selectparks - Stringwalker: VR with strings attached

Hiroo Iwata's Stringwalker has to be one of the strangest input devices developed to tackle the old problem of emulating bipedal navigation in a 3D world. This controller comes in the form of a pad and a pair of shoes attached to a system of 8 pullies and sensors.

There's not a whole lot online about it, but it appears that when you move a foot around - for instance in a step motion - the distance and trajectory of that movement is calculated based upon the direction and length of string that has passed over the pullies. This is then used to scroll the world accordingly.
It also appears that by using motors attached to these pullies the system, they might even be able to simulate the exertion experienced when walking up a hill, for instance.

Expecting to see this one in an arcade is a bit of a stretch. Interplanetary-colonist-in-training? Perhaps. Stringwalker will be on show at Siggraph 07.

Via Gizmag.