Ever wanted to try a more extreme sport than football or some casual fishing? Paragliding could be one such avenue to explore, made even easier by the fact that iFLY Basingstoke now has a virtual reality (VR) simulator to practice on called Paraflight VR.
I this sounds familiar then it’s because VRFocus reported on developer Frontgrid’s ParadropVR coming to iFLY Basingstoke earlier in the year – looks like there’s been a rebrand.
Having made its debut during the summer at Brighton Palace Pier, Paraflight VR will be a permanent fixture at iFLY Basingstoke, offering guests a true hands-on VR experience. To make it as realistic as possible Paraflight VR hooks guests into a paragliding harness where they can hold onto two handles to control their direction. The simulator can move up and down depending on air currents. A sense of speed is created as jets blow air into the face of the rider as they steer their paraglider through steep mountainous valleys as well as other jaw-dropping landscapes, zones and worlds, whilst trying to collect points. These go onto a scoreboard so they can see how well they’ve done against other players.
“We’re really excited to add Paraflight VR to our visitor offer here at iFLY Basingstoke. Now visitors cannot only try their hand at indoor skydiving but also experience the sensation and freedom of paragliding – all under one roof!,” said Tracy Goffin, iFLY Basingstoke General Manager in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming all those adrenaline junkies out there to experience an action-packed day out this Autumn!”
The experience consists of an introductory flight to help visitors become accustomed to the environment and the controls of the game, followed by the full gameplay experience which allows the individual to fly, compete with others and begin collecting points. Pricing is determined by when you want to go: Off Peak £9.99 / Prime £12.99 / Super Prime £14.99 GBP.
For further updates on the latest attractions using VR, keep reading VRFocus.
Once again it is time for VRFocus to bring you another entry of This Week In VR Sport. With a number of sports related virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) stories, this week has sports ranging from the launch of a VR Sports arcade in Dubai, Microsoft filed a patent for an arm-worn accessory and even a 13,000 feet free fall all within VR.
Dubai Sports Council Chief Hails Launch of VR Arcade
The head of the Dubai Sports Council has hailed the launch of the United Arab Emirates’s (UAE’s) first VR arcade, adding that VR is set to “change the sports scene forever”. The new VR Sports arcade is located in the VR Theme Park in Dubai Mall, and has been officially launched by international digital agency ARKub Interactive, in the presence of Saeed Hareb, secretary-general of the Dubai Sports Council.
The VR Sports arcade is home to over 20 different VR titles that are sure to give any sports fans or active families a fun and immersive way to play. This includes the chance to play basketball, football, skiing, golf and even cricket all within the VR Sports arcade. News agency WAM reported that Hareb said: “VR will change the sports scene forever. It will help in making workouts more effective and athletes will not even have to step out of their homes to train. VR Sports is a great new addition to Dubai’s sports scene, not just for virtual reality enthusiasts, but also sports professionals who are looking to improve their game. We at Dubai Sports Council are looking forward to working with VR Sports in our efforts to further enhance the sporting landscape of Dubai and add exciting new technological advances like VR.”
Though VR theme parks and arcades continue to be established around the world, including the Oriental Science Fiction Valley in China, the opening of the VR Sports arcade in Dubai Mall is key milestone for the Dubai Sports Council and ARKub Interactive. VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on any developments on the VR Sports arcade.
Microsoft Patent Points Towards More Realistic Basketball
Microsoft have put a patent forward for an AR and VR accessory that could make interesting with the virtual world feel more realistic. The patent showcases a device is called an electrostatic side clutch and was originally filed in 2017 with it only recently being published by the United States Patent and Trademark office. The side clutch, which is the images is shown as an arm-worm accessory, would make use of haptic feedback motors to allow the user to feel resistance when interacting in a virtual environment.
“While mixed reality and virtual reality systems may provide an immersive visual and auditory experience, such systems may not provide a satisfying tactile experience for the user, in which virtual objects feel like real objects,” Microsoft said in the patent. “In particular, haptic device may be configured to provide resistive contact sensation in response to detection of contact between the body of the user in a virtual display object projected into a field of view,” Microsoft continued.
What is worth noting is that the experience shown in the picture is that of a user playing basketball within virtual space. The applications of the device could therefore be aimed at such a market, offering a more realistic gameplay experience. Further to the arm sleeve, a glove may also be worn to once again help replicate the real-world sensation of interaction. The different configurations for the device are detailed in the patent and show a range of different applications, all suitable for AR and VR use.
Though submitted by in 2017, and only a patent, it would not be a surprise to see Microsoft come out with a device like this that could work in conjunction with the Microsoft HoloLens, offering more immersive experiences and interaction. VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on this story in the future.
IFLY Indoor Skydiving Announces New VR Experience
In case you missed it earlier in the week, the world’s largest indoor skydiving operator has announced a new VR experience offer an immersive 13,000 feet free fall ride. By taking state-of-the-art VR technology and combining it with 28 iFLY tunnels across the country, the company is hoping to offer visitors a unique experience unlike anything else all within a safe and controlled environment.
“The idea of a virtual reality flight experience has been a dream of the iFLY brand for more than two decades, but the technology wasn’t there,” said Dave Kirchhoff, iFLY CEO. “VR headsets are nothing new, and it’s something many of us have all experienced at a trade show or event, but nobody is applying VR technology to real-life scenarios like this. We are truly pushing boundaries to make this iFLY experience one-of-a-kind by making the dream of flight more tangible and more real than ever before.”
Guests who want to try the experience will need to go through a number of training requirements before preforming the immersive jump in VR. Beyond being used as a means of entertainment, the new experience could be a valuable tool in training jumpers before the real thing all while still offering that intense rush of free falling for 13,000 feet.
That is all for This Week In VR Sport. For more on immersive sport news keep reading VRFocus and remember to check back next week for another This Week In VR Sport.
The world’s largest indoor skydiving operator has announced the introduction of a first-of-its-kind virtual reality (VR) experience to complement their current flight offering. The iFLY VR Flight Experience is available to thrill seekers at 28 iFLY tunnels across the country.
In the next iFLY VR Flight Experience, users will feel the rush of adrenaline and see themselves seamlessly jumping from a plane through a hyper-realistic free-falling experience, with complete immersion via iFLY’s state-of-the-art VR helmet and headset. The new experience utilizes first-of-its-kind VR technology application, powered by Samsung Gear VR headset and iFLY’s wind tunnel technology. This allows participants a chance to combine the thrill of skydiving from the perspective of professional skydiver all within a safe and controlled environment.
“The idea of a virtual reality flight experience has been a dream of the iFLY brand for more than two decades, but the technology wasn’t there,” said Dave Kirchhoff, iFLY CEO. “VR headsets are nothing new, and it’s something many of us have all experienced at a trade show or event, but nobody is applying VR technology to real-life scenarios like this. We are truly pushing boundaries to make this iFLY experience one-of-a-kind by making the dream of flight more tangible and more real than ever before.”
The iFLY VR Experience will have users jumping out of a place and then free falling for around 13,000 feet. This immersive experience will take indoor skydiving to a new level and could even be used as a means to prepare people for real-life jumps thanks to the immersive technology being used. It is worth noting however that those wanting to participate in the iFLY VR Experience will first need to complete an iFLY pre-flight training course and a number of training flights before they will be allowed to perform the jump in VR. The experience is also only available to those over the age of eight with further health and safety information available on the iFLY website.
VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest from iFLY and their iFLY VR Experience in the future so be sure to stay tuned for more.
Earlier this year VRFocus reported on Frontgrid, a specialist in global leisure and attractions, would be launching its first virtual reality (VR) experience ParadropVR at Universe Science Park in Denmark this Spring. Now the company has revealed ParadropVR will be coming to the UK, care of iFLY Indoor Skydiving this summer.
iFLY is one of the world’s largest indoor skydiving company’s with 37 centres around the world in the UK, Europe, Asia and USA. ParadropVR will be based at iFLY’s Basingstoke branch, offering guests the chance to immerse themselves in a paragliding experience that features realistic flight controls combined with a VR headset.
“Our goal has always been to make the dream of flight a reality by giving our customers ‘wings’ in a safe and fun environment,” said iFly UK CEO Simon Ward in a statement. “Flying a performance paragliding canopy offers a unique way to experience the thrill of flying, and we’re pleased to be working with Frontgrid to offer this new attraction. The iFly team were immediately impressed by the compulsive experience offered by Paradrop VR.”
ParadropVR has been designed to be modular, ideal for operation in a wide range of venues such as theme parks, FECs, museums, shopping malls and destination attractions. Frontgrid has been working with UK VR partner Simworx on the attraction which has a gaming element to make the attraction more competitive.
“ParadropVR will introduce a new, high energy social experience to iFly, who recognise the potential for growth in adventure-based activities and opportunity presented by VR attractions,” adds Matt Wells, co-founder and CEO of Frontgrid. “We’re pleased to be helping the world’s largest indoor skydiving company open-up new revenue streams, and look forward to introducing ParadropVR to new audiences.”
iFLY Indoor Skydiving isn’t new to the world of VR as it already runs the iFLY 360 Virtual Reality Experience, which combines an indoor skydive with the thrill of a simulated ‘real’ skydive from a plane. VRFocus will continue its coverage of ParadropVR, reporting back with any further announcements.
