Prototyping process of a virtual-reality treadmill system for exploration of real world panoramic environments

摘要

This paper describes the prototyping process of a virtual-reality (VR) treadmill for exploration of a panoramic environment. The VR treadmill is a non-motorized treadmill outfitted with automatic controls so that its incline can be adjusted according to the terrain elevation data, and the head tracked imagery of a panoramic environment (Google Streetview) can be displayed on a commercial head mounted display (HMD) and updated as the person walks on the treadmill. This implementation of VR devices is an interdisciplinary effort requiring the cooperation of mechanical, electrical and computer science researchers. The system is decomposed into three subsystems: the mechanisms, the control devices and the VR components, with the approach to solve the problem described. This paper discusses the motivation for building such a prototype. Further, the limitations of the design are exposed and future research directions are presented.