Virtual i-O Inc, the multimedia subsidiary of German personal computer manufacturer Escom AG, will distribute its virtual reality head-sets in Europe through the parent company. The i-glasses will ship in two versions. The video-only headset can be plugged into a standard video recorder or television to enable viewers to watch television or videos in three dimensions. It costs ú600. The personal computer version connects to Windows, Macintosh and Amiga machines and comes with a set of 10 games. It costs ú800. Both head-sets include stereo sound and are designed to avoid eye strain or nausea even after prolonged use, said the company. They have been very popular with dentists in New York who give anxious patients a head-set to distract them from painful trea tment, said Denis Peremiski, Escom’s head-set project manager. Virtual i-O is also selling a developers kit for the head-set that includes head tracking and three-dimensional specifications, software routines and technical support. The company is now developing a monochrome version of the i-glasses so laptop users can wear them in place of a screen.
