Walking about virtual environments on an infinite floor

This paper presents a new configuration of locomotion interface for walking about virtual space. Traveling on foot is the most intuitive way for locomotion. Infinite surface driven by actuators is an ideal device for creation of sense of walking. We selected a torus-shaped surface to realize the locomotion interface. The locomotion interface employs twelve sets of treadmills. These trendmills are connected side by side and driven to perpendicular direction. Infinite surface is generated by the motion of the treadmills. The walker can go to any direction while his/her position is fixed in the real world. Effectiveness of the device is tested by motion analysis and study on sense of distance