In Virtual Reality News
March 21, 2023 – Virtuix, a provider of virtual reality (VR) gaming technology solutions, has announced the launch of the Omni One, a unique omni-directional treadmill that enables players to walk or run in any direction through video games and other virtual environments.
Seeking to take home entertainment to the next level, Austin-based Virtuix has started shipping Omni One units to its investor community in advance of a planned consumer launch later this year. The company stated that it currently has a waitlist for Omni One of more than 35,000 subscribers who have signed up online.
Omni One offers VR users a complete entertainment system that works straight out of the box without the need for a PC or other peripherals, as it ships with a Pico Neo 3 Pro standalone VR headset. Virtuix stated that it has worked closely with Pico to customize the headset system for the Omni One treadmill device. The Neo 3 Pro headset has the same processor and resolution as Meta’s Quest 2 device, but offers a wider field of view (FoV) and comes with Omni One’s operating software, including social features and a proprietary game store targeting 30 titles at launch.
Inspired by the Omni Pro, a commercial version of the Omni available at more than 500 entertainment venues in 45 countries, Omni One is designed to fit inside a user’s home. Compared to Omni Pro, Omni One is lighter, more compact (4-foot diameter), easy to fold up or move around, and allows players unmatched freedom of movement, including crouching, kneeling, and jumping, according to Virtuix.
“We’re thrilled about Omni One,” said Jan Goetgeluk, founder and CEO of Virtuix. “After a long and challenging development process, spanning Covid-19 and supply chain shortages, Omni One has turned out to be an awesome product that delivers on our company’s original vision of an active VR entertainment system for the home. Our commercial products have hosted over 3 million plays at entertainment venues worldwide, and we’ve built a fanatical player community of over 300,000 registered players. We can’t wait to bring our popular gaming experience to the homes of our many players and fans.”
How big is the Omni One virtual reality treadmill?
According to Virtuix, Omni One is 4 feet wide (120 cm), 5 feet long (150 cm), and has a minimum height of 4 feet (120 cm), meaning the device can fit inside a living room or other home space. The device is also simple to fold up or move around, with the complete system with all accessories weighing about 150 pounds (70 kg). It accommodates users from 4 feet, 4 inches to 6 feet, 4 inches in height (132 to 192 cm), and up to 250 pounds (113 kg).
Other benefits of the Omni One include:
- Allows users to walk or run in VR games or other virtual worlds, in any direction and at any speed, while occupying only a small amount of floor space;
- Allows for unrestricted, full-body movements including crouching, kneeling, and jumping;
- Safety features keep users from falling or hitting walls or other people.
“Omni One isn’t just a next-level gaming device,” Goetgeluk added. “It also keeps you in shape by burning calories while gaming! Think of Omni One as an exercise bike for gamers, or for parents who want to get their kids off the couch.”
How much does the Omni One VR treadmill cost?
Omni One’s introductory price is USD $2,595 plus shipping. The VR treadmill device can also be bought for as low as USD $65/month on a payment plan. Omni One’s pricing includes both the treadmill and the Pico Neo 3 Pro headset, which has a market value of USD $699.
According to Virtuix, more than 900 equity crowdfunding investors have applied to buy beta units, and the company is extending the beta program until late 2023. Quantities available to beta customers will start small and gradually increase as the program proceeds.
To date, Virtuix has raised USD $35 million and has shipped over USD $16 million worth of products, including over 4,000 Omni Pro systems in 45 countries and more than 70 Omni Arena systems (which have a selling price of USD $174,000) to U.S. entertainment venues such as Dave & Buster’s. Virtuix’s commercial content platform, Omniverse (not to be confused with NVIDIA Omniverse), has hosted more than 3 million plays, according to the company.
For more information on Virtuix and its Omni One treadmill system for virtual reality gaming, please visit the company’s website.
Image / video credit: Virtuix
Related Posts
About the author
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.