Virtuix Lets You Go Nowhere... In Any Direction

One problem with virtual reality games is the fact that, sooner or later, reality comes back to bite you. You can slap a VR headgear over your eyes and walk forward, seeing an amazing computer generated reality around you, but eventually, you're going to walk into a wall in the real world that you didn't see in the game - or worse, you could step off of a cliff, then plummet to a very real end.

To remedy this, Virtuix has developed the Omni virtual reality treadmill, allowing gamers to enjoy immersive gameplay and have the feeling of walking as far as they like in the game world, without ever moving from where they started. After development of the product, the next hurdle was getting the funding to bring the Omni to market.

Now, Virtuix has announced that it has completed a $3 million seed investment round designed to expand production and distribution of the Omni. Investors include Tekton Ventures, Maveron, Scentan Ventures, Radical Investments, Scout Ventures, StartCaps Ventures and a group of private investors.

"Virtual reality technology has finally caught up to the vision consumers have had for decades. The Omni transforms seated virtual reality into a fully immersive, active experience. These funds ensure that we can deliver a great virtual reality platform to our passionate existing community as well as to new audiences and markets that are emerging every day.
- Jan Goetgeluk, CEO, Virtuix

"When I demoed the Omni at the Game Developers Conference this year, I glimpsed the future of virtual reality. The full body experience was so real that when I finished, my heart was pounding, my legs were tired, and I was completely transported into another world. This technology has the ability to deliver immersive experiences to consumers in a way never before possible."
- David Wu, Partner, Maveron

Virtuix’s latest round of financing comes less than a year after the $1.1 million it raised via Kickstarter to launch the company and development of the Omni. In the spirit of the company’s crowdfunding roots, Virtuix listed its current round on SeedInvest, a leading equity crowdfunding platform that connects accredited investors with rising companies seeking funding.

In addition to gaming, Virtuix sees prospective uses for the Omni in the industries of fitness, training, medical, military, tourism, and social gatherings. Virtuix has pre-sold more than 3,000 Omnis to date and will begin delivering units later this summer. Virtuix has stated that the estimated shipping date of the Omni is in September of 2014 and the Omni is currently available for pre-order for $499 per unit. For more information, check out the official Virtuix website