21 March 2007
Are you smarter than your hamster/ mouse/ rat/ guinea pig/ rabbit….
Like any normal video game you navigate around a virtual World in a bid to stay alive. So whats new? The predator is your very own pet. Computerised movements are mapped between the real World and the mouse arena. Your pet gives chase to the bait (food in real life, you in the virtual maze). The pet’s avatar’s movements in the virtual environment direct the bait around a small tank fitted with actuators that mold and twist an elastic latex floor into the changing terrain of the game map. The pet’s pursuit in the tank is monitored by infra-red sensors that relay its position to the computer screen. Can you beat your pet or will they catch you?
What are the possible uses for this in the future? When we are away from our pets its a good way to give them exercise… is it also a possible way that virtual reality gaming will be moving stopping the obesity from just sitting in front of a computer or tv all day getting kids to actually run around, will this be available to everyone soon in human sized proporitions?
