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Walk-Throughs of Virtual Cities Enhanced By Omni-Directional Treadmill

by Darren Murph on April 14, 2008 at 11:31 AM

Though not the first omni-directional treadmill we've ever seen, this version crafted for the EU-funded CyberWalk Project is entirely more interesting. The 6- x 6-meter device features an active walking area of 4.5- x 4.5-meters, and, later this month, it will enable individuals to prance through a virtual city by just strapping on a head-mounted display and lace up their LA Lights. The effect is not unlike the kind visitors to theme-park motion-simulator rides have experienced (video + actual motion = illusion of reality).

Aside from giving curious persons the ability to walk through a recreated version of ancient Pompeii, the device could also be used to meander through buildings not yet created or give firefighters a way to train without placing them in harm's way.

Now, if only there was an option to dissolve into pixels and teleport to locales you find particularly intriguing, we'd be sold.

From Slashdot

Tags: virtual-worlds

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