Virtual Reality - Have They Finally Pulled It Off?

The implementation of true "virtual reality" has had a rocky and usually unsuccessful past. Gaming, so well suited to fully immersive virtual reality, has traditionally been on the forefront of the VR world, adopting the new technologies and innovations almost as soon as they hit the market since the medium was created, but nothing has really caught on. So it may be surprising to some, that even after the debacles of the uncomfortable, migraine-inducing Virtual Boy and countless other plug-and-play abominations, that the VR gaming experience is still being pursued. Few have gone as far as a little company called 3001 AD, responsible for the Trimersion head-mounted display (HMD).

The Trimersion HMD is a rather bulky visor that's worn completely around your eyes, much like a pair of heavy underwater goggles, so that all you can see is what's transmitted to them from your computer. When connected to a PC running an FPS game, it automatically projects the image into the headset so that the game is seen as if on a virtual life-size screen. It gives a new meaning to the "first-person" part of a first-person shooter! The "tracking version" of the unit comes with a proprietary gun controller. This version also enables you to change your view simply by moving your head from side to side as well as up and down. There's also a more basic version which keeps these controls with your mouse.

It's just virtual reality. That's all you have to know.

The Trimersion name has been around for about a year, but was completely redesigned for 3001's showing at E3 2006, where I had a chance to talk with company vice president Marc Rifkin. He told me that the biggest difference between the new product and its older counterpart is that the new version is more lightweight and easier to control. When asked what was unique about the Trimersion headset, Rifkin pointed out that it's the only completely wireless unit available on the market at the moment, and that it is also one of the most user-friendly VR-based units. It is plug-and-play, with no drivers required to get started. While I was at 3001's booth during E3 I got the chance to take the Trimersion for a quick test run.

It really was an out-of-body experience - it was as if I were standing face-to-face with a 60" projection TV. With even the slightest movement of my head, side to side, up or down, forward or backward, the view of the game changed accordingly. When combined with the realistic feel of holding the gun controller, it truly felt like I was in the game.

It's still a bit of niche right now, but I'd like to see this concept catch on and somehow be applied to games other than shooters.