Seattle-based Virtual i-O Inc has a new pair of glasses called Virtual i-O i-glasses! capable of creating the visual effect of a large virtual screen that appears to float in front of the viewer. The i-glasses! weigh eight ounces and are compatible with televisions, video players, personal computers and gaming systems including Sega, Nintendo, Atari and 3DO Co. Instead of watching games on a flat screen across the room, gamers will be in the middle of the action, the company says. The product’s head tracking technology places the viewer in a 360 degree environment with a 30 degree horizontal field of view. So, when the viewer moves his head to the right or left, up or down, the environment moves with him. The system uses see-through lenses that also provide a view of the real world outside the glasses. Tele-Communications Inc, the cable television operator, owns 35% of Virtual i-O, opening up possibilities for television viewing. During the next year, consumers can expect to see television programming shot in three dimensions, the firm said. The i-glasses! will be available in two versions. The base unit, with television and video capabilities only, will be $600. A version with head tracking and personal capabilities will be priced at $800.
