Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

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Marulu
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Marulu »

[youtube-hd]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxu-wKE9s1c[/youtube-hd]

Your treadmill is in the newest VSauce 2 video!
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Oneironaut »

The Virtuix Omni featured on Vsauce! Congratulations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxu-wKE9s1c#t=1m24s
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by colocolo »

1,1 million potential viewers or one step further to bigger popularity.
Nice. :D
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by OutatimeTV »

My first post here, so hello to everyone. :D

@JanVR

I have a question about the shoe sole configuration.

Will there be a shoe sole kit with the pins molded in, that you can attach to your normal shoes ?
Or do you plan to sell complete Omni shoes with it ?

As I have size 13+ feet I have problems finding good shoes at all. So I would prefer a length and size adjustable strap on kit to my daily used shoes or the shoes of my friends.

And the size of the walking "bowl" should not be smaller than the actual used 48" because I'm tall and have long legs. I would need that space to do walking and running without hitting the borders.

I really like the concept of your Omni. It's a must have. 8-) If the kickstarter price (incl. shipping) is affordable for me I will join in.
As I have just ordered an Oculus Rift kit, your device would be the best addition to make a good VR simulation.

I have not read any information about where you are located ? Europe ? USA?

Thank you.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

Hi Outa,

Thank you for your post. Welcome to the forum!

We have not made a final decision yet whether to offer full shoes, or strap-ons, or both. Both options have pros and cons, with the cons of strap-ons currently swaying our preference to full footwear. That said, some people have big feet and long legs, so we will need to accommodate for that.

We are located in Houston, TX, the Silicon Valley of... well... maybe one day. :)

Let me know if you have any other questions!
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Zoide »

JanVR: How is work on the Omni going? What sorts of changes/improvements are you working on right now? In the past I have enjoyed when you give us small updates and we can all offer our suggestions and ideas ;)
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

Hi Zoide, sorry indeed that I have been giving fewer updates; it's been insanely hectic. We are currently fine-tuning our CAD design, belt assembly, shoes, and software. For the most part, the marketing effort now starts to take over. We are preparing our Kickstarter shoots as well as website and media coverage and endorsements. We get many inquiries every day from media and interested individuals and organizations, so it takes time to address all those and coordinate demos etc. Sure wish there was more time in a day! I'll be sure to keep everyone posted, and make up for my lack of updates with a killer new demo - trying to make it Omni+Rift+HL2 mod...
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Zoide »

JanVR wrote:I'll be sure to keep everyone posted, and make up for my lack of updates with a killer new demo - trying to make it Omni+Rift+HL2 mod...
Sweet! :)
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by colocolo »

since you are an mechanical engineer is there a chance that there will be a electric-motorized version in the future ?
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

I believe someone else is working on that. A motorized version would likely not be focused on consumers like you and me, since the price will be steep and the size will be rather large. Motorized devices have additional challenges, such as acceleration / deceleration, making the user trip, keeping the user in the center, noise, disassembly/shipping, etc. For consumer use, I believe passive devices are your best option.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by colocolo »

ah, that was very unprecise from me.
i actually thought of a funny omni version that could drive on wheels like a vehicle. :lol:
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

Ha, maybe we can make it a stretch goal :)
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

Made a new, short non-game demo to illustrate all the moves that are possible on the Omni - see below. Let me know what you think?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpYJXrDHOBk[/youtube]
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Zoide »

Awesome video! It's amazing how fast you can run, and how natural the gait looks. One thing I noticed is that it was much louder than the previous prototype (the one with the white surface). Is this version really louder, or is the increased noise a consequence of the room and/or the camera and microphone settings?

Thanks
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by colocolo »

wow, thats great. especially for gamers who like to move themselves.
have you tested the 100 meters? :lol:
perhaps you can put some foam underneath the platform in order to reduce the noise.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Krisper »

I love it, I need way more exercise than I get, and to get it running around in a VR world would be awesome. Keep up the good work.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by TheHolyChicken »

Run faster! Jump higher! :D

I continue to be very excited about this project. Being able to literally sprint on a stationary mobility platform is incredible. Can you walk backwards? As sidestepping unfortunately looks somewhat clumsy, in future videos I think it would be valuable to focus on the Omni's ability to let the user walk in one direction, while looking/shooting in another. Eg walk north, while shooting/looking east or west. Demonstrating this ability clearly on video will greatly alleviate people's concerns about lack of "proper sidestep" (I'm particularly thinking about the videos you'll release when you come to kickstart this in May).
Last edited by TheHolyChicken on Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by brantlew »

TheHolyChicken wrote:I would instead focus on the ability to walk in one direction, while looking/shooting in another. Eg walk north, while shooting/looking east or west. Demonstrating this clearly will greatly alleviate people's concerns about lack of "proper sidestep" (
If you can walk forward, then you can walk forward while looking sideways. That's entirely a sensor/software issue.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by ChrisJD »

The running is impressive. The side stepping not so much, but I'm not sure I'd side step much moving around by walking anyway.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by TheHolyChicken »

brantlew wrote:
TheHolyChicken wrote:I would instead focus on the ability to walk in one direction, while looking/shooting in another. Eg walk north, while shooting/looking east or west. Demonstrating this clearly will greatly alleviate people's concerns about lack of "proper sidestep" (
If you can walk forward, then you can walk forward while looking sideways. That's entirely a sensor/software issue.
I know that - I guess I could have been clearer (I have now edited the post). When I said he should "focus on" that, I didn't intend to communicate that this was an area I thought needed addressing; on the contrary, I believe it's going to work great! Instead, I just meant that I think it would be valuable to focus on this aspect of the Omni when making future videos showing off the product. :)
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by STRZ »

Very cool, VR olympics coming!
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by brantlew »

TheHolyChicken wrote:I know that - I guess I could have been clearer
got it
ChrisJD wrote:The running is impressive. The side stepping not so much, but I'm not sure I'd side step much moving around by walking anyway.
Side steps typically only come in singles - just to avoid a small object or obstruction like shifting around a doorway or moving around a rock. If it's a large object that requires multiple steps you tend to turn your hips and move at an angle. So if you can turn your head independently from your torso and can support a single side step - then you will cover 90% of the forward motion use-cases out there.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Okta »

JanVR wrote:Made a new, short non-game demo to illustrate all the moves that are possible on the Omni - see below. Let me know what you think?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpYJXrDHOBk[/youtube]
Very impressive. You obviously have had lots of practise to run like that. What happens when you lose your footing and fall? Does the waist belt support you sufficiently?
Also noticed its pretty noisy and wobbles quite a lot, if you fell forwards it looks like it might tip?

Just some comments but overall this is still the GOAT. Well done.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Zoide »

I noticed that the bottom of the platform seemed to wobble or knock up and down quite a bit. I think the original prototype was quieter because it was bigger/heavier and less prone to one end of the bottom tipping up and smacking down on the ground as you ran.

Jan: Adding foam and/or ensuring that the bottom stays glued to the floor would make the new prototype much quieter.

As for sidestepping, I think one of the the reasons it looks awkward is that you are forced to sidestep onto an incline. The incline is great for forward walking because it enables a natural gait, but it's not the best for sidestepping because when we sidestep our feet are flat (parallel to the ground).

Jan: I think the current sidestepping behavior is an acceptable compromise, and I agree with others who say that you won't really need to sidestep much if you can aim and move independently.

The other thing I noticed were the shoes. The older videos with the white-surface Omni showed Jan wearing custom-looking shows with very thick, rigid soles. The shoes on this latest video look like regular docksides with thinner, more flexible soles.

Jan: Did you change the design such that you can add the pins onto regular shoes rather than use totally custom shoes?

Thanks!
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Callezetter »

Jan, your latest video is just soo cool. Its f***ing amazing really. I love the fast running.

And yeah strafing might be natural in a FPS..but its not in real life. Naturally you walk/run foward or backwards, and just turn you torso alittle
wich will suite the Omni perfect i guess.

More vids!
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by colocolo »

can you try out leaning backwards onto the ring in order to shoot off a virtual ball.
if that would work i could play virtual soccer one day. :D
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions!

Regarding the noise, all I should have done is decrease the volume of my microphone :) It's not as noisy as it sounds in the video. I would compare it with a treadmill in a gym (slightly more noisy due to the plastic instead of rubber band). We can add some foam or other solution to mitigate more.

Side stepping is indeed not optimal. Luckily, you would not need it much when you have de-coupled walking/viewing.

Okta, the belt prevents you from falling down.

Zoide, we currently have 4 different pairs of Omni shoes :). Still experimenting with what works best and continuously fine-tuning.

Thanks all for the support! Making small improvements every day!
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by OutatimeTV »

ChrisJD wrote:The running is impressive. The side stepping not so much, but I'm not sure I'd side step much moving around by walking anyway.
@JanVR
That were my first thoughts too while watching your new video. :)
But I don't see side-stepping to be an often used move too.

A move that I would like to see is: walk and jump / run and jump at the same time.
Because in lots of games you have to perform that to jump over an obsticle or reach something.

I get motion sick quite quickly today. Maybe 10 years ago motion sickness did not affect me at all.
So my fear is to get motion sick with the Rift.
My biggest hope is that your Omni treadmill is my solution to that because my body is moving while I'm moving in the game.

To all who get motion sick I can recommend natural products that contain ginger to reduce or prevent that sickness. It works for me.

8-)
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

Ha, Outa, thanks!

You can't really "jump forward" on the Omni, but we currently solve for that by having our software translate a jump on the Omni into a forward jump in the game. As such, you'll be walking/running forward on the Omni, take a jump, and continue to walk forward, which translates fairly smoothly to the moves you'd be doing in the game. Not optimal, but it works.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by ElMatarife »

JanVR wrote:We are located in Houston, TX, the Silicon Valley of...
Petroleum refining? :P
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by colocolo »

Have you done some mechanical stress tests?
the product would find broader acceptance if it doesnt break after 5 years.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by CyberVillain »

Very cool, totally missed this. Nice job! We need a FreePIE plugin for this once its done ;)
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by JanVR »

CyberVillain, thanks!

Colocolo, we'll do stress tests. Can't have the Omni break down.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Zoide »

Check out the first pictures from the Virtuix Omni Kickstarter video shoot!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 192&type=1

Looking very professional :woot
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Pontianak »

Looking good guys! Things look to be shaping up great over there, looking forward to backing you. :)
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by t0pquark »

Read through this thread whole thread last night and a few things came to mind:

1. Awesome work :shock:

Second) After thinking about how to do some internal sensing for this, I remembered hearing about this startup that is making large surface touch panels that can be walked on: http://www.tactonic.com/touchTileKit.html

C) After seeing how much THOSE things cost I had a better (or maybe just more interesting) thought: I'm not sure what your plastic surface is made from, but there are several types of plastics that are transparent to infared (IR) light, even while being opaque to visible light. You know what uses IR and can quickly and accurately track moving points? The Leap Motion. If this platform was maybe a little higher off the ground, you could possibly use a small array (4-6) of Leaps to track your feet from the underside in a self contained way.

IV) I realize that things are pretty far along with the current version, just trying to poke some brains in terms of an Omni 2.0 or a cool DIY add-on to all the people around here that are certain to pledge your Kickstarter.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by CyberVillain »

Can you go backwards, didnt see that in the vids.

Retreat while shooting is a must in all FPSes

edit: In reality you would retreat as a team and were some of the teammates give cover and the others retreat
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by colocolo »

CyberVillain wrote:Can you go backwards, didnt see that in the vids.

Retreat while shooting is a must in all FPSes

edit: In reality you would retreat as a team and were some of the teammates give cover and the others retreat
Virtual Reality will be different. We'll have to adopt to new gaming styles and periphery.
Like Palmer Luckey said: a mouse is a super human interface which you cant compare with VR interfaces.
In reality you wont run backwards if someone shoots at you. instead you will run away and find somewhere cover.
Thats what the Virtuix Omni will deliver. :)
EDIT: also straffing is not realistic and we'll have to forget about this . But people wont notice that, they will just move intuitive like in real life.
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Re: Virtuix Omni - Omni treadmill for VR applications

Post by Aabel »

colocolo wrote: In reality you wont run backwards if someone shoots at you. instead you will run away and find somewhere cover.
Thats what the Virtuix Omni will deliver. :)
EDIT: also straffing is not realistic and we'll have to forget about this . But people wont notice that, they will just move intuitive like in real life.
People play games because they are not reality, they want to do things they would/could never do in reality, right now that includes strafing and running backwards firing guns. The moment your average FPS player finds out you can't strafe or walk backwards is the moment they forget about your input device, label it a gimmick and tell all their friends.

Virtuix Omni is cool, and I'll probably get one, but I just don't see it being popular outside of VR enthusiasts and simulation applications.
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