'CableRobot Simulator' mimics flight for virtual reality

TUBINGEN, Germany, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Scientists at a German institute unveiled their CableRobot simulator, a giant caged platform that moves on cables to simulate motion for virtual reality.

Professor Heinrich Bulthoff and his team at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics unveiled the CableRobot Simulator at a Tubingen, Germany, conference Sept. 16 and followed up the debut this week with a YouTube video showing off the device's capabilities.

The CableRobot Simulator consists of a caged platform with a seat for one passenger suspended on eight retracting cables. The scientists said their creation can aid virtual reality programs in simulating sensations such as flight with up to 1.5 Gs of acceleration.

The institute said the simulator will aid the scientists with "perception and cognition research."

"This simulator gives us completely new opportunities to study the perception of movement and possible application in neurological research in balance," Bulthoff said.