Motorized VR shoes want to make running in virtual reality more natural

A British start-up has successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign for motorized VR shoes. The price is over the thousand dollar mark.

VR running shoes are designed to make movement in virtual reality more comfortable.

(Image: Freeaim)

Jul 18, 2025 at 4:12 pm CEST

2 min. read

By

Josef Erl

The British start-up Freeaim has successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign for motorized VR shoes that are designed to enable a more realistic walking experience in virtual reality. Freeaim's "VR Shoes" are equipped with omnidirectional drives and sensors that translate walking on the spot into movements within the virtual environment. The entire technology is integrated into the soles of the shoes and, according to the manufacturer, the movement should feel like walking on a treadmill.

Two versions for different requirements

Freeaim offers two versions: The "VR Shoes Advanced" have automatically rotating wheel modules that enable sideways movements and position correction. This should ensure orientation in the play area even without additional support. The prerequisite for this is a free floor area of at least 1.5 × 1.5 meters. The cheaper "VR Shoes Light" version does not have this function and therefore requires an optional support frame to prevent it from deviating from the playing area.

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Both models are designed to work with SteamVR-compatible headsets such as the Pimax Crystal Light or the Meta Quest 3 via Link and common PC VR games. According to Freeaim, compatibility with standalone titles for Meta Quest is in the works. Initial tests with titles such as "VRChat", "Until You Fall" and "The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners 2" are already underway.

Support for possible future devices has also been confirmed. This refers to headsets based on Android XR or SteamOS, on which the "Valve Deckard", which is reportedly under development, is to be based.

First delivery planned for early 2026

According to the Kickstarter entry, the first devices are to be delivered in early 2026. The entry-level price is around 1100 US dollars for the Light version and around 1400 US dollars for the Advanced version. By comparison, the Omni One treadmill from Virtuix costs 2600 US dollars, but also includes a VR headset.

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For developers, Freeaim offers a developer kit including a software development kit (SDK). The price for this is 5000 US dollars. The company's strategy is to initially work with early adopters and developers to further improve the system and create content that supports the special input methods. An optimized consumer version will be developed based on this experience.

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