Proof of Concept
Gone are the days of monotonous EMS training environments and games without any haptic feedback. Sourcenity has proven in cooperation with VisionBody, for the first time worldwide, that commercial EMS fitness suits can be integrated into VR experiences.
Together we have built a prototype based on our upcoming rhythm-based VR fitness game PowerBeatsVR and the VisionBody EMS PowerSuit. You just had to strap on a VR headset like HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, or Windows Mixed Reality, launch our game, and let the EMS control happen within the game.
Update September 2018
Unfortunately, VisionBody decided to not pursue our promising combination of electrical muscle stimulation and VR with already existing EMS fitness suits. That’s why we will release PowerBeatsVR without EMS support at first.
But, as you may have already seen in our previous event videos or tested on your own, PowerBeatsVR is even without additional EMS the most intense VR fitness game you can get. Even the fittest athletes will need a breather after a while playing. Promise!
And maybe, there will be an EMS edition in the future. It only needs a technology-loving manufacturer of EMS suits, who is willing to give it a try. If you are one, feel free to contact us. We would love hearing from you.
See below what would be possible by combining EMS and VR.
PowerBeatsVR - EMS Demo
PowerBeatsVR is an upcoming high-intensity, rhythm-based VR fitness game for all major desktop VR headsets. In an early stage of development, we used it for showing that integration of already available EMS fitness suits is feasible, whenever the hardware manufacturer gives us access to its control mechanisms.
Take EMS Training to the Next Level
Feel the power of intense full-body training while playing, fighting, or competing against others. All that is possible by combining EMS and VR. See for yourself!
Just Imagine
Full Immersion with Haptic Feedback
- Feel being touched
- Touch objects, as if they were real
- Know where you have been hit
Immerse yourself fully in the experience.
More natural. More intuitive.
EMS Training at Virtual Places
- Do yoga on a breathtaking mountain
- Cycle through stunning landscapes
- Perform gamified workouts
Everything is possible in Virtual Reality.
All without leaving the room.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional training at a gym is still great, but requires discipline to maintain or improve your physique. Even the most disciplined athletes often struggle not to break their workout habits. By combining fitness and Virtual Reality, it’s possible to make fitness a habit as addictive as your favorite video games. Studies have shown that VR not only reduces awareness of pain but also changes time perception due to its high immersion and environmental variations. Time will fly by while working out.
The idea behind this was a simple one: We felt that the way we interact today in Virtual Reality should be more immersive. Therefore, we looked into new ways of providing haptic feedback; this is where EMS comes into play.
Haptic feedback, in general, is the sense of touching. In Virtual Reality it allows you to feel being hit or touched. Traditional VR gear comes with limited haptic feedback which is restricted to vibration in the controllers. With EMS, we can add the ability to receive feedback across the entire body, ranging from a slight massage to real muscle tension.
EMS stands for Electrical Muscle Stimulation or Electromyostimulation. It is the elicitation of muscle contraction using electric impulses, which mimic the action potential from the central nervous systems. The pulses are delivered through electrodes on the skin. EMS can be used as a therapeutic and training tool.
Indeed, every modern EMS suit could be integrated into our game, as long as we get access to its control mechanisms by the manufacturer. For example, we have already shown with the VisionBody PowerSuit, a commercial EMS fitness suit with Bluetooth technology, that it is possible. Wireless control allowed maximum freedom and 20 pulse patches could stimulate your muscles from a slight massage to real tension.
Unfortunately, VisionBody won’t pursue this great combination of electrical muscle stimulation and VR. That’s why we will release PowerBeatsVR without EMS support at first.
But, as soon as we find a technology-loving manufacturer of EMS suits, who is willing to give VR a try, there could be – again – the option of an additional EMS edition.
The press has given us great feedback. See for yourself.
In the first quarter of 2019. We are working very hard on implementing further cool features into our VR fitness game PowerBeatsVR.
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