From the get-go, the Virtuix Omni VR treadmill was designed to be both adjustable and collapsible, allowing it to work for users of different heights and be stowed away out of sight. For the first time at CES 2015, Virtuix showed off the production version of the Omni and how easy it is for a single user to get up and running.
See Also: Virtuix CEO Talks Production-ready Omni, Shipping Expected in March (video)
We’ve been following the Virtuix Omni since its highly successful Kickstarter raised more than seven times its goal back in July, 2013. Since then we’d seen the prototype on numerous occasions. The prototype, however, was set to a single height, so we were never able to see the height-adjustment function for ourselves. At CES 2015, the company revealed their production unit and showed us how easy it is to step into the VR treadmill and get ready to run.
Starting by connecting the foot tracking pods to the shoes, users step into the Omni, close the ring opening, and fit the harness with a single waist buckle and two straps around the legs. With your feet, you can easily unhook two levers that lock the Omni’s waist ring into place. From there, some sturdy metal handles on the ring allow you to raise or lower the apparatus. Once you’re happy, line up the holes and press the foot levers to lock it into place. The height settings are numbered, making it easy to remember which one suits you best.
I got to test the production Omni for myself at CES 2015; being able to select a suitable height made for a more comfortable experience than when I’d tried the fixed-height prototype in the past. The new harness is also more padded and comfortable. A full hands-on article from my time sprinting around in VR with the Virtuix Omni is coming soon.
