So... instead of keeping things out of the area you play in.. why don't we keep them in.. Now listen me out. It may seem like a stupid idea, but my idea is to not only track the player, but also the surrounding objects and implement them into the game as well. So lets say you have a big table for no particular reason, and decide to put it into your play space area. This headset would examine the table, and then put it into a game as well as you. For example lets say you did take that table and plop it into the game, then the game would take the appropriate measures to find out the length and height and width and then take the model of that thing and then change it into something else. It would then skip the process of having things not go through stuff when you can touch it in real life to. So say you did take the table then it could be turned into a bar counter, or a 7-11 shop counter, or a Walmart register place thingy. Understand my point now? The real life item or furniture, or whatever, could be used in the game to feel like your legit touching something because your hand won't go through it in real life, and neither will the controller either.
I don't think they want you placing tables and things in your play area for health and safety reasons. Plenty of people have fallen over things that are visible to them in real life.
While this is a fun sounding idea, there are serious issues with it. Among them is the fact that your play space would then have to be absolutely humongous. I'm talking "entire efficiency apartment" at least. Ideally it would need to be warehouse sized. Also, how would the game keep justifying that large obstacle in front of you if you turned and/or moved in-game (rather then walking about in person)? And finally, the reason you clear out your play space is for safety reasons. Think about all the youtube videos of someone punching a wall, another person, or crashing through the wall while in VR.
Lo, a quest! I seek the threads of my future in the seeds of the past.