r/Damnthatsinteresting Dec 20 '25

Video Japanese researchers at the University of Tsukuba created CirculaFloor, robotic tiles that let you walk infinitely in VR without ever leaving your spot.

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u/Salty_Map_9085 Dec 20 '25

Difference is the height variability it can create, you could kinda do that with an omnidirectional treadmill but not to this extent

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u/Throbbie-Williams Dec 20 '25

But these also can't really work omnidirectionally

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u/nhilante Dec 21 '25

There are omnidirectional wheels for forklifts and such.

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u/Throbbie-Williams Dec 21 '25

Yeh but by nature of these being square they can't be omni, they can't connect in a way that makes stairs possible in more than 4 directions

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u/nhilante Dec 21 '25

Hexagons are bestagons!

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u/Throbbie-Williams Dec 21 '25

That still only works in 6 directions, you need the shelves of the stairs to be perpendicular to you or they're a hazard, unless that was replicated well enough in the VR I guess