This suspended cage adds G force to virtual reality

The Breakthrough

Max Planck Institute researchers located in Tübingen, Germany have developed a cage suspended in mid-air which mimics forces in the real world to be applied in its virtual reality environments. This cage has been suspended using a series of cables that are controlled by winches operated by robots. Reeling the cables in and out to map real world forces is possible to let users feel what it's like to undergo activities in their flight and racing simulations.

The Implications

“This simulator offers us entirely new possibilities for studying motion perception with possible applications in neurological research into balance disorders,” says Professor Bülthoff, who is a researcher at the Institute. Although the Oculus Rift consumer launch is set to happen in early 2016, it is highly unlikely that many people would modify their homes to accommodate a winch system such as that found in the Institute.