Scientists develop virtual tour of Pompeii

People could soon be able to walk through the streets of Rome and Pompeii without visiting Italy.

The Cybercarpet treadmill has been developed by scientists at the Max Planck Institute.

It uses the Cityengine, software designed by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), which creates large-scale detailed virtual environments of particular cities.

People wear a virtual reality headset and walk on the treadmill, which goes in any direction to give the impression of walking and running around 3D worlds.

The two teams will show off the technology at a conference in Tubingen, Germany, later this month by showing how it can be used to let people stroll around ancient Pompeii and Rome.

Marc Ernst, coordinator of the project, said: "Pompeii is a great showcase because it lets you discover a city that no longer exists."

The developers of the system also believe the technology could be used in other ways. They have said that architects could use it to let customers walk through buildings before they are built.

It could also be used for training firemen in dangerous situations, as well as helping with the medical rehabilitation of people who have suffered a stroke.

ETHZ is in talks with game manufacturers to see how the Cityengine can be used in games.