Vienna ACTVR startup has developed a VR Jogging track that offers maximum freedom of movement.
Time for treadmills virtual reality seems to have occurred in 2021: with Kat Walk C and Virtuix Omni One this year-volume users the choice will be available two devices. Of course, the devices you will be able to navigate the virtual worlds, almost as much as Wade watts from “the First player to prepare” by Steven Spielberg .
The idea sounds great, but there’s a catch, and not only in a figurative sense: the safety mechanisms of treadmills so restrict the freedom of movement that lost all sense of immersion.
More natural walking and running
“Our goal was to build a running track, which would normally run in the virtual world”, said Elmar Rudolstadter edition Futurezone. Rudolstadter is the General Director of the Austrian startup ACTVR and together with his father, Ernst Rudolstadter developed the treadmill virtual reality, which gives users more freedom and very close to the vision Spielberg.
The video shows a device called “Cyber Mill One”: a young man wearing a light protective gear, and relatively freely moves in different directions. Special shoes are needed.
You can even easily run VR-track, which allows to reach the speed of 10 kilometers per hour. “In the long term, perhaps more,” says Rudolstadter. The corresponding algorithm is under development.
Investors are interested
According to article Futurezone, movements become possible thanks to the narrow belt knots that roll on the rails and can change direction, applying a force to the endless tapes. The Vive tracker is used to record the direction of movement.
In the development helped Institute of building Sciences and product development at the Vienna University of technology. Startup that has already received several patents for the device in Europe and the United States, funded by the Austrian Wirtschaftsservice.
In the words of Modelsthere, equipment design requires large investments, so the startup has established the first contacts with potential investors.
Treadmills remain expensive VR
The production cost is still very high. According to the CEO, the situation will change with increasing number of units. Even in this case the treadmill is still too expensive for consumers. Rudolstadter hopes to someday get into the price range of motorcycles.
Due to the high cost of acquisition of a startup aimed at VR arcades as clients. You can also use the on-site fitness centers for the simulation of the architecture or in the health sector.
The Director-General is confident that treadmills VR will prevail in the long run. “We found a solution that works and at the same time efficiently.”
Cyber Mill One is now available on the website of a startup.
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