The goal of this project is the development and research of virtual reality (VR) applications designed for use with omnidirectional treadmills. An omnidirectional VR treadmill is a device that provides a physical platform for endless walking. It is designed for use in combination with a head-mounted display (HMD) – VR headset. An omnidirectional treadmill has the capacity to capture human gait in objective reality and transmit it to virtual reality. It is a device that enables a user to make physical movements of walking or running in all directions in a 360-degree range while not changing their position in the objective reality. Thanks to this, a user is provided with a 2-dimensional infinite ground, and they do not get into collision with obstacles or walls. It enhances the haptic sensory modality of the VR experience and can potentially increase immersion, leading to a higher therapeutic potential of virtual reality.
The aim of our research is to explore how specific locomotion techniques interact with various environmental contexts in VR. This basic research is aimed at the influence of locomotion techniques on subjective user experience and navigational abilities. Another goal of our project is applied research consisting of experimentally testing the feasibility and potential of VR treadmills for agoraphobia exposure therapy. Additionally, a tutorial application for omnidirectional treadmills is being developed in our VR center.