Why not put haptics in Omni's shoes?

[yoshithedog]

An "electric sensations board" put on footing could make you feel any surface you're walking on.
Is it possible?

[Paladia]

An "electric sensations board" put on footing could make you feel any surface you're walking on.
Is it possible?

• Expensive
  Requires additional sensors
  Requires you to send information from the computer to the shoes
  Requires batteries
  Niche product on a niche product for a niche product, likely won't get much game support

When you decide to make a niche product (the omni) for a niche product (the Rift) you really have to keep it as simple an inexpensive as possible if you want any chance of getting it out there.

[yoshithedog]

An "electric sensations board" put on footing could make you feel any surface you're walking on.
Is it possible?

• Expensive
  Requires additional sensors
  Requires you to send information from the computer to the shoes
  Requires batteries
  Niche product on a niche product for a niche product, likely won't get much game support

When you decide to make a niche product (the omni) for a niche product (the Rift) you really have to keep it as simple an inexpensive as possible if you want any chance of getting it out there.

You are right. I don't see it fit for the first version of Omni, but after VR will hit the mainstream, I think that anything that adds immersion (and feet haptics is a huge thing imo) will be profoundly desired.
Just wandering with my mind.

[zalo]

It doesn't need to be expensive, require additional sensors, or even be on the shoes.

A surface transducer down there could vibrate the surface of the dish. Different frequencies of vibration will correspond to different surfaces.

You could actually play the sound of someone dragging their feet across that surface on the transducer. But have it only play while the feet are in motion.

[Fredz]

As often when someone has an idea about VR, already done :
Identification of Virtual Grounds Using Virtual Reality Haptic Shoes and Sound Synthesis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3P2lKVDMXk