VirtuSphere

VirtuSphere provides a mechnical basis for truly immersive virtual reality environments, permitting the user to move about in virtual space by simply walking.

The device consists of a large hollow sphere which is mounted on a specially designed platform that allows the sphere to rotate freely as the user walks in any direction. The user wears a head-mounted display, which provides the virtual environment. Sensors under the sphere provide subject speed and direction to the computer running the simulation. Users can even ineract with objects in virtual space using a special manipulator.


Many applications for the VirtuSphere are foreseen:

Military, Law Enforcement, Dangerous Occupations – training, simulations
Video/LAN arcades
Health and exercise – professional athlete training, fitness clubs
Business and personal communications
Education
Virtual travel and tourism
Virtual museum exhibits
Entertainment at events
Home gaming and exercise

I think this is really cool, a good step forward in Virtual Reality technology.
I would so love to try one of these things out.

What are your thoughts about this new technology?

Source:
Technovelgy

[edit on 9/22/2005 by iori_komei]

I thought VR was something that no one was interested in anymore.
I'm glad to see it is still being worked on.

I find the sphere extremely limiting. Yeah, it's VR, woo, great, but it keeps you from experiencing it fully. If you have to stand there and not move, it defeats the purpose.

The day they get it down to a guy on a treadmill is the day it's worthwhile.

The device consists of a large hollow sphere which is mounted on a specially designed platform that allows the sphere to rotate freely as the user walks in any direction. The user wears a head-mounted display, which provides the virtual environment. Sensors under the sphere provide subject speed and direction to the computer running the simulation.

You dont just stand, its a sphere, you walk in it, and it rotates, sending the data of how fast your walking and in what direction your walking in to the computer, than it imitates your walking in the virtual world.

I wonder how good the graphics are? I think they should hook some sensors up to you so that you can 'feel' whats going on.

I like the direction that this takes VR but I do have to say it sounds similar to the little wheel in a hamster's cage.
If I were on the outside of the ball, I'd have a hard time resisting spinning it

This subject has always fascinated me. I read about a small company recently that had developed a display device that would project 3-D, holographic images into space. The idea being, it would eventually replace the monitor and flat panel as the preferred display device for pc's. You could, indeed, walk right through the display and even stand within it. And the quality wasn't all that bad.

It really got my imagination going. I could imagine one day, maybe when quantum computers become commercially available and memory & storage space become virtually unlimited, that we will be able to practically live in our own virtual worlds, immersed in any environment of our choosing. Instead of just reading about the news around the world and viewing 2-D pictures and small video streams, we could actually be transported to the scene and placed within it to experience it in 3-D as though we are live witnesses. Or instead of me typing this reply, I could be sitting in a big conference room along with everyone else participating in this thread and we could discuss the subject. The world of gaming would take on a whole new meaning. You could actually be immersed in the game and actively participate or compete. And, of course, this could totally redefine the sexual experience. YaHoooooo!!!

On the one hand, it sounds like the perfect world to me, but on the other there is a dark side, as well. Abusive uses of the technology would be virtually limitless, with no shortage of individuals eager to take advantage.

I know this sort of thing may be a long way down the road, but it's still fun to dream about it. I'd like to come back in 500-1,000 years just to see how things have changed. It would be like magic, I'm sure ...