In a video posted on YouTube, Disney imagineer Lanny Smoot has given a preview of a floor tile, consisting of small discs, that rotate when walked upon, which allows for omnidirectional movement, which could transform multi-person VR experiences.
In a press release, Disney said the HoloTile floor
is “the world’s first multi-person, omnidirectional, modular, expandable, treadmill floor”.
Multiple people can walk on the same floor in different
directions, but because the floor adjusts to their movements they
stay in the same place all the time.
The technology has
a plethora of potential applications, with Smoot suggesting in the
video it could be used for groups of people to
collaboratively walk around the same space, or be used for
theatrical staging, with many dancers all dancing 'on the spot'.