The modern world never ceases to amaze people and is developing with rapid strides. Fifteen years ago, virtual reality devices were fantastic for the average person, and today they are commercially available to any consumer. Until today, a person could not walk through the computer worlds without hitting a real wall sooner or later. A team of researchers from the Vienna University of Technology is trying to rectify the state of affairs regarding this issue.
Virtualizer near-natural movement system
Scientists have created a prototype of a system that allows you to move in virtual worlds almost like in reality. The user is fixed in a special frame with a belt and stands on a very low friction surface that can be walked on. This allows you to walk and at the same time not change your real position in space. The sensors capture any movement, which is then transmitted to the computer. The belt, in addition to supporting function, sends signals about body turns to the computer.
The Virtualizer system can be used in conjunction with a conventional virtual reality headset, which is capable of tracking head movements, displaying the corresponding 3D image. This process does not depend on the movement of the legs, which means that you can run in one direction and look in the other.
Movement in a virtual environment using a keyboard or joystick often results in out-of-sync between real body sensations and visual perception. In such a situation, people may feel dizzy. This condition has already been called "cyber disease", said the inventor of the system, Tankey Kekmek.
More complete immersion in virtuality
Virtualizer allows you to match the physical movement of a person with visual information. Thus, a more complete immersion in virtuality occurs. Among other things, Virtualizer implies elements of physical exercise, since you need to constantly move to use it.
Plans for the near future
The prototype created at the University of Vienna is already working perfectly - only minor modifications are needed. The finished system should appear in 2014, but it's too early to talk about the price.
Kekmack says that their most important goal is to create a high quality product at the lowest possible price. The device should finally bring virtual reality out of the labs and into the players' living rooms.
