Abstract
Despite many recent developments in virtual reality, an effective locomotion interface which allows for normal walking through large virtual environments was until recently still lacking. Here, we describe the new CyberWalk omnidirectional treadmill system, which makes it possible for users to walk endlessly in any direction, while never leaving the confines of the limited walking surface. The treadmill system improves on previous designs, both in its mechanical features and in the control system employed to keep users close to the center of the treadmill. As a result, users are able to start walking, vary their walking speed and direction, and stop walking as they would on a normal, stationary surface. The treadmill system was validated in two experiments, in which both the walking behavior and the performance in a basic spatial updating task were compared to that during normal overground walking. The results suggest that walking on the CyberWalk treadmill is very close to normal walking, especially after some initial familiarization. Moreover, we did not find a detrimental effect of treadmill walking in the spatial updating task. The CyberWalk system constitutes a significant step forward to bringing the real world into the laboratory or workplace.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 25 |
| Journal | ACM Transactions on Applied Perception |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 Nov 1 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Control system
- Locomotion
- Spatial navigation
- Treadmill
- Virtual reality
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Computer Science(all)
- Theoretical Computer Science
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Cite this
CyberWalk : Enabling unconstrained omnidirectional walking through virtual environments. / Souman, J. L.; Giordano, P. Robuffo; Schwaiger, M.; Frissen, I.; Thümmel, T.; Ulbrich, H.; De Luca, A.; Bulthoff, Heinrich; Ernst, M. O.
In: ACM Transactions on Applied Perception, Vol. 8, No. 4, 25, 01.11.2011.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - CyberWalk
T2 - Enabling unconstrained omnidirectional walking through virtual environments
AU - Souman, J. L.
AU - Giordano, P. Robuffo
AU - Schwaiger, M.
AU - Frissen, I.
AU - Thümmel, T.
AU - Ulbrich, H.
AU - De Luca, A.
AU - Bulthoff, Heinrich
AU - Ernst, M. O.
PY - 2011/11/1
Y1 - 2011/11/1
N2 - Despite many recent developments in virtual reality, an effective locomotion interface which allows for normal walking through large virtual environments was until recently still lacking. Here, we describe the new CyberWalk omnidirectional treadmill system, which makes it possible for users to walk endlessly in any direction, while never leaving the confines of the limited walking surface. The treadmill system improves on previous designs, both in its mechanical features and in the control system employed to keep users close to the center of the treadmill. As a result, users are able to start walking, vary their walking speed and direction, and stop walking as they would on a normal, stationary surface. The treadmill system was validated in two experiments, in which both the walking behavior and the performance in a basic spatial updating task were compared to that during normal overground walking. The results suggest that walking on the CyberWalk treadmill is very close to normal walking, especially after some initial familiarization. Moreover, we did not find a detrimental effect of treadmill walking in the spatial updating task. The CyberWalk system constitutes a significant step forward to bringing the real world into the laboratory or workplace.
AB - Despite many recent developments in virtual reality, an effective locomotion interface which allows for normal walking through large virtual environments was until recently still lacking. Here, we describe the new CyberWalk omnidirectional treadmill system, which makes it possible for users to walk endlessly in any direction, while never leaving the confines of the limited walking surface. The treadmill system improves on previous designs, both in its mechanical features and in the control system employed to keep users close to the center of the treadmill. As a result, users are able to start walking, vary their walking speed and direction, and stop walking as they would on a normal, stationary surface. The treadmill system was validated in two experiments, in which both the walking behavior and the performance in a basic spatial updating task were compared to that during normal overground walking. The results suggest that walking on the CyberWalk treadmill is very close to normal walking, especially after some initial familiarization. Moreover, we did not find a detrimental effect of treadmill walking in the spatial updating task. The CyberWalk system constitutes a significant step forward to bringing the real world into the laboratory or workplace.
KW - Control system
KW - Locomotion
KW - Spatial navigation
KW - Treadmill
KW - Virtual reality
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84855228569&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2043603.2043607
DO - 10.1145/2043603.2043607
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84855228569
VL - 8
JO - ACM Transactions on Applied Perception
JF - ACM Transactions on Applied Perception
SN - 1544-3558
IS - 4
M1 - 25
ER -