PROBABLY the most prominent and popular displays at the Comdex Multimedia Showcase were the demonstrations of soon-to-be-released virtual reality helmets.
Designed to provide a private replacement for screen and speakers, as well as supporting three-dimensional stereoscopic images, the helmets provide an interface sensitive to head movement.
At the very least, these helmets promise games that allow a player to turn 360 degrees and to look up and down interactively. Some games are already being made to take advantage of these new helmets.
But, even though it was clear the public at Comdex saw the helmets as the ultimate game accessory and a potential Sega-buster, the producers of virtual reality helmets would like to think the units could become the basis of new applications in fields ranging from police training to dentistry for distracting patients during unpleasant experiences.
Linden Rhoads, senior vice-president and co-founder of Virtual I-O, whose Virtual I/O i-glasses was the smallest and lightest on display at the show, said the continuing miniaturisation of this type of technology might play a key role in the future of mobile computing.
'After the early adapters, we're working on quality and getting the price down,' Ms Rhoads said. 'We can move to tiny, remote units. Some day we could just touch your glasses and a big virtual screen will be there.