​Sit and navigate​
HoboLoco controllers are styled like a “hoverboard” without wheels. The device is placed on the floor in front of a seated user so they can rest one foot on each footplate in its neutral position. The device employs a unique scheme of navigation control that requires little effort to move your avatar in any direction. Haptic feedback is embedded in the footplates. Standard HID protocols (keyboard & mouse or gamepad) enable communication over USB or Bluetooth. Users and developers are able to customize the operation of the device for various games.

Benefits
Hands-free
Seated
Intuitive
​Portable
Simple motions
Non-tiring
Safer than standing

---

Operational Uses
As a Mouse

• Movement only
• Movement and 2 buttons

As a Gamepad

• Left and right thumbsticks only

As a Unity game controller

• OpenXR Input as Gamepad
• roprietary JSON data

​As a combination of Keyboard (e.g. WASD) and Mouse
For example, it could be used for the following FPS PC games:

• Black Ops 3 Zombies
• Call of Duty (PlayStation as well)
• Counter Strike Global Offensive
• Dark Souls 3
• Fallout 4
• Fortnite
• Forza Horizon 4
• Halo Reach
• League Of Legends (Map)
• Minecraft
• Overwatch
• Payday 2
• Postal 2
• Postal 4 No Regerts
• PUBG
• State of Decay 2
• Team Fortress 2

Sign up to hear more

the problem

October 2017 - I was trying to figure out a potential Virtual Reality exhibit for Sci-Tech Discovery Center. In the process of educating myself about the latest in VR, I learned about virtual reality's "locomotion problem" - how do you control your movements in a virtual world without running into real walls or breaking immersion. 

the idea

November 2017 - during the previous summer I had seem my nephew gliding around on a hoverboard. It occurred to me that the hoverboard control scheme could be implemented in a device to control a virtual world. Just press your toes down to go forward, heels down to back up, and a simple mix of toe and heel to rotate. With this device you can guide an avatar walking, riding, or driving. Vibrators embedded in the footpads could be used to give the user a sense of movement.

the patents

We currently have 2 U.S. Utility Patents and one each from Japan, Korea, and China. Additional patents and countries are pending.

April 30, 2019 - US Utility patent 10,275,019 was issued to HoboLoco Inc. for Virtual Reality Locomotion Device in the US.

​Additional patents are in progress.

​Among the anticipated applications for this invention are remote control of robots, therapeutic applications, and video games.