Virtual reality is taking the next step, and it’s bringing you along. The Omni game controller by Virtuix will let gamers walk, run and jump in their favorite games freeing them from being seated in front of a keyboard.
Omni is not your typical game controller. It works by using special shoes that have a small plunger pin on the toe and a low friction surface that is grooved for the pins. Gamers don their virtual reality head mounted display, like the Oculus Rift, step onto the Omni and strap in. Movements made on the Omni are translated to keystrokes a player would use to walk, run, jump, strafe or any movement bound in the software. The Omni will also interface with a Kinect for crouching and arm gestures. The result is a truly immersive gaming experience that is free and more natural than using keystrokes and mouse movements. The software will even keep track of calories burned and distance, moving your daily run or exercise to your virtual world.
Virtuix is not stopping at gaming. The Omni can be used for any virtual reality experience from tourism, education, virtual tradeshows and even training and simulation. The Omni is ready to play out of the box and will work with any game or application that uses a keyboard. You can grab an Omni and step into your games later this year.