The quest to create the perfect virtual reality movement control has led to some pretty interesting ideas. The 3DRudder is another cool gadget that could help you get around in video games, but unlike most others we’ve seen, this one lets you sit down while you navigate the virtual world.

3DRudder looks a lot like the exercise balance boards that you stand on to improve core strength. But to use it, you sit in a chair and put one foot on either side of center. The motions are fairly intuitive: you tilt forward to move forward, back to move back, and left or right to move in either direction.

The balance board-type controller also lets you rotate your feet to look all around you in  the game environment. It more or less takes over the movement function of your keyboard or game controller to free up your hands for different aspects of the game. And when you’re trying to run through a sniper-infested minefield while simultaneously picking off baddies, this can make a huge difference in the way you game.

A controller that uses your feet and frees your hands up for other actions would probably be most obviously beneficial in a first-person shooter game. But Oculus Rift and other VR headsets are poised to make it almost a necessity to traverse virtual worlds easily, so products like 3DRudder could give the experience a little more realism than you would get from using a hand-held controller for all of your actions.

The post Rocking Controller Takes Gaming Movement to the Feet first appeared on Gajitz.

For those of us without much musical talent, the very act of making music can seem like a complex, mystical thing. Designer Pieter Jan Pieters has demystified the musical process a bit by creating a virtual orchestra of instruments that react to your natural movements and everyday actions.

FNGR, at top, contains a sensor that picks up on every time you bend, tap or move your finger. Heart and Kick, above, make music from your heartbeat and foot movements, respectively.

Scan is a small device that is moved over drawings or samples of handwriting. As it passes over the marks, it emits unique sounds based on those specific drawn lines. Wob contains a proximity sensor that reacts to your hand getting closer or further away, making personalized music that you control easily.

The project is known as Sound on Intuition, and it allows everyday people with no previous musical experience to make beautiful songs that are entirely personal. Intuitive movements and even mindless fidgeting are translated into the universal language of music, letting you experience a new level of self-exploration.

The post Intuitive Tools Make Music From Your Heartbeat + Movements first appeared on Gajitz.