kat vr – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

May 16, 2022

Kat Walk C2 Kickstarter Nears $1m Funding as Initial Goal Achieved in 5 Mins

Two days ago Kat VR, the omnidirectional treadmill specialist, launched a new crowdfunding Kickstarter for its latest models; the Kat Walk C2 and C2+. Only looking to raise $250,000 USD, the campaign not only smashed that within minutes but it’s also just shy of $1 million with 27 days still to play with.

That initial funding amount was hit within five minutes Kat VR notes in a blog post, with the overall current funding surpassing the first $500k stretch goal. That was for magnetic charging, swapping out the standard wires for some nice handy magnetic connectors. The campaign lists a total of 5 stretch goals with the next being the offer of 10+ demo games for customers to try on their shiny new treadmills.

To get to that funding figure 643 backers have pledged money to the campaign, most making use of the early bird specials. Offering some significant savings, those specials have all been bought up, with the Kat Walk C2 and C2+ now being sold at $998 and $1198 respectively. Which is probably still cheaper than either product will be once officially released on Kat VR’s website.

For the first time, Kat VR has created two omnidirectional treadmill models, the standard Kat Walk C2 and the slightly more advanced C2+. Whilst both offer the core functionality of being able to walk (or run) in VR utilising specialised shoes – supporting users between 1.55m – 2m (5’1″ – 6’7″) at a max weight of 130kg (286 lbs) – the C2+ also sports some additional features.

The Kat Walk C2+ has integrated haptic feedback built into the base as well as a sitting posture module. So after a lot of running about or when stepping into a vehicle, players can pull down the in-built seat to rest or enjoy an immersive seated experience.

With a month still to go the Kat Walk C2 Kickstarter still has plenty of time to hit those stretch goals and customers won’t have too long to wait for their treadmills either. Kat VR expects to begin shipping in July 2022 which tends to mean the Kickstarter was mainly used for promotional purposes as well as gauging initial production numbers.

For continued updates on the latest VR accessories, keep reading gmw3.

May 11, 2022June 20, 2022

‘Kat Walk C2’ VR Treadmill Kickstarter Ends with Over $2M in Funding

Known for kickstarting its original Kat Walk VR treadmill in 2015, Kat VR returned to the crowdfunding platform last month to launch the second generation of its ‘Kat Walk C’ VR treadmill, which again promises to appeal to at-home consumers. Having reached its initial funding goal in the first five minutes of launch, Kat VR went on to rack up over $2 million in crowdfunding before close of the campaign.

Update (June 20th, 2022)

KatVR recently ended its latest VR treadmill Kickstarter with $2,116,680, garnered from 1,411 backers. The studio says in a recent update that they’re “on the right tracks to begin the shipping according to our original schedule and ship out the first units starting from June of 2022.”

“Due to a large number of supporters, we may not be able to ship out all the units of C2 and C2+ at the same time, but we’ve put very heavy efforts into achieving a high production capacity and can promise to you that everyone who supported us on the Kickstarter will receive the rewards soon,” the studio says in the update.

In the meantime, the company is continuing pre-sale through its own website, pricing units starting at $1,098, which is $100 more than the unlimited tier offered through the Kickstarter before its close last week. The original article follows below:

Update (May 20th, 2022)

KatVR has surpassed $1 million, and is now currently boasting $1.2 million garnered with 23 days left in the campaign. At the moment, this puts the new campaign around 72.3 percent of the way to matching the company’s Kat Walk C Kickstarter from 2020, which secured $1.66 million over the course of 30 days. Considering the original Kat Walk C hit the $1 million mark in under 24 hours, this could suggest the new campaign is slightly behind, although not by much.

Now over the $1 million mark, the campaign has also unlocked a few stretch goals, including magnetic cable connections at the $500,000 mark, and now “10+ demo games” that are guaranteed to work with Kat Walk C2. Additionally, Kat VR says in an update its creating an “open developer platform” for the device, which it will publish so devs can add native Kat Walk support to their games.

Update (May 16th, 2022)

Kat VR has a reason to celebrate, as the KAT Walk C2 campaign blasted past its $300,000 goal in the first five minutes of going live on Saturday. At the time of this writing, the campaign has currently garnered around $930,000.

This, Kat VR says in an update, has also unlocked the first stretch goal, which includes magnetic cable connections instead of standard plug-in style cables. Stretch goals unlock at $1 million increments, which illustrates just how high the team’s hopes are that the campaign can continue its meteoric momentum.

Currently only the unlimited $998 tier is available, as early bird pricing has been completely snapped up. You can check out the Kat Walk C2 Kickstarter here to follow along.

Original Article (May 11th, 2022): Like the KAT Walk C, which launched on Kickstarter back in 2020, the so-called Kat Walk C2 lets users walk in place via a low-friction parabola and some slippy footwear. The newer model is said to include the ability to let users to run, jump, crouch, tilt from side-to-side, and lean forward; Kat VR also says it’s improved foot tracking in the C2 model, as well as the quality of its shoes.

There’s a number of early bird pricing tiers for project supporters (see below), however an unlimited tier for latecomers is set at $998. While you might think that’s not exactly a consumer price point, larger enterprise models such as the Virtuix Omni One and the original Kat Walk can retail in the multiple thousands of dollars and weigh at least 226 kg (500 lbs). The Kat Walk C2 series is said to weigh around 54 kg (120 lbs).

Like previous models, the company says users will able able to play free locomotion VR games using PC VR and PSVR, and also Quest via Link or Air Link.

Here’s a look at the pricing tiers coming to the Kickstarter on May 14th, all of which will be available in limited quantities:

C2: Super KATer Extra Early Bird – $698 + Delivery
C2: Extra Early-Bird – $798 + Delivery
C2: Early-Bird – $898 + Delivery
C2: Special Kickstarter Offer – $998 + Delivery

The company is also producing a ‘C2 Plus’ model, which includes haptic feedback integrated into the treadmill’s base and the ability to sit down. That is being sold as an add-on priced at $200 across all tiers above, making the unlimited tier $1,198.

Kat VR says the first units of Kat Walk C 2 are expected to be shipped out as early as in July of 2022.

The post ‘Kat Walk C2’ VR Treadmill Kickstarter Ends with Over $2M in Funding appeared first on Road to VR.

May 1, 2022

Run Into the Metaverse With Kat VR’s Next Omnidirectional Treadmill

Take any popular movie about virtual worlds and they’ll likely have the protagonist physically running around using all manner of contraptions. Here in the real world, a proper metaverse walk requires some serious equipment, namely an omnidirectional treadmill, and Kat VR has been making these for a while. Today, the company has announced its next treadmill iteration, the Kat Walk C2 and C2+.

Having focused most of its efforts on enterprise-level hardware, Kat VR turned its attention back to the consumer market a couple of years ago with the Kat Walk C. This new generation of omnidirectional treadmills aims to improve upon its forebear by making its locomotion experience even more natural and easier to use.

For the first time, Kat VR plans on releasing two models, the base Kat Walk C2 and the slightly more enhanced C2+. These 2nd-gen units will still feature a one-size-fits-all design but will see improvements to the custom shoes for that improved walking experience, improved “Trunk-Tilt” support to enhance in-game actions thus allowing players to easily lean forward and crouch deeper; and reduced component resistance. This should mean action like turning or moving up and down is smoother and less noticeable.

When it comes to the C2+ there are two additional features; Integrated Haptics and a Sitting Posture Module. The integrated haptics will activate upon stepping or they can be combined with the controller’s own haptics so that events like an explosion will be in sync – which sounds very cool. As for the Sitting Posture Module, this is kind of self-explanatory, sit down whilst being able to walk in VR. But it does go a step further, with a switchable Vehicle Simulation Mode. Sit down whilst driving a vehicle and when combined with the haptics can simulate various conditions like different road surfaces.

Just as with previous models, Kat VR will be launching a crowd-funding campaign to bring the Kat Walk C2/C2+ to market. A Kickstarter will begin on 14th May 2022 starting at 7 am PST, offering a remarkable early bird price of $698 (approx. £550 GBP) for the KAT Walk C 2, and $898 (approx. £710) for the KAT Walk C 2+. Quite the saving considering the current Kat Walk C retails for $1,499.00.

The Kickstarter will end on 6th June looking to raise $300,000 USD. The aim of the crowd-funding campaign is for marketing and promotion instead of needing money to build the VR treadmills. Kat VR already has a strong history in this space and it expects to ship the first Kat Walk C 2 units out in July.

For continued updates on the Kat Walk C 2 campaign, keep reading gmw3.

July 8, 2021

Kat Walk Mini S Steps Into VR Arcades This July

KAT VR has always been in the business of omnidirectional treadmills for virtual reality (VR) applications, mainly for the professional and enterprise market with devices like 2018’s Kat Walk Mini. Today, the company has announced its second generation of that model, the Kat Walk Mini S, set to hit the market this month.

The Kat Walk Mini S aims to refine the walking VR experience for users with a range of improvements over the previous model. A new vibration module built into the base adds immersive feedback from events happening in their surroundings such as explosions or earthquakes, so when a player is running through a battlezone it’ll certainly feel like it.

Even more importantly, the overall walking experience is said to be easier thanks to an optimised base. The learning curve for using the device has been reduced, accommodating a user’s natural gait more effectively whilst supporting both KAT VR’s quick-boarding shoe covers – great for location-based entertainment (LBE) venues – and its own dedicated shoes which have four adjustable levels of friction.

Also on the improvement list are better ergonomics, allowing users to more easily bend down, squat or kneel if they need to reach an item low down or use the environment for cover. The overall look and feel of the Kat Walk Mini S has also been enhanced with a far more professional, eye-catching design, built-in lights to give it a nice futuristic look and a new cable management system when venues are using PC-tethered headsets.

As the Kat Walk Mini S isn’t a consumer product KAT VR hasn’t released pricing information but it has confirmed it’ll be available to purchase worldwide this month. KAT VR does sell consumer products, the most recently released being the Kat Walk C treadmill which completed a Kickstarter last year and retails for $1,499 USD on Kat VR’s website.

As further details on the Kat Walk Mini S are released, VRFocus will keep you updated.

November 20, 2020

Kat VR Updates Wearable Locomotion System With KAT Loco S

KAT VR announced the Kat Loco S today, an updated model of their wearable locomotion system, which is available to order now.

The Loco system provides users with wearable tracking pucks that allow the bottom half of your body to be tracked and used as an input method in VR. By attaching KAT Loco trackers to your legs, you can then walk on the spot to move in VR, as opposed to using artificial methods like a joystick.

This also lets the head and the body operate independently – the head can be looking one way while the body moves in another direction.

kat loco s

The KAT Loco S is the second generation of this technology, succeeding the original KAT Loco that released last year. It features improved motion sensors and new magnetic interference resistance, which KAT says improves stability and performance, as well as simplifying setup and calibration.

In terms of compatibility, the KAT Loco S will work with “all major headsets” including Quest and Quest 2 when used for SteamVR content via Oculus Link or Virtual Desktop. KAT Loco S also works with PlayStation VR, but will require an additional adapter. Keyboard support will also allow players to use the system in non-VR games as well.

The KAT Loco S will cost $229, a slight increase from the original $199 price point, but all units ordered before November 27 will receive a 20% discount, and a 15% discount until December 31.

August 3, 2020

Kat Walk C Completes Kickstarter With $1.6m From Backers

KatVR’s latest Kickstarter for its consumer-focused treadmill for virtual reality (VR) gaming proved to be an instant success. The campaign began in June looking to achieve $100,000 USD – it did that within three minutes! – hitting $1 million within the first day. The Kickstarter has now ended, becoming one of the most successful of any VR peripheral.

Kat Walk C managed to raise a total of $1,667,295 from 1397 backers over the course of a month, as well as managing to hit every stretch goal. The last one was at $1.5m which will add a haptic feedback module into the platform base.

With the campaign complete it’s now time to look towards the end of the year when deliveries are slated to start for backers. Production is expected to start in September with the first batch of Kat Walk C treadmills going out in October. That is of course barring any issues because of the pandemic and its knock-on effect to manufacturing and distribution.

This will be the company’s first consumer-focused treadmill, as its previous models were a lot larger intended for VR arcades and other location-based entertainment (LBE) venues. Hence why the Kat Walk C has a footprint of 0.69m2 and comes in two models (standard/large) to accommodate most players from 5.4ft up to 6.5ft, maxing out at 130kg.

Kat Walk C has been designed to allow for a full range of motion so that players can be fully immersed inside an experience. Dedicated footwear help to provide natural walking and running locomotion whilst the harness provides support to keep users in place. The system also enables other actions such as crouching. The device has a multitude of other features including adjustable settings depending on the VR title as well as support for most VR headsets, from Valve Index to PlayStation VR and Oculus Quest.

The Kickstarter may have ended but KatVR does plan on selling the omni-directional treadmill commercially. It plans on gaining feedback from early adopters before releasing a retail version which will be more expensive than the Kickstarter model.

As production gets underway and more details are released, VRFocus will keep you updated.

June 22, 2020

KAT Walk C Soars Past Funding Goal, Hits $1m in 24hrs

Any crowd-funding campaign can be a gamble, some massively succeeding while others struggle from the outset. KAT VR has launched several Kickstarter campaigns over the years and its latest, for its KAT Walk C omnidirectional treadmill has already become one of the company’s most successful.

The goal was to reach $100,000 USD in 40 days, offering the KAT Walk C at a starting price of $699 for early bird backers. There was obviously a lot of interest from the virtual reality (VR) gaming community for a more compact omnidirectional treadmill as the target has been smashed.

That initial goal was hit within seconds claims an update on KAT Walk C’s Kickstarter page, and 24 hours after it went live the funding currently sits at $1,020,489 (£824,849 GBP). The success means that all the early bird tiers have sold out, leaving only the standard (non-limited) Kickstarter Special priced at $999 currently available.

However, if you did want one you may want to hold off ordering at the moment. It seems that such was the influx of orders that there were issues processing payments and trying to get one of the super early bird offers was more of a lottery. To that end, KAT VR issued this statement: “Because of your feedback, and the fact that you all decided to join the campaign regardless of the early-bird rewards selling out so quickly, after an urgent meeting with the team, we finally decided to provide another shot at the early-bird rewards that you deserve!”

An update is expected in the next few days detailing how this will work. Whether it’ll just be open to new customers or could those that bought a higher-priced tier get a discount?

Because the Kickstarter has done so well KAT VR has hit most of the stretch goals, achieving 4 out of 5 of them, the last being a haptic feedback module in the base should the campaign hit $1.5 million.

The KAT Walk C is the smallest omnidirectional treadmill the company has made, designed for those spaces too small for roomscale VR or ideal for those looking for a natural VR locomotion system. As the campaign progresses and more updates released, VRFocus will let you know.

June 19, 2020August 3, 2020

Kat VR Secures $1.6M in Kickstarter Funding for Its Consumer-grade VR Treadmill

Kat VR, the China-based company behind the original Kat Walk VR treadmill Kickstarter in 2015, has concluded its latest crowdfunding campaign, this time bringing a consumer-focused VR treadmill ‘Kat Walk C’ to market.

Update (August 3rd, 2020): The Kickstarter for KAT Walk C has successfully concluded with a whopping $1.66 million in funding. Less than 24 hours after its launch back in late June, the project successfully broke through the $1 million mark, pushing it well over its initial $100,000 goal.

This astounding result puts Kat Walk C as the platform’s most-funded non-headset peripheral designed explicitly for VR.

In an update, the company says the device is well on its way to be produced, as manufacturing lines are now established. There are still plenty of stretch goals to fulfill, including an overhead cabling pulley system, a dedicated game, haptic feedback modules for the device’s base, and more, which should keep Kat VR busy in the months to come.

The first units are said to arrive in October 2020; considering the company has been producing its VR treadmills for over 5 years now, it’s not an impossible task to reach, although we’ll be following updates closely to see whether Kat VR will be able to make this ambitious shipping schedule.

Original Article (June 19th, 2020): The campaign is slated to begin at 10 AM ET (local time here) on Sunday, and will end on July 30th. Kat VR hopes to reach at least $100,000 with its campaign.

Kat Walk C will be offered via multiple quantity-limited tiers, with the earliest supporters getting a chance to reserve their own at what the company calls “a significant discount.”

It’s not clear what the final MSRP will be after the Kickstarter is said and done, however Kat VR has consistently made their crowdfunded hardware cheaper to backers.

Check out the tiers below:

Super KATer Extra Early Bird: $699 + Delivery (Limited Quantity)
Extra Early-Bird: $799 + Delivery (Limited Quantity)
Early-Bird: $899 + Delivery (Limited Quantity)
Special Kickstarter Offer: $999 + Delivery (Unlimited Quantity)

Additionally, the company says it’s going to offer discounts for backers looking to buy multiple units, which will include discounts on delivery costs.

The first units of Kat Walk C are expected to ship to backers in early October, Kat VR says.

Kat VR says the device acts as an “independent controller”, allowing it to work with any SteamVR game with free locomotion on major VR headsets such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Pimax, and Windows VR. The device is also said to be compatible with Oculus Quest via Link, and with PSVR via an additional adapter.

Like all of the company’s VR treadmills, Kat Walk C incorporates a low-friction parabola and slippy user-worn footwear, giving you a slick surface that simulates walking to some degree.

KAT Walk C Kickstarter Going Live 21st June

Roomscale virtual reality (VR) is great for immersion but not everyone has that amount of space to move around it. KAT VR, a specialist in omnidirectional treadmills knows this, revealing plans earlier this month for a crowd-funded consumer-focused device called KAT Walk C. Today the company has announced further details on its Kickstarter campaign.

While KAT VR’s previous devices have been larger units designed more for VR arcades than home use, KAT Walk C will be as compact and price friendly as possible for consumer adoption.

The Kickstarter campaign will begin this Sunday, 21st June at 3pm BST/7am PST/10am EST. It’ll be a 40 day campaign aiming to reach a funding goal of $100,000 USD. As is customary with these sorts of projects, KAT VR will be offering several limited-run early bird tiers which look like this:

Quantity-Limited – Super KATer Extra Early Bird – $699 + Delivery
Quantity-Limited – Extra Early-Bird – $799 + Delivery
Quantity-Limited – Early-Bird – $899 + Delivery
Unlimited – Special Kickstarter Offer – $999 + Delivery

There will also be unit and delivery discounts for multiple quantity purchases.

KAT Walk C is a full-body locomotion system providing players with 0.69m2 of walking space. A harness system keeps you in place and upright whilst still enabling 360-degree movement, from turning around to crouching down. The treadmill can only be used in conjunction with dedicated footwear (included) which allows for a smooth, natural walking gait.

Most importantly, KAT Walk C will support most major headsets such as Oculus Rift S, Oculus Quest (via Oculus Link), HTC Vive, Pimax, Windows Mixed Reality and PlayStation VR (via an additional adapter). Owners will also gain access to KAT Gateway, KAT Walk C’s control panel. Available through a desktop PC or in VR, the software enables users to adjust the treadmills parameters to suit their requirements.

As KAT VR isn’t new to this field – its first Kickstarter campaign was in 2015 – the project offers a promising step towards a compact motion system thanks to the company’s track record. If the campaign is successful the first KAT Walk C units will begin shipping in early October. For further updates on KAT Walk C once the Kickstarter begins, keep reading VRFocus.

June 7, 2020

Kat VR Announces Kickstarter for At-home VR Treadmill ‘KAT WALK C’

Kat VR, the China-based company known for kickstarting its original Kat Walk VR treadmill in 2015, is once again returning to the crowdfunding platform to launch a new product later this month, this time serving up a VR treadmill called ‘Kat Walk C’ that promises to appeal to at-home consumers.

Kat Walk C appears to be a slimmed-down version of the company’s 2018-era Kat Walk Mini treadmill, offering its signature low-friction parabola and equally slippy footwear, making for a slick surface that simulates walking whilst in VR.

A rear-mounted vertical harness lets you stand and crouch, and keeps you in place while walking, running, or strafing, the company says.

Kat VR says its latest VR treadmill offers what it calls “natural walking posture support,” which if true would be a notable achievement. VR treadmills take time to get used to; the low-friction parabola in conjunction with IMU-based shoe trackers can feel more like pushing yourself through a virtual scene than simply walking normally.

Like its other enterprise-focused VR treadmills, Kat VR says it’s designed Kat Walk C as an “independent controller”, allowing it to work with any SteamVR game with free locomotion on major VR headsets such as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Pimax, and Windows VR. The device is also said to be compatible with Oculus Quest via Link, and with PSVR via an additional adapter.