The Oculus Rift, Microsoft HoloLens and even Google Cardboard are a far stretch from the first virtual reality (VR) headset, created in 1968 by computer scientist, Ivan Sutherland. The concoction was called the sword of Damocles and, because of its formidable size and weight, had to be anchored to the ceiling so it didn't crush the user. Almost 50 years later, we are only now seeing VR and augmented reality (AR) being used in manufacturing environments. Here Leroy Spence, head of sales development at industrial spares supplier EU Automation, looks at how AR and VR are changing the world of manufacturing.