Not sure if you’ve heard, but the Oculus Rift represents the bold future of gaming that many of us have long been waiting for. And we've provided plenty of compelling evidence to support this stance thus far; for example, it turns games that were pretty immersive to begin with even more so, plus it's mind-blowing enough to transform an elderly woman aged 90 into a giddy 9 year old.
Still, as all engaging as it might be, one vital component is still missing. Sure, instead of using some joystick on a controller to change your viewpoint, one can simply move one's head around. But to actually walk around in a game, you still need to rely upon the aforementioned (and increasingly antiquated) input method.
Thus we have the Virtuix Omni VR Treadmill. It's an omnidirectional gaming treadmill that aims to fill the final gap when it comes to truly immersive game playing experiences, by being a "natural motion interface for virtual reality applications" according to Joystiq.
And here it is in motion:
It works like this: the Oculus Rift handles head tracking, while a Kinect keeps tabs on player movement, not the treadmill itself, and translates said actions into the game. Seems kinda… goofy, doesn't it? Well, can anyone else think of a better idea?
Perhaps the best take on such an approach thus far is still that Battlefield 3 get-up from a while ago, but most people don't have the space, let alone the money, for such a thing. Meanwhile, the Virtuix Omni VR Treadmill will supposedly cost $400 and $600 before shipping, so at least it’ll be somewhat affordable.
The company also plans on launching a Kickstarter campaign, which may determine if such a thing makes it to market in the first place.
Be sure to check out the second video that Joystiq has posted. On the plus side, the treadmill seems durable enough to allow for running, though even when just walking, it sees awfully loud. Hopefully the final product will be quieter. But even still, it appears to a downstairs neighbor's worst nightmare.
