Um dos pioneiros em realidade virtual é o músico e compositor norte-americano Jaron Zepel Lanier, 49 anos. Lanier é formado em Ciência da Computação e popularizou o termo Virtual Reality pelo mundo nos anos 80. Fundou a primeira empresa com foco em RV, a VPL Research, e liderou uma equipe de desenvolvedores que implementaram os primeiros Head Mounted Displays para utilização em conjunto com outras pessoas - a visualização era como um avatar, representando a imagem do usuário. Jaron também foi consultor de partes do filme Minority Report.
No ano 2000, publicou na revista Wired o One-Half of a Manifesto - Why stupid software will save the future from neo-Darwinian machines. Artigo no qual, entre outras coisas, faz criticas à inteligência artificial e os problemas de se deixar tudo na mão das máquinas, retirando sua própria responsabilidade.

Um pouco do currículo do cara:

2006 :: Interdisciplinary Scholar-in-Residence, CET, UC Berkeley
2004 :: Fellow, International Computer Science Institute, Berkeley
2003-2005 :: Visiting Scientist, Silicon Graphics
2002-2004 :: Jones Center Fellow, Wharton School, UPenn
2002 :: Visiting Faculty, Dartmouth College (Surgical Simulation And Tele-Medicine)
1999-2002 :: Chief Scientist, Eyematic Interfaces (IP and most of team now at Google)
1997-2001 :: Chief Scientist, Advanced Network And Services (Parent organization at the time of the Engineering Office Of Internet2)
1997-2000 :: Lead Scientist, National Tele-Immersion Initiative (1st Tele-I Implementation)
1997-2001 :: Visiting Scholar, Columbia University
1996-2001 :: Visiting Artist, Interactive Telecommunications Program, NYU
1984-1990 :: CEO, VPL Research (1st Multiperson VR And First Commercial VR Products)
1983-1984 :: Researcher, Atari Labs
1980-1983 :: Independent Video Game Developer
1979-1980 :: Student Researcher On NSF-Funded Project On Digital Graphical Simulations For Learning At New Mexico State University
1974-1978 :: Independent goat milk and cheese provider (paid for my undergraduate education this way!)

:: Member Of Science Board, Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center
:: Member, Board Of Advisors, Lindenlabs (Social Simulations; “Second Life”)
:: Member, Board Of Advisors, Data Physics (Signal processing to improve volumetric :: medical imaging.)
:: Member, Board Of Advisors, Numedeon (Social Simulations To Encourage Female Teens In Math And Quantitative Sciences.)


Livros:
- Voices from the Edge: Conversations With Jerry Garcia, Ram Dass, Annie Sprinkle, Matthew Fox, Jaron Lanier, & Others— by David Jay Brown, Rebecca McClen Novick
- Artificial Stupidity : Virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier says computers are too dumb to take over the world. A Salon.com Feature story by Damien Cave (Author) Publisher: Salon.com, ISBN B00005NGP0
- Info is an Alienated Expense Basic Books (Outubro 2003) ISBN 0465032826.

Entrevista "O futuro da Realidade virtual", com Jaron Lanier.

Conversations with History: Jaron Lanier (53:17)


Fontes: Jaron Lanier, Wikipédia