Our VR dreams are becoming more and more realised thanks to the likes of Oculus VR, but the Oculus Rift only tackles the visual side of things. The device doesn’t address the dissonance that occurs when you’re walking in a game but actually sitting down on a sofa.
Omni VR treadmill developer Virtuix hopes to address this with their fairly large device. And they’ve received $3 million from investors. This is on top of the $1.1 million raised by last year’s Kickstarter.
The treadmill is designed to work in tandem with VR headsets, like the Oculus Rift, to simulate 360 degree movement. But it’s pricey. $499 if you want to pre-order it for its September launch.
I’m less convinced than I am with VR headsets. Walking on that strange dish does not look in the least bit natural, just as walking on the spot or jogging on a treadmill doesn’t feel anything like walking down a road. In an attempt to solve a dissonance problem, it might end up creating another one.
But maybe I’m just a bit sore because I know I’ll never be able to fit one inside my study.
Cheers, Shacknews.