Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak

Over Coffee® | Stories and Resources from the Intersection of Art and Science | Exploring How to Mak


VirZoom: Disrupting Virtual Reality

January 03, 2017

Over Coffee® has been on Christmas hiatus.  As we head for CES 2017, here is one of our most popular episodes from CES 2016.  Happy New Year!

In 2016, VirZoom exploded one of the main health issues related to virtual reality--and computer gaming in general.

The issue?  The fact that gamers tend to be sedentary.  But VirZoom creators Eric Janszen and Eric Malafeew came up with a new VR device that literally cycles past the problem.

Their innovation, the VirZoom, is a virtual-reality stationary bike.  Riders strap on a headset and find themselves in the middle of a virtual-reality game.  Among the thirty virtual-reality game settings: the Old West, where riders can game from "horseback"; a car racetrack; and even Pegasus' back!

Best of all, Eric and Eric say, young gamers, during product play-testing, couldn't get enough of it.

"Enjoy a workout without the work", is one of the marketing slogans for VirZoom, which ships in January 2017, according to their website.

Just after Eric and Eric introduced VirZoom at CES 2016's Eureka Park, we talked about the creation process, resources and their vision for the product in the future.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you’ll hear:

*
What first inspired Eric and Eric to create their virtual-reality stationary bike;

*
Some of what riders experience as they’re pedaling;

*
How Eric and Eric have seen the virtual-reality field evolve;

*
The virtual-reality problem tbey had to solve to make the VirZOOM a workable product;

*
How Eric Janszen’s business expertise enabled them to create a viable business model with a completely new product;

*
The research that went into making the VirZOOM successful;

*
Each creator’s biggest creative challenges in this particular venture;

*
Their vision for the future with their VR bike;

*
Resources and advice for fellow makers from their experiences on this particular venture.