A controversial VR accessory can simulate the “suffocation” of users. VIDEO

Virtual reality has its fans, but it has not reached the popularity that companies that try to build virtual worlds want. The main problem is the high cost of devices and virtual experiences, but that doesn’t mean that research in this area is slowing down. Recently, a device has been developed that can monitor and control your breathing during virtual experiences, which can create very realistic situations, but not exactly pleasant for users.

AirRes Mask could allow the development of new VR experiences

Researchers at the University of Applied Sciences in Salzburg have created the first device that attaches to a VR headset to provide a realistic simulation of breathing. Thus, the AirRes Mask attaches to the user’s face and allows the ability to adjust the gaming experience to his breathing. So you can, for example, blow out a candle in the virtual world to put it out, or you can inflate a balloon, or even play a wind instrument.

On the other hand, AirRes Mask allows you to block the user’s breathing. It may not completely suffocate you, but it can control the amount of air that gets inside the mask. Thus, the experience you can have in virtual reality in case of a fire can be better simulated, thus being able to use this technology for training firefighters, or for instructions for emergency situations. Used in a flight simulation game, especially for fighter jets, the experience could be more realistic, as when pilots experience strong forces, including breathing, it becomes heavier.

It is not yet clear how dangerous AirRes Mask would be in a commercial version

Of course, such a device is not commercially available, and if it were, it would have to go through multiple safety tests to assure the authorities that it is not a dangerous device. It is also unclear how this technology can affect people who have already been diagnosed with breathing problems or not.

While the technology is interesting for the field of simulations and training, it could also offer new possibilities in gaming experiences. This technology, along with technology that can simulate touch or smell, could lead to the creation of more credible virtual worlds than today.

source: Gizmodo