In Virtual Reality News
June 29, 2023 – Valkyrie Industries, a tech startup that provides virtual reality (VR) fitness experiences through its patented Haptics EMS technology, has this week announced that it has secured a significant investment from ASICS Ventures Corporation. The company did not however disclose the exact investment amount.
Valkyrie Industries stated that the funding will enable it to accelerate its growth and bring to market “EIR Armbands,” the company’s wearable muscle-based haptics that combines virtual reality and electrical muscle stimulation. Valkyrie Industries also reached an agreement with ASICS Corporation to collaborate on EIR Training, the company’s virtual fitness training platform that enables users to interact with different trainers to experience muscle-based exercises.
Valkyrie Industries has developed technology that includes a hardware and software platform aimed at delivering muscle-based haptics in immersive sports experiences. The company envisions revolutionizing the virtual and augmented reality (AR) experience by creating haptic wearables that enable users to feel and interact with digital environments.
EIR Training is a fitness program that allows users to take part in virtual fitness classes led by coaches in the metaverse, according to Valkyrie Industries. The experience is customizable to suit individual needs, and the program includes structured courses, such as Cable HIIT and Dumbbell HIIT, which incorporate virtual equipment like cable machines and dumbbells. The EIR Armbands are designed to provide specialized stimulus to each muscle and simulate realistic movement through electrical stimulation on the biceps and triceps, delivering a more immersive fitness experience.
In collaboration with ASICS, Valkyrie Industries stated that it aims to have coaches wearing ASICS sportswear on the EIR Training platform in 2023 and to develop ASICS’ own fitness class on the EIR Training platform.
“Collaborating with a renowned sports company like ASICS not only validates our technology but also opens new doors to expand our user base and enhance our product offerings. This partnership allows us to combine our expertise in haptic wearables with ASICS’ knowledge of sports apparel and fitness training to create an even more immersive and effective fitness experience for our users” said Kourosh Atefipour, Co-founder & CEO at Valkyrie Industries.
ASICS’ “Vision 2030,” which focuses on fostering a Sound Mind, Sound Body philosophy through a variety of perspectives, leverages innovative business collaborations with various promising startups. Commenting on the partnership with Valkyrie Industries, President of ASICS Ventures, Akihiro Mori said: “We believe that Valkyrie Industries’ technology, which provides accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable sports experiences for everyone, anytime, anywhere, has huge potential. This collaboration will also strengthen the various XR initiatives concurrently being developed within ASICS to offer entertaining physical activities in the virtual world.”
For more information on Valkyrie Industries and its VR fitness solutions, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Valkyrie Industries
About the author
Sam Sprigg
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.
