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A mask that controls how much air you can breathe could be used to simulate environments with a restricted air supply in virtual reality.

There have been previous attempts at using the breath to interact with VR, involving devices such as microphones or stretchable chest bands. But they have been prone to misinterpreting movements and can鈥檛 accurately record airflow.

For more precise measurements, at the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and his colleagues used a medical-grade gas flow sensor attached to a mask with an adjustable air valve. They tested the technology on 12 participants as they experienced virtual scenarios, such as inflating a balloon or blowing out candles.

鈥淸Our system] was precise, it didn鈥檛 have any motion artefacts and it allowed us to really measure the inhalation and exhalation of users to create interactive applications that use breathing as input,鈥� says Tatzgern.

Tatzgern and his team found that they could do more than simply help someone interact with VR through breathing. The simulated environments could also be made more realistic by adjusting how much air people could breathe in. For instance, just as a real balloon becomes easier to inflate as it expands, the experimental mask can adjust to allow more air to pass through as a virtual balloon grows bigger.

They also tested a scenario in which people take on the role of a firefighter in a smoky environment, with the mask restricting airflow. One participant said the exercise helped them better understand what it was like to be a firefighter. 鈥淚f you can put people into other people鈥檚 shoes and make them experience other people鈥檚 situations, then you can educate [them]鈥� and increase their empathy,鈥� says Tatzgern.

Tatzgern and his colleagues presented the work at the in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 2 May.

Though using breath with VR isn鈥檛 novel, employing a valve to restrict airflow could be useful for a range of scenarios, says at University College London.

However, the system needs to be proven over longer time periods first, says Swapp. 鈥淵ou aren鈥檛 wearing this interface for long,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檇 be interesting [to see] what it鈥檚 like to wear for any longer than that, because typical VR experiences are much longer.鈥�

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