I thought I’d heard it all. Nope. Apparently there’s a joystick that can be used to control people. Yes — people. The setup works by sending electrical signals into the volunteer’s ears. This somehow effects the volunteer’s sense of balance, and they get an uncontrolable urge to move in that direction to keep themselves balanced. This was also used on the volunteer while they watched a racing game. The effect apparently made the game more immersive and real.

James Collins, professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, has studied using the technology to prevent the elderly from falling and to help people with an impaired sense of balance. But he also believes the effect is suited for games and other entertainment.

“I suspect they’ll probably get a kick out of the illusions that can be created to give them a more total immersion experience as part of virtual reality,'’ Collins said.

You can read the whole article here. (Use bugmenot.com to avoid the registration.)

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