The shoes would have motorized casters that sensed your walking motion and matched the VR scene to sync your perceived location while keeping you in one place like somebody doing the Moonwalk dance move.
If you started running, the casters would turn more quickly to keep you in place and the scene would speed up. Motion could be added like in video rides where for instance you're sliding down a hill and the shoes vibrate and slide back in forth. Climbing up hill could be simulated by some of the wheels applying braking pressure making it harder to walk.
Might be a way to get gamers some exercise.-- doctorremulac3, Nov 16 2022 Hundreds of Trackballs... https://www.google....6LWltZw&sclient=imgOr just one big one? [neutrinos_shadow, Nov 16 2022] So this with a track pad instead of the trampoline. https://www.target....fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.dsStrap yourself to the bar with a belt and run in your socks. [doctorremulac3, Nov 17 2022] This is what they'd look like. https://www.llbean....536-GN3&csp=f&pos=7Instead of cleats, trackballs with solenoid activated brakes. [doctorremulac3, Nov 17 2022] WizDish https://www.wizdish.com/Similar to the "socks on trackpad" method [neutrinos_shadow, Nov 17 2022] Would be more fun to wear these wandering through a busy street and then suddenly activate a cool dance routine, gliding sideways and spinning through the crowds while casually sipping from a trendoccino in a re-useable cup-- pocmloc, Nov 16 2022 Not motorised-- pocmloc, Nov 16 2022 Those "Multi-directional roller skates" are ridiculous. If there's no resistance in any direction, how do you move at all?-- neutrinos_shadow, Nov 16 2022 Just occurred to me you could do away with the motors counteracting motion to keep the player in place by just having the shoes basically use a series of track balls arranged sort of like cleats. Then have the running platform be slightly concave so the runner tends to slide back into the middle no matter which direction they ran. The only thing needed would be brakes so when it sensed you stopped running you wouldn't continue to rock back and forth, which would be much simpler.
Hmm.
Could also just have that slightly concave platform made of hundreds of trackballs.
Also hmm.-- doctorremulac3, Nov 16 2022 Hey, that's cool neut. Lot of mass in that ball though I'd think. Don't think mom would let the kids put one in the living room either.
Maybe have a 3x3 track pad with a waste level harness that turns 360 degrees but keeps you in place. Run in your socks.
(link)-- doctorremulac3, Nov 17 2022 Omnidirectional roller skates will be much easier to engineer and cheaper to build than an omnidirectional treadmill [+]-- Voice, Nov 17 2022 // If there's no resistance in any direction, how do you move at all//
They can selectively lock direction via many possible mechanisms including but not limited to actuated wheel-shaped brake pads, gearing, and a multi-dimensional computer controlled set of rollers.-- Voice, Nov 17 2022 One way to make controllable omnidirectional skates would be with powered mecanum wheels. Normally those are mounted on four corners, but I'm pretty sure that four inline could also work. Alternate the orientation. If you lock the rotation of left handed and right handed wheels so they spin at the same rate, they will behave like regular roller blades. If you spin left wheels forward and right wheels backward, the skate will move sideways.
The only problem with skates, is that it will feel like you're wearing skates, not walking/running, but you could no VR rollerblading...-- scad mientist, Nov 17 2022 Just based on the title I was sure this was a [beanangel] idea.-- ytk, Nov 17 2022 //They can selectively lock direction via many possible mechanisms including but not limited to actuated wheel-shaped brake pads, gearing, and a multi-dimensional computer controlled set of rollers.//
Exactly. There’s nothing inherently prohibiting this from being done, and unlike all of a1’s frantic comparisons, people might actually buy these.
//Just based on the title I was sure this was a [beanangel] idea.//
Whatever happened to beanangel? A true surrealist. Miss that guy.-- doctorremulac3, Nov 17 2022 So Voice, I think I'm moving from motors and brakes to brakes only on this thing, I just don't think motors are needed. As neut pointed out, without resistance it's just like standing on ice in your bare feet. Brakes are simple and allow directional control in a practical fashion.
So see link, this is exactly what they'd look like. I'm going passive for the motion input and active for the directional motion attenuation. Either this or the track pad you run on with socks but that'd need a rotating belt attached to the pad to keep you in place. Looking into both.-- doctorremulac3, Nov 17 2022 //Wizdish// Whoa! I wanna try it!
Think my next crazy weekend project will be to buy one of those round concave toboggans and see what it's like walking on it in socks. Do you just stay in the middle as you slide down? Might be able to get rid of the big harness thing.-- doctorremulac3, Nov 17 2022 random, halfbakery