Category: kat vr

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VR Movement System KAT Loco Achieves 365% of Funding Goal

Last month VRFocus reported that KAT VR, the company behind an omnidirectional treadmill system of the same name had not only launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign for a new product but had also hit its $50,000 USD goal within the first 24 hours. The Kickstarter came to an end this weekend, easily tripling the funding target.

KAT Loco has managed to attract 1379 backers for the project, selling 1636 units for a total of $182,581 USD. It’s a foot-based locomotion system allowing you to freely walk, run, and carry out just any other movement in VR thanks to sensors on your feet and waist.

Thanks to the success of the campaign the dedicated gaming mat stretch goal was unlocked, helping keep players in one spot so they don’t go running off in VR. The system has also been enhanced in that time, adding motion capture functionality as well.

“Based on the suggestions from our supporters, KAT loco has been additionally enhanced to also provide basic mocap function for VR chat,” said KAT VR in a statement. “Besides its original function of locomotion, it is now also capable of recognizing simple lower body posture and actions. The mocap function can be furtherly expanded based on two sets of KAT loco to provide an even more comprehensive motion capture experience.”

KAT Loco image

“Having wrapped up the campaign after 40 days of a great adventure with our supporters, we are glad to announce that KAT loco has not only been successfully funded but also received VR community interest that greatly outgrew our boldest expectations!” KAT VR adds. “We will continue to polish and perfect the product, and thanks to all the support that we have received from over a hundred countries, KAT loco will soon be ready to officially enter the market.”

The wireless sensors are designed to work with a range of VR headsets including Oculus Rift/Rift S, HTC Vive, Oculus Quest and PlayStation VR (you’ll need an additional adapter “PiSystem” for PlayStation VR.) KAT Loco has been in development since early 2018 and with the Kickstarter now complete, Kat Loco should begin shipping next month to backers. When KAT Loco becomes more widely available, VRFocus will let you know.

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KAT Loco is the Latest Project to Tackle Movement in VR

When it comes to movement in virtual reality (VR) most players are used to either teleportation or smooth locomotion with a few roomscale shenanigans thrown in for good measure. But there are other avenues which can be explored depending on how immersive you want an experience to be (or how nauseated VR makes you), using hardware like 3dRudder or Cybershoes. KAT VR is another manufacturer having originally created an omnidirectional treadmill. This week the company announced a new locomotion venture, more akin to the Vive Trackers called KAT Loco. 

Unlike its big space consuming omnidirectional treadmill, KAT Loco is a foot-based locomotion system made up of three pucks. Two attach around a user’s ankles while the third attaches to their waist. This enables them to then walk or run on the spot to initiate movement in VR. As movement can be one of the greatest barriers to comfortable VR gameplay, making players physically move in a natural way without needing roomscale or cumbersome tech has proven to be popular.

As you may expect, KAT Loco enables forward movement by simply jogging. But for locomotion to truely work in VR the solution needs to offer more. So players will be able to move backwards, and strafe – essential for first-person shooters (FPS). KAT VR has even included ‘Cruise Control’, enabling players to move in one direction at a particular speed without having to move their legs; which is perfect for large open worlds like Fallout 4 VR.

KAT VR launched a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign a couple of days ago and managed to achieve its $50,000 USD goal within the first 24 hours. Currently sat at just over $57,000, backing tiers for the system start from $99 for the Early Bird price. There are still plenty left at that price but sales are capped at 500 units.

KAT Loco image2

KAT Loco has been designed to work with as many VR headsets as possible, including Oculus Rift and Quest, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, and any others which are SteamVR compatible. While the kit features three sensors, the company is looking into support for up to 16 modules for more complex body tracking.

Deliveries are scheduled to take place in August 2019. As further details are released VRFocus will let you know.

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KAT VR Reveal Exclusive Distribution Offer For Their Upcoming KAT Walk Mini

Back in March of this year, KAT VR revealed the KAT Walk Mini which was a smaller omni-directional treadmill designed for use with virtual reality (VR) titles. Built off the success of their last product the KAT Walk, which had a successful Kickstarter back in 2015, the company was looking to have the same results with this new, smaller product. Now, the company is setting their sights on conquering new markets and has published a blog post that details a number of plans and exciting partnership offers.

KAT VR Mini Logo

Since the company started in 2013 the team has grown into a 100 strong sparing no effort on their goal to revolutionize the industry and bring new technology to the market. With the release of the KAT Walk Mini, the company is hoping to become a technological leader and one of the world’s largest VR treadmills suppliers. The KAT Walk Mini has proving to be a successful product even before launch as the company secured funding through business partners, leading to the Kickstarter being scrapped in favor of pre-orders.

Thanks to offering a new smaller, lightweight design that offers an immersive 6 degree-of-freedom (6DoF) movement system, players using the KAT Walk Mini will have a ground breaking experience. The company have also been hard at work on the ensuring the KAT Walk Mini is fully compatibility with as many different titles as possible including some of Steam’s biggest VR titles like Fallout 4 VR, Doom VFR and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR.

Until the end of October, KAT VR are also offering potential partners from all over the world the chance to gain exclusive distributorship terms. No matter the size or placement of the partner, all importers and dealers will be backed by KAT VR’s dealer-support policy which can include benefits such as diverse pricing and shipment privileges, multiple giveaways, online and live promotion opportunities, K-coins awards, exhibitor benefits and many others yet to be revealed.

For those who would like to learn more about setting up a partnership with the company make sure to visit the KAT VR website to learn more and to contact the Promotion & Sales Department at global@katvr.com. Be quick though as the partnership offer is set to expire on October 31st, 2018.

VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the KAT Walk Mini in the future so make sure to stay tuned for more.

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KAT VR Scrap Kickstarter For KAT Walk Mini

Last month the China-based company KAT VR announced a new product, the KAT Walk Mini, which was a smaller omni-directional treadmill designed for use with virtual reality (VR) titles. This came with the news it would be funded via a Kickstarter but now, a few weeks after the announcement the company have revealed that they are scrapping the Kickstarter altogether.

Taking to the company blog, the announcement was made that following some successful cooperation with business partners that KAT VR now have the resources and ability to proceed with the research and development of the KAT Walk Mini without the need for crowdfunding. This is a bit of a surprise announcement but it is good news ensuring that the product will indeed come to be a reality without the need for a successful Kickstarter run.

With the announcement of the move to scrap the crowdfunding also comes the reveal of the price and pre-order discounts. This will see the first group to pre-order getting a bigger discount off the retail price with every week the discount getting smaller and smaller until the pre-orders are the full price of $2,499 (USD). If you pre-order the KAT Walk Mini before April 20th then you can get it for the lowest price which is $1,499 (USD).

KAT Walk Mini Prices

KAT VR are best known for their successful Kickstarter and release of the KAT Walk which was their first omni-directional treadmill that was meant with praise. The KAT Walk Mini is designed to take the solution from the first product but make it more refined and smaller in footprint to make it a more accessible product. The KAT Walk Mini also replaced the old wireless foot sensors with a laser sensor array built into the base plate of the device, allowing for a much faster response time ensuring lower latency when in user.

Had KAT VR gone with the Kickstarter for the KAT Walk Mini they would of seen the interact in the product and sales in real time, ensuring the number of backers would cover their initial production run. Now, with the switch to pre-orders, the company is still likely to see the same success, if not maybe more, but it does mean a little bit less transparency in the cycle. Here is hoping that all goes well and the product is able to be delivered and be what users hope for.

VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the KAT Walk Mini in future

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Kat Walk Mini: Vorbestellungen ab 1500 US-Dollar

Der chinesische Hersteller Kat VR kündigte kürzlich eine Kickstarter-Kampagne für das neue VR-Laufband Kat Walk Mini für den Heimbetrieb an. Dieses sollte nach Angaben der Entwickler nicht nur platzsparend sein, sondern auch preiswert und damit auf die Zielgruppe des Heimkonsumenten abzielen. Nun veröffentlichte das Unternehmen auf seiner offiziellen Webseite eine Preisliste für Vorbestellungen, die entgegen mancher Erwartung teurer ausfällt als erhofft: Das Kat Walk Mini kostet mit einem Frühkäuferrabatt 1500 US-Dollar, der reguläre Preis liegt bei 3000 Dollar.

Kat Walk Mini – Vorbesteller-Preise für das VR-Laufband veröffentlicht

Kat VR präsentierte bereits verschiedene Modelle ihrer Treadmill Kat Walk, die eine endlose Fortbewegung innerhalb der VR ermöglicht. Bisher waren diese aufgrund des hohen Preises und ihrer ausufernden Abmessungen hauptsächlich für VRcades interessant. Doch im letzten Monat verkündete der chinesische Hersteller, eine Kickstarter-Kampagne ins Leben zu rufen, um ein kleineres und preiswerteres Modell für den Heimkonsumenten auf den Markt zu bringen.

Nun veröffentlichte der Anbieter auf der offiziellen Webseite eine erste Preisliste mit einem Formular für Vorbestellungen des VR-Laufbands und sorgt damit teilweise für Ernüchterung bei der Zielgruppe. Mit einem Frühkäuferrabatt von 50 Prozent kostet das Kat Walk Mini 1500 US-Dollar. Die Preise steigen zudem wöchentlich bis zu einem Verkaufspreis von 2500 Dollar an, der endgültige Preis liegt regulär dann bei 3000 Dollar. Allerdings ist das wesentlich günstiger als die aufgerufenen 9000 Dollar für den großen Bruder.

Kat-Walk-Mini-Treadmill-Preorder

Die Spezifikationen des Laufbands zeigen, dass es deutlich kleiner und leichter als seine Vorgängermodelle ist. Dank des Formfaktors und innovativen Designs sowie der Stoßdämpfung in der Bodenplatte soll komplette Bewegungsfreiheit ohne Verletzungsgefahr gewährt werden, da sich das Gerät an jede Bewegung des Anwenders anpasst. Zudem setzt das Modell auf ein Set von Laser-Sensoren auf der Lauffläche, um eine geringere Latenz zu ermöglichen. Das Laufband soll mit sämtlichen VR-Spielen mit freier Locomotion sowie für alle gängigen VR-Brillen (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Pimax, PSVR und sämtliche weitere Brillen) kompatibel sein.

Ob das Unternehmen die besagte Kickstarter-Kampagne noch ins Leben ruft und dort andere Preise aufzeigt, bleibt derzeit noch abzuwarten. Zum aktuellen Verkaufspreis dürften sich nur Heimkonsumenten mit dickem Geldbeutel zu einem Kauf verleiten lassen.

(Quellen: Road to VR | Kat VR | Video: Kat VR Youtube)

Der Beitrag Kat Walk Mini: Vorbestellungen ab 1500 US-Dollar zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

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Kat Walk Mini Pre-orders Start Tomorrow at $1500, Full Price Set at $3000

KatVR, the China-based company behind the 2015 Kickstarter-funded KAT Walk VR treadmill, announced last month that a new mini-version of the low-friction VR treadmill would be hitting Kickstarter soon, and that above all it would be “affordable.” Today the company published pre-order prices on the Kat VR website, and it’s unfortunately a bitter pill to swallow: with the lowest early bird discount of 50%, the minimum price is $1500.

A Kat VR spokesperson took to Reddit last week to address consumer concerns, saying “[o]ur target audience is for consumer-use, the price will be fitting,” and that the Kickstarter would roll out “soon” and the Mini would be “affordable.”

Now, the company has published a pre-order price list on their website. Each successive week during the pre-order period sees a price hike between $200-$500:

image courtesy Kat VR

We’ve reached out to Kat VR to clarify what that means to prospective Kickstarters, as below the price list is a pre-order contact form. At the time of this writing, the company’s Kickstarter is still MIA.

Kat Walk Mini is designed to be smaller and lighter than the 2015-era Kat Walk, and features a number of design changes including a new laser sensor array for lower latency and more responsive foot tracking, a redesigned guide bar system that pivots in place as you turn your body to face the desired direction, and a “high strain shock-absorbing material” in the treadmill’s base. Using low-friction shoes, the system allows you to simulate walking, and even sit down, according to the new informational video linked below. Kat Walk Mini is aiming to support SteamVR-compatible headsets including Vive and Rift, and also PSVR.

The original Kat Walk, a much larger unit, originally ranged between $400-$650 for early bird Kickstarters, although the MSRP is likely much more expensive than that (price available by inquiry only). If Kickstarters aren’t seeing a similar price break when the campaign goes live, then it’s safe to say the company is classing itself out of its target market.

The post Kat Walk Mini Pre-orders Start Tomorrow at $1500, Full Price Set at $3000 appeared first on Road to VR.

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Kat VR Details Upcoming VR Treadmill KAT Walk Mini in New Video

In response to curiosity from the community, Kat VR, the China-based VR treadmill company, released a new video showing their upcoming small form-factor KAT Walk Mini in action.

“The KAT Walk mini is not only smaller than its predecessors, [but] it’s a whole lot lighter, allowing it to fit in almost all spaces” the company says in the video. The Mini version is said to integrate a shock-absorbing base plate, and a “contactless sensor technology” that removes the need for foot trackers. The VR treadmill uses a pair of special low-friction shoes to achieve simulated motion.

comparison between original Kat Walk and ‘Mini’, image courtesy Kat VR

A Kat VR spokesperson took to Reddit to address consumer concerns, saying “[o]ur target audience is for consumer-use, the price will be fitting,” and that the Kickstarter would roll out “soon” and the Mini would be “affordable.”

KAT Walk Mini is aiming to support SteamVR-compatible headsets including Vive and Rift, and also PSVR.

The post Kat VR Details Upcoming VR Treadmill KAT Walk Mini in New Video appeared first on Road to VR.

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KAT VR Reveal The KAT Walk Mini

China-based company KAT VR have announced a new product in the form of the KAT Walk Mini, a smaller omni-directional treadmill designed for use with virtual reality (VR) titles.

KAT VR Mini Logo

The company is known for their successful Kickstarter and release of the KAT Walk, their first omni-directional treadmill. The design of the KAT Walk was to allow a user to have complete freedom with a 360-degree field of continuous movement within a space space. Rather then having a ring around the waist that would restrict the users movement to keep them inside the product area, the KAT Walk had a suspended harness that would hold them up in place, without the risk of falling over. This also meant that users where able to move with more ease and even lean, crouch, turn and even run with more freedom.

Now with the announcement of the KAT Walk Mini, users will be able to experience a similar product all within a smaller, more compact product. The KAT Walk Mini also replaced the old wireless foot sensors with a laser sensor array built into the base plate of the device, allowing for a faster response time providing lower latency. Likewise the overhead suspended harness is gone and now released with a guide bar system that provides with the turning of the user allowing for less strain and more freedom in movement.

KAT VR Mini Trailer02

The Kickstarter campaign for the KAT Walk was successful in raising over $150,000 (USD) back in 2015 and now the company aims to do the same again with the KAT Walk Mini. Though no set date or further details have been released the company plan to take the KAT Walk Mini to Kickstarter once again to offer the product up to willing backers. With the KAT Walk having expanded its library of compatible titles a few months ago, the hope is that the KAT Walk Mini will support the same if not more VR titles on release. For now, KAT VR are being very quiet about the details until they launch the Kickstarter.

VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the KAT Walk Mini in the future so stay tuned for more.

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VR-Laufband für dahoam: Kat Walk Mini kommt auf Kickstarter

Bereits Mitte 2015 erschien das Laufgerät Kat Walk auf Kickstarter und sammelte erfolgreich fast 150.000 US-Dollar. Nun plant der chinesische Hersteller die nächste Kampagne. Der Kat Walk Mini soll wesentlich weniger Platz beanspruchen und somit mehr Heimanwender ansprechen können. Die Kampagne soll schon sehr bald starten.

Kat Walk Mini: Kat VR plant nächste Kickstarter-Kampagne

Inzwischen gibt es zwar einige Laufbänder, um in der VR endlos gehen oder rennen zu können, jedoch richten sich bisherige Lösungen eher an Arcade-Hallen. So kostet das aufwendige Laufband Kat Walk rund 9000 US Dollar und fällt klobig und groß aus. Nun fasst Kat VR den Heimbereich ins Auge und will schon bald eine neue Kickstarter-Kampagne starten: Der Kat Walk Mini soll kleiner und leichter werden. Zwar ist noch kein Preis bekannt, jedoch sollte die neue Konstruktion auch (deutlich) preiswerter werden als der aufwendige Vorgänger.

Geändert hat Kat VR nicht nur den Formfaktor, sondern beispielsweise auch das Tracking der Füße. Statt der alten Sensoren verwendet das Unternehmen nun ein Set von Laser-Sensoren in der Lauffläche. Das soll genauer arbeiten und die Latenz verringern. Ein erstes Video zeigt das wesentlich schlichter aufgebaute Laufband. Laut Road to VR möchte Kat VR mit dem neuen Produkt zu seinen Wurzeln zurückkehren und startet deshalb erneut eine Kickstarter-Kampagne. Da der Kat Walk Mini noch ein Prototyp sei, will man das Feedback der Community in den Entwicklungsprozess einfließen lassen. Man darf auf den Preis und die geplante Veröffentlichung gespannt sein, wir werden euch über weitere Fortschritte von Kat VR informieren.

(Quelle: Road to VR)

Der Beitrag VR-Laufband für dahoam: Kat Walk Mini kommt auf Kickstarter zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

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Kat VR Announces New ‘Mini’ Version of Its VR Treadmill, Kickstarter Coming Soon

Kat VR, a China-based company known for their crowdfunded Kat Walk VR treadmill, are hitting Kickstarter again soon with a new design that promises to accommodate smaller spaces.

The company says their new Kat Walk Mini has “a much smaller footprint that can fit in any room whilst maintaining the open, non-restrictive design that allows for full range of movement for your arms and legs.”

Besides being smaller and lighter than the 2015-era Kat Walk, the new ‘mini’ design replaces the older wireless foot sensors with a laser sensor array set into the baseplate of the device, which is said to feature lower latency and provide more responsive input. Kat Walk Mini also features a redesigned guide bar system that pivots in place as you turn your body to face the desired direction. A “high strain shock-absorbing material” is used in the treadmill’s base, although we’re not sure how it differs from the original unit’s surface, or if that will require the user to user to don special low-friction shoes.

The original Kat Walk completed its first successful crowdfunding campaign nearly 3 years ago, garnering $150,000 from backers. The unit is a fairly large and heavy piece of kit though that, despite starting at an early bird price of $600, looked to appeal to mostly arcades and prosumers based on its fairly cumbersome size. Seeing a smaller, and decidedly more consumer-friendly version that incorporates some of the same freedom of movement is an interesting prospect to say the least.

“We decided to go back to our roots, to the same community that supported us initially, and that is why our next product will be launching on Kickstarter very soon. Since the product is still a prototype, we encourage the community’s involvement and feedback during the development process of KAT WALK mini,” the company told Road to VR

Kat VR is still staying tight-lipped on the specifics, as there’s still no official launch date or pricing structure yet for the Kat Walk Mini Kickstarter. We’re hoping for ‘soon’ and ‘not terribly expensive’.

The post Kat VR Announces New ‘Mini’ Version of Its VR Treadmill, Kickstarter Coming Soon appeared first on Road to VR.