Odin's Helmet

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) experiences have massively improved in the mediation of feedback. However, the simulation of forces is still limited. This paper presents Odin's Helmet, a head-worn device to simulate g-forces that act on the human head in real-life situations. Odin's Helmet uses four head-mounted propellers as actuators to simulate g-forces through pushing and pulling the user's head while being immersed in VR. Odin's Helmet's goal is to increase presence and manipulate the user's perception of the otolith organ in the vestibular system. The user's perception will be tricked to experience a sensation of self-movement in VR. A technical evaluation shows Odin's Helmet's applicability to apply perceivable g-forces to the user's head. We conclude with future use cases of Odin's Helmet, such as redirected walking by controlling the user's head orientation, attention guidance, and wind simulations through Odin's Helmet.