Omni One in-home VR treadmill teased ahead of official release

VR is still backed to bring more immersion, conviction and general enjoyment to gaming - as well as the potential to match it with the physical activities in the process. Unfortunately, with those potential advantages come the almost inevitable downsides of losing track of the real-world surroundings that may not always be able to accommodate such virtual athleticism.

Virtuix is a start-up that claims its products can protect gamers (and their stuff) from the VR equivalent of lossing a Wii controller. They consist of "omnidirectional" treadmills with in-built harnesses that are, paradoxically, rated to create an unfettered 'VR space' by allowing the player to execute more movements in-game without fear of crashing into anything (or anyone).

Accordingly, a player may be able to run in any direction, crouch or even jump (to a certain degree) while using an Omni-series treadmill. The products have mainly been seen in commercial VR environments - however, the latest iteration is meant for the home.

Designed to take up minimal floor space with a diameter of about 4 feet, the Omni One also has its own headset (although the treadmill may be usable without it), and is currently slated to support ~30 "top games" at launch. It apparently exists as investor-only beta units to date, yet is slated to go to pre-order soon. With the potential of VR in other areas such as fitness, it may indeed have a place in the home of the future.

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