While virtual reality headsets are a great way to get gamers to be more immersed in the game, the question is how can we make it even more immersive or realistic? Some companies have tried adding motion to it by pairing a headset with a treadmill where your movements in real life will move your character in the game, but if you’d rather not be so restricted, the Stompz foot controller might be a device worth checking out.
The idea behind Stompz is simple – these are controllers that will work with your VR headset like the Oculus Rift and can help move your character or perform actions using your feet. This is thanks to the device’s built-in 9-axis motion sensor and because it communicates using Bluetooth, it is possible to use the device with a computer as well, as demonstrated in the video above where it is used to play and control PC games as well.
It’s an interesting concept although frankly speaking it does look a bit tiring, not to mention it does not look as responsive as it could be. It looked as though users still had to keep making adjustments in order for their moves to be registered, but perhaps those were early prototypes and the final device could be a lot better.
The creators of Stompz are looking to raise money to fund the device through a Kickstarter campaign so if you’d like to learn more about it or pledge your support, you can pop on over to their Kickstarter page for the details.
Filed in . Read more about Crowdfunding, Kickstarter and Virtual Reality (VR).