A virtual reality system transposes a user's position and movement in real space
to virtual space. The virtual reality system includes a locomotion interface that
outputs signals indicative of a user's position in real space. The locomotion interface
includes a pressure-sensing mat having a base layer, a plurality of pressure sensing
elements and a heating/refrigeration layer formed over the base layer, and a top
layer formed over the plurality of pressure-sensing elements. The plurality of
pressure sensing elements output a signal indicative of pressure applied to the
top layer. A virtual reality processor uses the signals output by the locomotion
interface to produce an output indicative of the user's position in the virtual
space corresponding to the user's position and movement in the real space. A display
uses the output from the virtual reality processor to produce an image of the virtual space.
