Virtual Sport, real sweat

Within a few years, the Start-up has developed Runtastic to a fixed size in the Fitness Segment. The Apps of the company have reached an audience of millions. By the way, the company has developed its own Hardware, like the Fitness Tracker Orbit. At CES in Las Vegas, the Austrians to show a new project, which will connect the real workout, and virtual reality.

The Runtastic programmers have combined the well-known Virtual Reality glasses Oculus Rift with a camera, which recorded the movements of the user.

As I put the glasses on, I see first a virtual space, in which some of the Icons float in the air, different training symbolize rooms. A green Lawn is on the terrace of a house on the lake and a fireplace room. I fix one of the rooms, I choose him. This is currently at Oculus usual way to use menus.

Deep in the knees

I choose the room with the fireplace, which appears seconds later in front of my eyes. In front of me, my coach, and what Exercises should I perform in front of the eight, I. A small graphic on the right edge of my field of view shows if I’m right, if I go deep enough in the knee.

Really, I am not free of it. The chunky glasses are forcing me to my movements so that the heavy equipment from slipping off my head. I’m trying to turn me to spend a little table, reminds me of the strong train of the connection cable to the Computer that I am in the midst of a noisy exhibition hall full of spectators.

Seasick during the trial

The graphical quality is impressive. Everything appears to be in an older computer game, although there is long-realistic representation. Worse yet is that me in the Exercises dizzy is. This is neither the fancy Breakfast, or as to the intensity of the workout.

Rather, the low frame rate is to blame, with the help of the virtual training world flickers before my eyes. The Rate has the consequence that there is a slight delay between my movements and the corresponding Changes in the display. The brain can’t synchronize as a result, actual movements and the virtual image, which has similar consequences, such as seasickness.

Runtastic-co-founder Florian Gschwandtner explained to me, this Problem could be explained by the fact that the Software should be a pure development project and by no means optimized. Finally, it was still far from it, to make the project a commercial product. Only in 2016, it should be ready.

Bad weather technology

Potential users for the fitness technique looks Runtastic, for example, in Asia, where the apartments in Metropolitan areas often small, Outdoor sport opportunities are rare. But also in Europe and the United States, you could use this kind of virtual Training, for example, if the weather is bad, as in Germany.

Yet the System, as Runtastic it shows in Las Vegas, not much more than a Declaration of intent, at some point, something in this kind of commercial offer. Until then, however, is to do plenty of work, not only with this app.

First of all, Oculus would have to make his VR goggles ready for series production and to bring an affordable price on the market. It would be even better, of course, if the Oculus, or another company, would at least develop a good pair of glasses, is the smaller and lighter and, above all, the wireless works. To the extent it is likely, however, to draw a few more years to the country. Until then, must be to do sports.