"Walk" into Metaverse
Brainstorming possible new alternatives for existing VR locomotion systems.
Originated in 2020, Prototyped in 2023, Not scientific thing, just daydreaming
Origin
I got this idea since 2020, first time I touched a VR locomotion device, a set of trackers binded to legs. However, honestly, they are not comfortable, and destroyed immersion.
Background
The methods for users to relocate themselves in the virtual space have been discussed and developed over the years. However, a perfect locomotion system is still an unsolved problem.
Based on a short review, there are 3 popular ways to implement it:
1) teleportation.
2) classic joystick locomotion.
3) walk-in-place locomotion system.
However, all of these have obvious shortcomings.
1) teleportation causes heavy loss of the consistency feeling of motion.
2) joystick causes different level of motion sickness based on users, since it will lead to a cognition disconnection between our [vision sensory - brain] cycle (tells moving) and [legs - brain] cycle (tells not moving).
3) walk-in-place has been proven to be a promising solution in settling motion sickness and immersion loss issue, however none is perfect still.
Listing a few egs:
Directional treadmill (heavy, expensive, hard to deploy…)
Full directional slipmill (similar to the first one)
Leg pose trackers with no body displacement (immersion loss, since they have no sense of moving)
On-Feet shoewares (heavy, insecure)
1) teleportation.
2) classic joystick locomotion.
3) walk-in-place locomotion system.
However, all of these have obvious shortcomings.
1) teleportation causes heavy loss of the consistency feeling of motion.
2) joystick causes different level of motion sickness based on users, since it will lead to a cognition disconnection between our [vision sensory - brain] cycle (tells moving) and [legs - brain] cycle (tells not moving).
3) walk-in-place has been proven to be a promising solution in settling motion sickness and immersion loss issue, however none is perfect still.
Listing a few egs:
Directional treadmill (heavy, expensive, hard to deploy…)
Full directional slipmill (similar to the first one)
Leg pose trackers with no body displacement (immersion loss, since they have no sense of moving)
On-Feet shoewares (heavy, insecure)
Full-Directional Treadmill
Slip-mill
Trackers on Leg
Shoeware
Daydreaming
These ideas and thoughts may not be strictly scientific nor carefully reviewed, but I would like to expand if I get a chance in the future.
I find that though all the methods seems to have some sorts of convenience, yet, none of them can provide a sense reflecting the terrain change (height) in the game world. While thinking, a Ted Talk given by prof.Sean Follmer inspired me. Can we prototype some kinds of shape-changing modular floor or angle-changing wearable devices to simulate the terrain change while the player is navigating on the game map?
Ted Talk Given by Prof.Sean Follmer
However, besides all general concerns such as price, safety, deploy difficulty, the biggest logical obstacle becomes: how can we neutralize the translation caused by player motion? I come up with a few very intuitive thoughts, like, install some rotatable soft substances on the top of the shaping changing floor, or, install some treadmill-liked machine at the bottom of the floor.
A Prototype Developed by Me in Unity
Besides, among all existed solutions, I find the shoeware one is full of potential, since it can be deployed anywhere, and materially required less resources to build. I'm think if can evolve existing solution to something like a thin layer beneath shoes.
A Prototype Developed by Me in Unity
Even crazier ideas, like if we are so eager to recreate the feeling of motion, levitation, etc. why can't we just use some sorts of Brain-Computer Interfaces to send the stimulus to brain where a specific region will handle and process the micro-electrocutes.
Brain Functionality Sections