STEPVR Releases “Gates01”: First Entry-Level Product For Metaverse

STEPVR, a VR technology service company, released Gates01, its first entry-level product for the metaverse on Thursday. The product adopts a unique ‘Omnidirectional Motion System’ which allows users to run, move, touch and feel the objects within an infinite expanse yet occupy an area only 2 m² in size.

At the online press conference, Guo Cheng, founder and president of STEPVR, spoke about the company’s goals, saying: “Instead of pointing and poking around pads and phone screens, we take on a virtual human role and actually step into the metaverse world, where we can run, touch things inside, and even smell.” Guo Cheng said that Gates01 was the first product in the world to commercialize the metaverse.

Guo also said that the company’s headset differed from other companies’ headseats. Most companies offer singular headsets, all-in-one machines that include apanning, transient handle. The Gates01, however, is a “set” that combines a high-performance PC computing unit, a 150g lightweight headset, a vibrating vest, a motion capture glove and an omnidirectional motion system. The company has developed and produced each of these items in-house, ultimately allowing the “five senses” to be utilized in the metaverse.

After the release, Gates01 will be available in July and will retail in shopping malls and other community stores later on. Singapore orders will be accepted in October while the product will enter Japan, South Korea, Middle East, North America and Europe in 2023.

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In addition, STEPVR released a virtual human driving device called “Metastar”, whose product logic is also based on a unique “laser positioning + inertia” motion capture technology. The technology has been widely used in virtual anchor, animation, advertising and MCN. Douyin blogger “@Xu Anyi” and “@Pingtouge” use this motion capture device.

According to public sources, STEPVR was established in 2013. As one of the earliest VR startups in China, it raised nearly 100 million yuan in round A+ and round B financings in 2021. Investors included Shanghai Guosheng Capital and Zhang Fan (former founder of Sequoia China).