To those out of the loop, the Kat Walk C treadmill is a VR peripheral that allows users to walk on the spot and have their movement reflected in VR. It works by getting users to stand on a large dish, wear special shoes and strap into a harness, which then allows them to walk on the spot to provide a new locomotion option for VR players. It supports PC VR and PSVR headsets and, according to Kat VR, will work with games that have a free locomotion setting.
By reaching $1.6 million in funding, the campaign also smashed all five of its stretch goals, which add more hardware and software features to the device. You can read details of all the stretch goals over on the Kickstarter page, but the biggest is the $1.5 million goal, which will see a ‘Haptic Feedback Module’ added into the base of the platform. There’s not too many details on how the module might work in practice, but no doubt it will add some kind of vibration or feedback to the experience while players walk around in VR using the treadmill.
Production of the Kat Walk C is to start in September and the first batch of devices anticipates shipping in October of this year. You can read more here or over on the Kickstarter campaign page.
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.
We’ve had a chance to go hands-on with its bigger brother back at Gamescom 2017. Although VR treadmills have gotten better throughout the years, they still don’t offer a natural walking experience, as the user needs to adapt to the low-friction surface and the demands of pulling themselves opposite to the rear-mounted stabilizer bar.
That said, there’s really no other device class in town that approximates walking in VR—let alone one for consumers—so we’re interested to see how Kat Walk C fares before offering any further opinion.
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.
The Kat Walk C campaign is slated to arrive sometime in late June; early-bird prices are set to start at $700 + delivery fees. There’s no word on what price Kat Walk C will hit once the early bird tiers are all gone though, or what the final MSRP will be when all is said and done.
In any case, it’s encouraging to see Kat VR offering up a more reasonable price point that consumers (or rather prosumers) might actually afford. In 2018, Kat Walk Mini was originally supposed to hit what the company called at the time an “affordable” price point, however the device was revealed to cost $1,500 at its cheapest, and that was with the 50% discount for early bird customers. Kat Walk Mini was subsequently pulled from the crowdfunding platform due to the company securing outside funding.
We’ll be putting out a more in-depth article on the upcoming Kat Walk C Kickstarter campaign, so make sure to check back for more soon.
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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’.
Continuing the coverage of the Digital Out-of-Home Entertainment (DOE) applications of Virtual Reality, in his second part of Kevin Williams, charts developments that were seen at the leading International Amusement and Attraction convention in Orlando.
In this next part of our coverage from the show floor of the largest trade event dedicated to the theme park, attraction and amusement industry:
VR Standalone Enclosures
As previously covered in our first report from the record breaking International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo (IAE); and we follow on from the developers of facility based free-roaming VR backpack, multi-player experiences, we have seen new developments in this business approach.
Many exhibitors at IAE saw the appearance of Standalone VR Enclosures, that can offer the VR backpack experience with in a compact foot-print. These pop-up modular designs have gained momentum and made a big splash onto the scene. Leading the charge was media attraction developer TRIOTECH who in a far-reaching agreement partnered with game publishing powerhouse Ubisoft towards releasing their Virtual Maze. Developed with Asterion VR, this modular maze VR experience was launched to the IAE audience running Virtual Rabbids: The Big Maze. But this was revealed to only be the start, with TRIOTECH and Ubisoft taking to the stage to announce their partnership, and following the Rabbids title, will in 2018 also launch a game based on the successful Assassin’s Creed franchise.
Ernest Yale, President and CEO of Triotech and Deborah Papiernik, senior vice president of new business for UbisoftThe TRIOTECH Virtual Maze in action
Major partnerships to drive adoption of new VR attractions is a common component of the growth of the Out-of-Home entertainment industries approach. Regarding development of Standalone VR Enclosures’, another prominent developer at the show was A.i. Solve, who presented their WePlayVR – a popular VR backpack enclosure system, having players’ either navigating a virtual temple, or alien invasion. In partnership with leading amusement manufacturer and distributor BANDAI NAMCO Amusement, the companies have already installed the system in over thirteen locations, with many more sales chalked up during the show.
The WePlayVR experience
VR Standalone Platforms
Beyond the dedicated enclosures, several exhibitors promoted standalone (pop-up) VR platforms, created to be placed in a wide variety of venues ranging from shopping malls, cinema foyers, and family entertainment centres (FEC). These standalone approaches came in multiple varieties – leading lasertag and escape room specialist, Creative Works has partnered with the developers of the HoloGate VR platform; a four-player VR platform for FEC operators to deploy. The tethered VR experience using the HTC Vive head-mounted display, and offering a competitive multi-player experience that proved popular with many of Creative Works clients.
The HoloGate VR system in full flow
Another company offering a plug-and-play solution for operators that want to deploy a unique VR experience was motion cinema seat developer MediaMotion. The company promoting their ReactiVR product range that includes the ‘Motion VR’ platform, a two-seat MediaMotion MX4D motion-seat, linked to HTC Vive headset and controllers. The company demonstrating available game content working directly with Skydance Interactive (Archangel) and The Rogue Initiative (Steel Cobras) to integrate their games with this immersive seat configuration.
The Motion VR experience
The ability to drop a turn-key VR solution was demonstrated from VRX Networks. The company has presented their VRX Zone – the platform partnering with Hollywood movie studios to produce VR interactive blockbuster movie experiences, leveraging the power of the big marketing budgets. VRX Networks looking to have installed at over 50 installations by the end of the year. Running on their Oculus VR headsets games promoting The Emoji Movie, Jigsaw and Jumanji motion pictures.
Various examples of turn-key VR standalone solutions were also seen from SMAAASH, an Indian based developer of FEC facilities and attractions for their market. The company promoted their Finger Coaster VR virtual rollercoaster and Vertigo, their walk-the-plank experienced. Another standalone approach was from CXC Simulations – the company famous for their competitive network racing simulator race rooms, have turned to VR applications with their over 20 facilities running VR race rooms, employing the HTC headset.
The Chinese developers have lead the charge in the out-of-home adoption of VR entertainment systems, and the leading developers came on mass to IAE to offer interested operators a range of platforms. Manufacturer NINED presented their range of products including the Baby Bear virtual viewers for younger guests, all the way up to the KAT Walk platform. The unique omni-direction VR system, offer competitive experiences.
The KAT Walk network experience
The other Chinese developers included Movie Power, with their Skiing VR piece and their more traditional egg-shaped 9D VR ride experiences. While developer Skyfun Animation showed their own selection of VR systems such as the motorcycle system Crazy Motorbike VR – these systems using the Deepoon BPVR E3 headset. One Chinese developer, LEKE VR, came to the Orlando show with their stylish racing car experience called the VR Racer. It was revealed that the company has signed an exclusive partnership with new UK operation Immotion Group – and following a fundraising of some £1.3m, the new operation plans to distribute VR Arcade pieces into the West.
VR Amusement Platforms
The ability to offer a VR experience in a package that operates similarly to a conventional video amusement piece has not been lost on developers of the latest platforms. Amusement machine manufacturers embracing the new technology to develop amusement quality VR standalone platforms, and the leading examples made the trip to IAE.
No stranger too VR amusement pieces, UNIS had already partnered last year with VIRTIX to launch their Omni Arena – network gaming experience that is now supported by the brand new Omniverse – a proprietary content delivery and arcade management platform for use by commercial Omni operators around the world. The UNIS booth at IAE saw two new VR systems, with the launch in the West of the game D-Day 2077 – a alien invasion VR experience with the player wielding a Gatling gun. The other game was Tiger Knight an ancient Chinese knight horse riding game. These games dependant on the use of the HTC Vive headset.
The UNIS based D-Day 2077
Amusement manufacturer LAI Games released Virtual Rabbids, the latest developer to partner with Ubisoft to utilize the lovable Rabbids brand. With their new VR amusement piece, the company has developed a two-rider motion simulator with three selectable VR experiences, LAI Games promoting the systems as the first attendant-free VR ride experience that is operated and serviced like any other coin-op amusement game.
Virtual Rabbids
VR Special Attractions
With a crowded show floor with the latest trends for the theme park and attraction sector – VR was defiantly a ubiquitous technology with many examples popping up across the event, not a niche but a definite trend in the market.
Of the less than usual applications seen at the show, and D3D Cinema, a company working with science museums and planetariums, has partnered with SOMNIACS to launch their Birdly VR physical flight simulator – the company revealing that they have placed the system in several museums, and are now looking to the amusement sector.
The big surprise in deploying VR into DOE saw the waterpark industry apply VR into their future business. The developer Ballast presented the on the Wiegand Sports booth what they called the world’s first aquatic VR headset – in partnership with the water slide developer, they are launching their VR Slide a system that marries a specially created VR experience.
The prototype Ballast waterproof headset
But Ballast was not the only developer of a waterproof VR headset for application in water parks. Turkish based Polin Waterparks, through their new interactive entertainment division Polin Games has partnered with VR specialist Polymorph to create their SplashVR – running a demonstration on their booth, with guests sitting in a rubber ring and using Samsung Gear VR’s, the actual attraction will use the specially developed waterproof headset of their design – riders viewing a unique game experience while traversing down the water ride.
The production version of the SplashVR waterproof headset
A demonstration of the SplashVR system
VR was everywhere at the IAE theme park show, even seeing it applied in a Mixed Reality experience. Created by N-Flatables, an inflatable race track accommodating RC car, specially configured with their own camera, what transmits the images to players wearing headsets and controlling the vehicles (called Live-Drive RC). This unique game experience is developed as a perfect private hire style attraction used for parties, and temporary installations.
The Live-Drive RC announcement
With the end of IAE for another year, it was clear that VR was fully imbedded in the thinking of the DOE scene. While the consumer videogame scene is still finding it hard to establish true mainstream momentum for the technology – some observers claiming that the latest consumer adoption of VR has stalled – for the attraction and amusement industry there has been an incredibly large investment towards deploying immersive technology into the mainstream business.
As an observer of the immersive technology scene, for me 2018 will be the proof of the pudding for this latest attempt to adopt VR into the attraction scene. We will now be in a position in the coming months where we will see a slew of new VR based attractions and operations opening across the globe. It will be this point where we see if VR can pay it way, and that this latest attempt to adopt the tech will be more than a novelty, and a bankable business – we will endeavour to cover the main developments in this sector in VRFocus.
Kevin Williams will return with The Virtual Arena in the New Year.
