From: Robert Jacobson <cyberoid@stein2.u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: TECH: Ideas for cheap tracking systems, HMDs,...
Organization: WORLDESIGN, Seattle

In article <2ajk6u$a84@news.u.washington.edu>,
joachim lous  <joachim@kih.no> wrote:

>3 strings/wires/whatever connected from, say, the top of your head to
>3 different self-retracting 'yo-yos' in the roof/walls. It should be
>possible to measure how much of the string is out at any time, for
>instance with variable resistors that rotate with the reels.

Dr Sato of Tokyo Tech U used a system like this, with small rings on
the fingertips attached by strings to resistors, to manage position of
the fingers in a virtual world.

Bob 

[If it's M. Sato of the Precision & Intelligence Lab., Tokyo Institute
of Technology, Yokohama, Japan...I have a couple of citations.

Sato, M., Hirata, Y., and Kawarada-H. (1992). Space interface device
for artificial reality-SPIDAR.  Systems and Computers in Japan.
vol.23, no.12.  pp. 44-54.

Sato, M. (1992, June) Force display for virtual reality.  Journal of
the Institute of Television Engineers of Japan. vol.46, no.6.  pp.
681-4.

T.E.]