Jog Around Wearing your Oculus Rift with Cyberith Virtualizer
Cyberith Virtualizer is an omni-directional treadmill created by Cyberith GmbH, an Austrian company. An omni-directional treadmill is a device that enables you to perform locomotive motion in all directions. The Virtualizer is coordinated with motion detection sensors that can be applied in virtual reality. It allows a person to perform motion by the principle of low friction. There is a rotating ring that encompasses the body and a head mounted display that lets you move around in the immersive environment.
The idea for Cyberith Virtualizer was constructed by Tuncay Cakmak in 2012 at the Technical University of Vienna where he studied. After testing a series of prototypes, Cakmak successfully developed Cyberith in 2013. He and his team worked to further improve the device and by 2014, they made amazing progress. Cakmak displayed the virtualizer at various exhibitions in Europe and on the Cyberith YouTube Channel. He started a kickstarter campaign in July 2014 and within a day, his team made 50% more than the amount they had pledged.
At Tokyo Game Show 2014, the company exhibited Cyberith Virtualizer integrated with a second-generation Oculus Rift headset, three types of sensors, a low-friction mat and some socks. The Virtualizer has a flat base plate with six holes and optical sensors that track your feet. When the optical sensors go over the holes, the computer tries to find out where you wish to go virtually. These sensors are associated with the ones in the ring and work together to monitor the position. The thing that sets Cyberith Virtualizer apart from other devices is that it doesn’t have two but three sets of sensors. The third set is in the three pillars that keep the ring up. It also tracks the height of the gamer.
According toe players who tried the demo at the Tokyo Game Show, the Virtualizer is highly immersive. All the movements were done with the legs and once you get a hang of it, it allowed walking backwards and walking-jogging as well. Even though the body is fastened to the ring, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable at all and lets you play smoothly. The consumer version of Cyberith Virtualizer is set to be launched in March 2015.
Cyberith Virtualizer – Immersive Virtual Reality Gaming
For more information on Cyberith Virtualizer and Oculus Rift, please visit:
http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/21/cyberith-virtualizer-hands-on-vr-mat/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1259519125/cyberith-virtualizer-immersive-virtual-reality-gam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberith_Virtualizer
