VR Harness (aka pseudo vr treadmill)

VR treadmills are a thing now, but you can also set up a climbing harness instead. Its not as good, but this is the cheapest way I know of to get a decent full body experience.

I set mine up in 2020, originally on a trapeze frame, later in a ceiling joists. The set up is very simple.I spent more time on this write up.

You'll want a wireless headset. For most of us, thats a quest2 or a vive with wireless adapter. While a real VR treadmill can deal with 1 wire coming down from the ceiling, this setup has a strap that the wire would inevitably wrap around. Even with a ground based one, wireless is easier.

The cheap way is Kat Loco S. The better way is Natural Locomotion with vive trackers.

Natural Locomotion is more like a smooth sine wave. It uses both the frequency (speed of each step) and amplitude (height of each step). You can move backwards by leaning back and stepping. If you get vive trackers, make sure you get the right kind for your headset. Vive 3.0 trackers if you have base stations like Vive Pro, or Index. Vive ultimate trackers if you don't, like quest 2/3.

The Loco S is more like a sharp square wave and uses only the frequency of steps. To move backwards, you have stick your foot back in a specific (and awkward) way and it moves you back at a constant speed while your foot rests there.

The harness will need a suspension point in back, which is not common. You'll have to check for it. I'm using a DASKING heavy resistance belt with straps designed for ceiling mounts. You can search for "heavy bungee gravity yoga resistance belt" and just not use the bungee part.

Darwin award disclaimer:
This is obviously dangerous, especially if you suspend your body completely! Make certain you mounts are solid and in the joists if your home is wood framed! Make sure everything is rated for at least 5x your body weight to account for shock loads and sudden movements causing you to suspend, even if temporarily. Test everything with the headset off, another human to watch for issues like a ceiling creek, and video your test to look again for issues.

What this setup lets you do in games that support these movements:
1. walk at various speeds, including running and sprinting*
2. go backwards
3. look and aim independent of motion direction, for example to strafe**
4. sit. good for sniping, reading books, watching movies etc.
5. jump
6. duck, which lets you sneak in games like Fallout4vr and Skyrim.
7. fully suspend your body, for example swimming in Skyrim

Not all software will support all of this, but most games work pretty well. Even if they don't already have a supplied profile, its not too hard to adapt a new game in either NaLo or Kat.

Borderlands2 is the same speed no matter how fast or slow you step. Works fine on a slidemill like the Katwalk.
** Boneworks can't separate headset and direction movement with either Kat Loco or Nalo. You end up drifting off course by looking around.

Limitations
1. You can't fully crouch with your legs, so you have to bend over instead. This makes sneaking goofy. This also limits jump height, though some games have a built in jump that will be triggered by the motion.
2. You need a large play space, which depends on your height and the height of your ceiling or whatever your hanging the harness from. I'm 1.84m (6') tall with a 2.44m (8') ceiling and i need a 2.6m (8'6") diameter play space.
3. Related to the playspace, you move around a little meaning you'll be pulled around by the support strap. Its enough to be aware, but not break immersion.

These limitations do not apply to real VR treadmills. The required play space for one is your arm span with leaning or a 2 meter / 7' diameter.

software in video:
Natural Locomotion store.steampowered.com/app/798810/Natural_Locomoti…
Fallout4vr store.steampowered.com/app/611660/Fallout_4_VR/

DIY:
Finally Functional open source vr treadmill
   / @finallyfunctional  

Just the ground part, so you dont have to drill into your ceiling.
   • My VR support rig and VR shoes in No Man's...  

Another ground unit
   • VR Treadmill  FS VR  

Full body haptic suit, also for locomotion.
exitsuit.com/

Make your own motion translation software
github.com/finallyfunctional/openvr-driver-example

consumer:
www.kat-vr.com/
silvercord-vr.com/
omni.virtuix.com/

other links:
Kat Loco S www.kat-vr.com/products/kat-loco-s
Bioneer hundred up    • Why Running on the Spot is Awesome: Benefi...  
Silvercord like to stomp    • ⚪🔴⚪ Сomfortable VR movement for anyone! Wi...  

TODO
maybe leave out full suspension
do it with socks on tile or carpet to show it can be quie