New Immersive Virtual Reality ‘Cocoon’ in 2009

Virtual reality (VR) has been an interest spreading from average consumers right up to government and military application.

Virtual Reality technology has been somewhat improving over the years, but by no means at a leaps-and-bounds pace. Nonetheless, the technology is improving and some day we can all enjoy the Holodeck on the Starship Enterprise, maybe.

Enter the Immersive VR ‘Cocoon’ , which hopefully will be delivered (at a rather high cost no doubt) by NAU, an international design group by 2014. NAU aims to change how we currently interact with computers for day-to-day functions and entertainment such as playing games. A prototype of the ‘cocoon’ should be publicized sometime in October of this year.

“After the hatch silently slides open, a small extendible staircase will glide down to invite you inside the dome. Once inside, you will find a 360 degree seamless display and hear full three dimensional surround sound. The best part of all this is the inclusion of multiple motion-tracking cameras and a motion-sensing floor platform. All this to serve as the means for interaction."

If and when this does become a commercially available product, you most likely will not find it in your friends basement. Something like this will probably show up at electronics expos, gaming lounges, arcades and carnival shows. The price tag will more than likely be quite large.

There are a few games I wouldn’t mind experiencing in this thing, that’s for sure.