Cyberith Virtualizer VR treadmill successfully funded on Kickstarter

An alternative virtual reality treadmill has hit its funding target on Kickstarter.

The Cyberith Virtualizer is the second such device to be successfully backed by the crowdfunding service, having reached $361k – easily passing its $250k goal.

Readers may recall that another VR treadmill, the Virtuix Omni, was successfully Kickstarted last year, having exceeded its $150k goal by reaching total backing of $485k. In April the company said it was targeting a September launch, but its website currently says that the $499 device will ship in February of next year.

Cyberith’s treadmill looks to differ from its rival by offering a simplified movement solution that uses a flat low friction walking pad that requires only that users wear their socks. The pad can detect the direction and speed of a player’s movement.

The team apparently dabbled with a Virtuix Omni-style bowl-shaped plate but dismissed it due to concerns about it breaking immersion.

When you run or walk on an even ground in-game your brain expects that your feet touch the ground exactly the moment your feet would do in reality,” the team said. But with a bowl your feet touch the slope of the bowl earlier than they should. Therefore every step becomes a reminder for you that you are not really inside Virtual Reality, you are in fact just using a controller.”

The ring that contains the player is also movable, allowing users to sit, crouch or jump. There are also vibration units in the base plate. There’s also an above-the-head arm that keeps any wires from a user’s Oculus Rift clear of the player.

Here’s a video: