The omni-directional treadmill called CyberCarpet created by Cyberwalk would revolutionize the way virtual reality is used for therapy, training, architecture and, eventually, gaming. A traditional treadmill, of course, only moves in one direction. Walking straight ahead at all times doesn’t allow for full immersion in a virtual world. Other solutions, such as a large sphere that the user manipulates from inside, have been proposed but are plagued with problems. The omni-directional treadmill works by densely packing small balls under a walking surface and letting the friction of the user’s shoes do the moving.

Badass.

(via)