Virtuix

Virtuix Omni

Image of Virtuix Omni in use in 2013.
Type	Software
Inventor	Jan Goetgeluk
Manufacturer	Virtuix
Website	www.virtuix.com
Notes Tentative release date Q4 2016 (subject to change)

Virtuix Omni is an Omnidirectional treadmill simulator for virtual reality games and other applications. It is currently in development by Virtuix. It uses a platform to simulate locomotion i.e. the motion of walking, requiring both special shoes and surface that reduce friction. It works in conjunction with a variety of head mounted display's such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Gear VR and allows gamers to walk or run within the game they are playing.

In 2013, the Virtuix Omni became one of the ten biggest technology Kickstarter campaigns, raising $1.1 million in funding. Since then, Virtuix has raised another $8 million from private and institutional investors.

Although originally slated to be released in January 2014, production of the Omni only began in November 2015. If the current launch target of Q4 2016 is met, it will have been delayed by over ​2 ¹⁄₂ years.

Kickstarter backers began receiving their orders during the third week of January, 2017.

As of mid-2017 the company no longer offers the Omni to consumers, instead opting for a commercial-only business model.

Virtuix was founded by Jan Goetgeluk. He quit his investment banking job to develop the project, investing 12 months of his time and a $200,000 personal investment to develop a prototype. The prototype for the Omni used dummy shoes and Kinect software to detect movement instead of the sensor system that became part of the final product. He applied for a US patent on 23 October 2013 for his Locomotion System and Apparatus. Virtuix presented the prototype of the Omni at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2013 in Los Angeles, California where it was reviewed by Engadget and other electronic publications, including The Verge.

Virtuix launched a Kickstarter campaign in June 2013 to raise money for manufacturing. The campaign was endorsed by Oculus Rift founder Palmer Luckey and overshot its funding goal of $150,000 within three and a half hours of it being posted. The campaign raised a total of $1.1 million when it closed, making it one of the top 10 biggest technology crowdfunding campaigns at the time. Goetgeluk presented the Virtuix Omni on an episode of the TV show Shark Tank in 2013, after selling approximately 3,000 units in the Kickstarter campaign. He failed to obtain funding from the Sharks after asking for $2 million for 10% of the company. However, Shark Tank investor and billionaire Mark Cuban invested in Virtuix after the airing of the show. Virtuix has raised a total of $8 million in additional funding from institutions and private investors. Investors have included 2020 Ventures, SeedInvest, Tekton Ventures, and Scout Ventures. In 2016, the company tested the waters under Regulation A for a potential offering of shares to the public.