VR may be so hot right now, but sitting still while navigating a virtual world can not only kill immersion, but also result in some not-so-hot-right-now motion sickness.
Enter the Entrim 4D, a headset announced by Samsung today that hopes to not only let you perceive movement - even while motionless - but also aims to cure users afflicted by VR-induced nausea.
Worn as a pair of headphones, the Entrim 4D uses what Samsung calls "a combination of algorithms and Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation" to signal to the brain that you're actually moving.
That is to say, the Entrim 4D sends pulses to the nerves in the ear - a crucial part in detecting motion and balance - to match up with what your eyes are seeing on-screen, be it a zooming car or the front seat of a careening roller coaster.
If proven effective in a mass market, the Entrim 4D could not only be a big step forward in VR by adding a new sense into the mix, but opening up the market to new customers by alleviating the physical ills that tend to come with extended VR sessions.
Typically, motion sickness is caused when the brain receives conflicting information regarding movement. When in a moving train or car, for example, the fluid in your inner ear detects that you're moving.
However, looking at signs or a book - meaning your eyes are only seeing things that are "still" - nausea or headaches can occur. Inversely, your eyes seeing movement while the inner ear detects stillness - as is the case with VR - can cause the same effects.
While we have yet to try the Entrim 4D for ourselves, we're excited at the chance to experience movement in a virtual space without having to buy expensive motorized chairs ... or sawdust to clean up any unfortunate mishaps.
