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Samsung Electronics expands tie-ups on virtual reality

Tech giant partners with Virtuix to create virtual reality ecosystem

By Korea Herald

Published : Nov. 18, 2014 - 21:22

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 Virtuix, a U.S.-based startup which produces virtual reality treadmill Omni, became the latest to join Samsung’s efforts to create an ecosystem for the virtual reality technology, according to sources Tuesday.

A demonstration of Virtuix`s virtual reality treadmill Omni.     Virtuix A demonstration of Virtuix`s virtual reality treadmill Omni.     Virtuix

Tech giant Samsung Electronics has been making all-out efforts to partner with global software and hardware developers to grow the virtual reality business since unveiling its virtual reality headset Gear VR in September.

Participating in the 2014 Samsung Developer Conference held in San Francisco last Thursday, Virtuix chief executive Jan Goetgeluk said that the virtual reality treadmill would support Samsung’s Gear VR.

Samsung and the VR treadmill maker will likely demonstrate the Gear VR and the Omni together at the International CES to be held in Las Vegas in January 2015, according to the sources.

Since its first prototype was unveiled in 2013, the virtual reality treadmill has received a great deal of attention in the global tech market as many market experts said that it showed the future of gaming, allowing players to walk, or run, in all directions and jump while playing games on the dish-like equipment.

The Omni which has a wide array of possible applications including fitness, and health care is currently compatible with Xbox video games including the first-person shooters Battlefield 4, and Call of Duty.

The Virtuix CEO is visiting Seoul to take part in the DICON 2014, a global content conference, on Nov. 18-19. 

Nick DiCarlo, vice president of Samsung Telecommunications America’s portfolio planning and product marketing, introduces the Samsung Gear VR at the company’s developer conference held last week in San Francisco. Samsung Electronics Nick DiCarlo, vice president of Samsung Telecommunications America’s portfolio planning and product marketing, introduces the Samsung Gear VR at the company’s developer conference held last week in San Francisco. Samsung Electronics

Samsung is currently being inundated with partnership offers.

“The latest partnership with Virtuix may be one of the many in store” a market watcher said.

The electronics firm also recently announced that it would work together with movie producers including Marvel and DreamWorks, and the Canadian entertainment firm Cirque du Soleil.

According to a different source, the Korean tech giant has struck an investment deal with a domestic role-playing game developer.

Riding the momentum, Samsung has also unveiled a 360-degree 3-D camera called the Project Beyond, which enables users to capture omni-view images at any location.

The Gear VR is slated to be released in the U.S. market in December and in other global markets from the first half of next year.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)