Take an actual walk in virtual reality with String Walker

SIGGRAPH has certainly been the home of many virtual reality demonstrations, and this year yet another contraption that (partially) removes us from the world we know will be on display. Similar to the Powered Shoes and Virtusphere seen in years past, the String Walker is a "locomotion interface that uses eight strings actuated by motor-pulley mechanisms mounted on a turntable" in order to let users walk through virtual landscapes. Proprioceptive feedback allows the VR system to translate actual footsteps into the digital world, giving participants a reason to stroll around rather than just twiddling their thumbs. Reportedly, the biggest challenge was mastering the floor, which enables omni-directional walking that simple "treadmill-like" surfaces don't offer and in a simpler fashion than the "complicated" CirculaFloor. Next-generation DDR, here we come.

[Via Gizmag]

[alan hynes @ May 6th 2007 11:42AM]

OMG THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!!!! imagine that on the wii....you could have that and the controller and nunchuck for shooters and it would bring somthing awesomely extra to the game!!!

[Cardbored @ May 6th 2007 12:03PM]

add this to a VR helmet and some motion tracking gloves I'd buy it in a second, Nex-Gen FPS here I come!

[ATT @ May 6th 2007 12:47PM]

you know what will be cool levitation
magnetic shoes surrounded by square magnetic floor mat with 4 magnetic controller on each side ( to control movement).
sort of like bullet train in japan

when you walk forward it pull you back and so for left/right/backwards
the rumble pack will be letting magnetic field fluctuate =)

[Ethan Duffy @ May 6th 2007 1:22PM]

It could be used to make all the walking in Shenmue some kind of viable exercise.

[Wayne @ May 6th 2007 4:58PM]

I want videos!!! w00t!

And I can see a TON of potential for this...

[A I @ May 6th 2007 5:21PM]

Great Idea but there is a easier way of doing this
Why not have a rotatable treadmill. It would be much easier to interfaec it with anything as u can use the motors and generators and the turing can be done with gyros.

[jt-omatic @ May 6th 2007 6:04PM]

It's amazing how recently the human-computer integration has increased, I wonder what’s in store for the future.

[Grey Acumen @ May 6th 2007 11:25PM]

I do see one major issue with this... what if you want to jump or cross your feet...? Your feet would get tangled up in the cords... Otherwise, it's a very cool concept, I'm glad they're at least trying to come up with a viable option

[sp0re @ May 7th 2007 12:35AM]

That socks-and-sandals look is brutal.

[C. Baines @ May 7th 2007 2:36AM]

This is such a rip-off of the Activator.