This Virtual Reality Workout Lets You Fly

Science / Technology

Virtual Reality has officially entered the fitness game and it can make you feel like your flying. The concept was created by a then industrial design student in Munich, Johannes Scholl, who wanted to revolutionize the way we workout. With encouragement from a former boss to ‘create something spectacular-a machine that lets you fly”, finally creation of the award winning Icaros fitness machine was in motion.

‘This is a combined exercise machine and virtual reality flight simulator that turns you into Superman,’ Johannes Scholl of Icaros told Dailymail.com.

Essentially the user is in a plank position using core strength to and ‘flies’ through a wide variety of virtual worlds at high velocity. The contraption is an excellent example of how sports is interplaying with the world of digital technology and could pave the way for the next level of ‘VR fitness’.

Founder and CEO Scholl stated:

“The vision behind Icaros is that exercise can be fun. You can play and not have it weigh on your conscience. The era of tediously lifting weights, which so many people find so boring, is over”.

The Icaros machine is currently in its third prototype evolving past the incredibly expensive initial design of an exoskeleton with a large number of servo motors. The current design is completely wireless, operates via an app and smart phone and continues to use a centrally located gyrospcope and two axles that meet at the user’s center of gravity.

The Icaros retails at $8500.