Reports from the Field: SIGGRAPH 2005 -- Shaking the World

This was one of the most interesting experiences at the show and, sadly, I was unable to actually try it out! (Got there a little too late.) So, they attach these electrodes to your head and stimualte your vestibular system. There's a much more technical description below, but basically, they can play with your balance by using electrical currents and boy was it freaky to watch! They could make you lean left or right or sort of dance to a rhythm!

Here's a brief description from their official postings:

We developed a novel sensation interface device using galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS). GVS alters your balance. Our device can induce vection (virtual sense of acceleration) synchronized with optic flow or musical rhythms. The device can also induce lateral walking towards the anode while human walking.

In galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS), the vestibular system is stimulated by a weak current through an electrode placed on the mastoid behind ear. The vestibular system is sensitive to GVS intensity changes and responds by altering the magnitude of the response accordingly. GVS moves your balance toward the anode. This stimulation is has been used as the clinically functional test of vestibular. In this project, we apply GVS as a novel interface for virtual sense of acceleration. GVS can not only induce vection (virtual sense of acceleration) without an expensive mechanical motion platform. It can also make walkers deviate from the normal intended straight-line path. With our device, radio-controlled walking, automatic collision avoidance, and GPS walking navigation are possible. Moreover, the system is particularly useful for interpersonal kinematical sense sharing as an amusement by synchronizing the stimulation to the action. Movies will move you synchronized to the camera action. You and I can move each other with head action. Especially, something we call Rhythm Synchronized Amusement by GVS provides novel and fantastic experiences beyond other conventional media. A slow tempo swings your body. As the tempo of music becomes faster, you will feel as if your visual field and body are shaking synchronously with the rhythm. Let’s shake together at our booth!

These pictures don't do it justice and I'll add a link for video as soon as I complete it!

Comments

[val]

hey, I thought you were posting a video??? Do you have one?
This stuff is really worth keping in mind... A lot of funky applications can be imagined out of this.

If you have a video, I'd love to point Night Agency newsletter's readers readers to it,
Thx!
Val