Last Month, Virtuix debuted the beta version of its unique Omni One treadmill. This directional input device allows users to walk, run, and crouch within a VR environment without controller inputs.
The Omni One product allows users to explore VR by walking on the treadmill in any direction to reach complete immersion.
The Omni One product is shipping to Virtuix’s investor community. The Austin-based company will sell the product to consumers in US markets later this year. The company already has about 35,000 subscribers on its waitlist.
A Pico Neo 3 Pro headset comes with the Omni One treadmill package, allowing customers to integrate approximately 30 games. Also, the equipment bundle requires no additional accessories other than the treadmill and Pico headset.
Additionally, the product permits full-body, “unrestricted” movements such as crouching, kneeling, and jumping. The Omni One incorporates safety features to prevent operators from falling and colliding with their surroundings.
The gadget is lighter and smaller when contrasted with the past model, the Omni Master. The Omni One item is roughly 4 feet wide (120 cm), 5 feet in length (150 cm), has a base level of 4 feet (120 cm), and rounds off at 70 kilograms (150 pounds) in weight.
The Omni One product from Virtuix is now available for $2,595 plus shipping; alternatively, a $65 monthly payment plan is available.
Jan Goetgeluk, the Founder and CEO of Virtuix, sat down with XR Today earlier this month to discuss the development of the product while also giving insight into creating VR hardware for consumers and commercial markets.
Virtuix Development from Commercial to Consumer End-Users
Concerning the firm’s latest Omni One Consumer product, Goetgeluk explained:
The Omni One is an omnidirectional treadmill that lets you walk and run around 360 degrees inside virtual reality games or other applications. Instead of just pushing a joystick or a thumbstick, you are physically moving around on this 360-degree platform.
Over the years, the Austin-based firm gained experience distributing immersive products to end-users in enterprise sectors like entertainment and training. The firm’s omnidirectional treadmill product portfolio includes various models that suit a range of targeted use cases. Now the Omni One introduces hardware innovation to users at home for the first home, enhancing experiences like immersive gaming or Metaverse applications.
The CEO said:
We have the Omni Pro, the commercial version of Omni Arena, which is a full turnkey attraction with four Omni [treadmills] for commercial entertainment. And recently, we started shipping Omni One, our first consumer version designed for the home.
Despite its experience in vertical markets, Virtuix has aimed to integrate into the consumer market since the company’s conception. Goetgeluk noted that Virtuix started with a “big vision for the consumer way back when we started ten years ago.”
Goetgeluk also explained:
But we pivoted to the commercial market since the consumer VR space was slow to take off. So, we’ve been successful in the commercial space, but it’s always been our vision to go back to the consumer and have a version for the home. We started working on that 2-3 years ago, so it’s been a pretty long development process, but here we are today.
To debut a consumer device, Virtuix had to design the Omni One to suit new consumer environments. Goetgeluk notes that Virtuix visually created the Omni One “for the home” compared to the commercial version.
The CEO also noted that the Omni One is easy to set up, assemble or disassemble with “no tools needed, you can fold it down, it has wheels so you can move it around, and it’s lighter than the commercial version, so [we] really optimised [the Omni One] for home use and for consumers.”
Discussing the multi-year development cycle, the CEO added:
It wasn’t easy, there were travel restrictions, work restrictions. Then there were some supply chain shortages. So we had to work around all that. Certainly didn’t help the design cycle, so it took a little bit longer than expected, but all in all we we’re very happy with the result.
Increasing Immersion in VR Applications
With an increase in commercial and enterprise-grade immersive hardware solutions, consumers may feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice. Moreover, thanks to the emerging market, many new software and hardware solutions are hitting the market, claiming to be the next best thing in XR; but how many of these products will stand the test of time – especially in such a fast-moving landscape?
Goetgeluk said that the omnidirectional treadmill is here to stay, adding that “an omnidirectional treadmill [is an] indispensable component of a VR setup.”
The CEO also said:
I think it’s a necessary addition to any VR setup, to walk and move around inside VR. I always wanted to do that physically, I didn’t want to sit down and push a button on a thumbstick. I think it breaks the immersion. It makes people motion sick as well. If your brain sees you’re moving, but your body is not moving; especially in a first-person shooter.
Goetgeluk explained that the hardware provides increased immersion while adding “a lot to the fun factor of VR.” The CEO noted that the Omni One is good for burning calories and helping to bolster the active nature of VR interaction and gaming.
Goetgeluk said:
We’re biassed here at Virtuix. We don’t necessarily care for VR without an Omni One. Every time I try to play a game just with a headset without the Omni. It’s not good enough.
Why did Virtuix Choose Pico?
The Omni One package comes with the Pico Neo 3 Pro, a powerful consumer-grade headset – which also comes as an enterprise edition – the product is bringing fierce competition to Meta’s device foothold.
Pico’s device boasts features such as a 4k display at 1200 pixels per inch, pancake lenses, a Qualcomm XR2 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and three facial tracking infrared cameras.
Goetgeluk explained that Virtuix was looking for an accompanying consumer-grade VR headset on which the firm could install its own software. The CEO noted that Omni One software comes with its own games store, operating system, and social features; “it’s our own platform, if you will.”
There are only a few headsets out there that would allow you to do that. A company like Meta, for example, they’re not in it to be an OEM and work with other parties. So we have a great relationship with Pico, we think the Pico Neo 3 Pro is a great headset, the Pico 4, by the way, is not out yet in the US, so it’s as simple as that. We’re shipping with the Pico Neo 3 Pro today. Will we upgrade to a better headset at some point? I think that’s obviously inevitable, but we’re very happy with the new 3 Pro right now.
Further Use Cases
But what does this all mean for enterprise clients? Well, with consumer-grade omnidirectional treadmill technology available through vendors like Virtuix. New opportunities could appear for business end-users.
Thanks to consumer interest in VR, enterprise clients can access immersive solutions at lower costs than ever. Moreover, with an increasing presence in the gaming world, Metaverse and immersive application development is scaling thanks to firms such as Unreal and Unity optimising their famed game development hubs as RT3D engines for creating digital business solutions.
With firms such as Virtuix leading commercial and consumer innovation, more eyes will attract to omnidirectional treadmill technology as the firm grows its client list.
Goetgeluk added:
We’ve shipped over 4000 of those [omnidirectional treadmills] in 45 countries all over the world, mainly for enterprise applications, entertainment as well, which is probably still the biggest use case. Also, enterprise training and simulation for law enforcement, military, and corporate training. For example, we have a company that uses them for training, on how to maintain an oil refinery or a drilling platform.
Virtuix aims to increase the availability of its Omni One product later this year while also boosting the presence of alternative input methods and VR hardware innovations from commercial to consumers to the enterprise.
