It offers unlimited possibilities to depict and experience things, that would not be possible in the real world.
Using virtual reality for research purposes is actually very popular. At SimTech, our Cluster of Excellence for Simulation Technology, we are conducting a number of studies, for example, on how muscles move, physiotherapy and everything like that. And we use virtual and augmented reality to visualize data.
I mainly deal with with micro-visualizations, for example, small visualizations, that can be accessed using wearable devices.
In my research, I try to look at how one might integrate haptic feedback in these areas.
The problem is, this requires a really big space. A sports hall really. And then you walk and are repeatedly told when you are approaching a wall and then you walk in another direction and in this way you try to simulate natural movement.
Most people have experienced using a treadmill in a fitness studio where you simply run in one direction. In our case you can move in all directions.
There are different types of omnidirectional treadmills. We now have one that can be imagined as a 16-point shape that consists of many rolls that all go to the center.
And ours functions so that it always takes you back to the center. In reality, you move more or less on the spot. And in virtual reality you can move an infinite distance.
It is of course important in our research, that we have a good degree of immersion and realism, also in terms of our research projects, for example together with colleagues from the field of biomechanics. So, if, for example you want to do some kind of gait analysis or something. Then, of course you want to have a realistic treadmill mwhere you can reproduce this somehow.
In most cases you also have to move a little. And especially in the field of haptics, many haptic feedback devices are stationary in a room. And here, the application possibilities of such an omnidirectional Treadmill are unlimited, so that you can walk, but still perceive haptic feedback. If I want to explore a cave, for example, where it's a bit dark, a bit narrow and you can't see exactly whether you can get through or not but it's very big, for example 100 meters long, then I can simulate that with the treadmill, for example, by attaching haptic feedback devices to myself and running on this treadmill. To feel when I bump into objects with my hips or my head, for example.
You can really tell the difference. But especially when you're interacting in a virtual environment like this, you often don't even notice that you're on a treadmill.
You can actually switch to this type of movement relatively quickly so that your brain doesn't even notice that you're using a treadmill in virtual reality.
