR imagining software — their video takes us inside a coronavirus-damaged lung for more insight into the disease.

see designboom’s TOP 10 stories archive: