Patent ID: 7520836

Claim:
A locomotion interface that provides input signals, indicative of a user's movement, to a virtual reality system, the locomotion interface comprising: a pressure-sensing mat including a base layer, a plurality of pressure sensing elements formed over the base layer, a top layer formed over the plurality of pressure-sensing elements, and an input interface formed between the base layer and the top layer, wherein the plurality of pressure sensing elements output signals indicative of pressure applied to the top layer; a base structure coupled to the pressure-sensing mat, the base structure being fixed in a first position but freely moveable in a second position; a housing that retains the pressure-sensing mat and the base, said housing further comprising a roller disposed in the housing, the roller being in frictional contact with the pressure-sensing mat; a first motor that rotates the roller about a first axis; and a second motor that rotates the roller about a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis, wherein the rotation of the roller generates thrust vectors that move the pressure-sensing mat in all direction.