Disney has just unveiled a brand new invention that could one day shake up the way you use the Apple Vision Pro.
In a short video from the Disney Parks YouTube channel interviewing Lanny Smoot, an inventor for the company, Smoot showed off his brand-new invention, the Holotile. To put it simply, it’s a treadmill on your floor that consumers can use to walk in any direction. This means that, in a more traditional VR headset that blocks out your view, it could be used to stop you from bumping into things.
Not only can it be used for VR but multiple people can use it at one time outside of VR, suggesting there could be a more traditional fitness approach here too. Perhaps, paired with an Apple Watch, you could close your exercise ring easily from the comfort of your own home. Lanny also imagined theatrical stages, that could use the Holotile to dance and move around freely.
However, it’s important to note how well this could also work for a mixed-reality headset like the Apple Vision Pro.
The Disney Holotile on Apple Vision Pro
Although the Apple Vision Pro isn’t a gaming platform, it will have spatial games, taking advantage of the unique controls of the Vision Pro. When used with a device like the Holotile, it could see support for bigger more expansive games that don’t use your physical space quite as much.
As of its launch, the Apple Vision Pro does not support the use of VR-style controllers like those found in the Meta Quest or PSVR2 so there would be no way of moving around easily in games. The Disney Holotile could solve this problem by allowing you to physically move around game worlds without the use of a joystick.
This is just a prototype right now but, if it makes its way to market, it would be perfect for Apple’s upcoming headset.
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