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Your VR demo can be a flash as you like, but when the user is sitting in a chair in their pants there’s only so much illusion your clever programming can muster.
After all, no matter how exciting the in-game frolics, the sensation will always be dulled somewhat by the fact that your frame is either sat down or, at most, trying not to trip over a wire in your living room.
This is a problem that a new headset hopes to solve. TechSpot reports that the new Entrim 4D headphones, which are the product of the Samsung Creative Lab team, send electrical signals into the inner ear that trick the brain into believing you’re moving.
The science claims that the signals are directed to the vestibular system, which dictate how we experience movement and orientation. Manipulating that system can make users believe they are moving in a certain direction.
The technique has been used previously by the medical profession to help stroke victims who have been left with balance problems. The video below seems a little comical, but the science is real.
The main worry would appear to concern motion sickness, which is primarily caused by the disconnect between what we see on a VR screen and what our body is experiencing. The intensity of the signals can be adjusted, however, and Samsung actually claims that the tech can reduce motion sickness.
Take a look:
