Abstract: A virtual reality simulation apparatus providing participants with simulations of horizontal walk and walk on slopes and steps with full reality in their feelings in their bodies. The apparatus comprises a walk surface mechanism including a pair of walk plates supporting a participant's feet, a foot bottom-position detecting device for detecting positions of feet-bottoms of the participant moved away from the walk plates, and a walk-plate horizontally-driving device, which horizontally shifts the walk plate, correspondingly to movements of the participant's feet, to cause the foot-bottom to be contacted on the walk plate and keep the participant's trunk in a fixed position. The apparatus has a miniature space and camera mechanism including a miniature space and a camera device which is movable in the miniature space to be placed in a direction imitating a view of the participant and take an image in the miniature space.

Abstract: A walk simulation apparatus usable for walk training of crippled persons or for a simulator of virtual reality. By the apparatus participants can experience simulations of walking horizontally and on slopes and steps with full reality at the same position. The apparatus is of use also in quantitatively evaluating quality of performances of artificial legs for patients who lost legs. The apparatus comprises a head mounted display showing a participant programmed images in the form of three-dimensional images, a walk surface mechanism having a function of performing simulations of horizontal walk and walk on slopes and steps, a control device, walk plates, and load sensors detecting loads applied on the walk plates individually. The control device has a function of comparing data detected by the load sensors with standard data to analyze a state of walk of the participant.