While virtual reality is indeed a bold leap forward, it would be nice if you could take that leap without crashing into real obstacles in the real world.
We’ve all seen videos of people wearing VR headsets and crashing into walls, falling down stairs, rolling on the ground, and just generally making a mess of the entire experience. While virtual reality is indeed a bold leap forward, it would be nice if you could take that leap without crashing into real obstacles in the real world.
Enter the omnidirectional VR treadmill, a device that, as its name suggests, allows you to walk in any direction, without really going anywhere. If you know how a treadmill works, it’s exactly like that, except you can walk at your own pace, and change directions any time you want. Some models like this next one we’re going to talk about, allow additional actions (like leaping).
The Virtuix Omni One
Originally designed for commercial use only, Virtuix’s Omni One was adapted for home and “personal” use following feedback from consumers. Released just last year, the Omni One steps things up from omnidirectional walking, and supports crouching, jumping, and leaping! While this undoubtedly makes the VR experience feel a lot more “believable,” it isn’t cheap. Priced at $3,495, it comes with a VR headset, foot trackers, and hand controllers.
Additionally, multiplayer functionality lets users compete online, bringing a new level of engagement to the experience. If you think about it, a group of friends could actually get a pretty good workout on one of these things, especially with games that are physically demanding.
If you’ve seen those videos of dogs running on treadmills, Virtuix’s Omni One works pretty much like that in the sense that it straps you in securely, so you can sprint full speed without worrying about wiping out. The design is actually pretty clever and most people who have reviewed it say that while it does feel a bit awkward the first few times you try it, it begins to feel quite natural after some practice.
What’s interesting about the design is that the entire platform tilts with you when you lean forward or backward, realistically simulating how it would feel to either run up or down a steep hill. While that does sound disorienting, most reviews say it isn’t.
Disney’s HoloTile Floor
Now while the Omni One straps you in and tilts you around, Disney’s doing things a bit different. Yes, Disney has their own Omnidirectional VR treadmill, though they plan to use it exclusively in their own parks and proprietary environments. What’s interesting about this one, however, is that it’s made up of tiles that actually shift beneath your feet, in real-time, as you walk.
This “dynamic” floor is made up of hexagonal tiles that sort of have a life of their own in the sense that they move and react to the user’s movements. To be honest, if you watch the video of the inventor demonstrating it, it doesn’t look like a treadmill at all and just looks like he’s moonwalking on some kind of magic floor.
The cool thing about Disney’s HoloTile floor is that it’s a multiplayer device and can support a bunch of people, all at the same time, while ensuring that they don’t crash into each other. This is thanks to the tiny hexagonal tiles that all move independently of each other, ensuring that no matter which direction the users move in, they all stay in the same place.
This opens up a whole world of applications with regards to gaming, education, training, and any kind of collaboration involving multiple people. Interestingly enough, the inventor or the HoloTile Larry Smoot, has since been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, making him the only other Disney inventor to receive this honour, apart from Mr. Walt Disney himself.
Bringing Arcades Back!
Anyone born in the 80s or 90s will still remember the thrill of visiting video game parlours with the sounds of the video games mixed with the sound of coins going into the machines. While every game you could have played in the 90s can now be played on your phone, stepping into a VR world on something like Disney’s HoloTile or Virtuix’s Omni One might just be tempting enough to bring people back to the arcades.
In fact, VR video game parlours are being called VR arcades and there are already a number of them in the US including Gator Mike’s in Florida and Dave & Buster’s in Austin, Texas, and Bengaluru, India! There’s also an Indian company called MythiyaWorld based in Haryana that’s manufacturing omnidirectional VR treadmills.
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