Asics Ventures, the investment arm of the sportswear company, has invested in Valkyrie Industries Limited, whose hardware and software are designed to produce “immersive sports experiences” through “muscle-based haptics.”
Asics’ funds will be helping bring to market Valkyrie’s EIR Armbands, which “combine virtual reality and electrical muscle stimulation.” The companies will also be collaborating on EIR Training: A virtual-reality platform through which metaverse users work with coaches on “muscle-based exercises.”
The armbands will presumably substitute the usual gym equipment (cable machines, dumbbells), stimulating the muscles with electricity, while the user sees virtual gym equipment through a metaverse interface (VR headset).
Asics hopes to have the EIR Training coaches wearing Asics-branded sportswear sometime this year. It also plans to deliver its own fitness class on the platform.
