Seattlest Welcomes Our New Digital Overlords
Science-fiction is a funny thing. Not funny ha-ha necessarily, but it certainly has a funny way of influencing the world of actual science. Sure, we still don't have flying cars (Hurry up!) or robot maids, but electric cars and robot vacuums are a welcome start. But those are all tangible objects. What about the digital world? Where's the virtual reality that's been promised for more than a decade? Turns out they're working on it right here in town.
Earlier this summer UW's Human Interface Laboratory began a collaboration with Virtusphere to further develop applications for the Sammamish startup's virtual reality platform. The Virtusphere resembles a giant hamster ball, and a person climbs inside the sphere with a virtual reality helmet. The idea behind the ball is that it allows someone to move infinitely in space, with motion being tracked by sensors on the ball (the same principle behind an older mouse). The user can run, stop, change directions, and even dive into the sides of the ball, which uses gravity to stabilize itself.
The Virtusphere demo last week was a general overview of the technology and brainstorming session. It was then exhibited at PAX last weekend, so gamers could take a look at the immersive technology. They already have programs set up so that you can run around the proposed Moscow 2012 Olympic village (but with a flamethrower naturally).
The future is definitely now. Some people are already worried about people getting addicted to virtual worlds, but never mind those luddites. When the Matrix is here (the cool beginning anyway, not the craptastic latter two-thirds), Seattleites can take pride that our tax dollars helped to make it happen.
