Travel to Russia… in virtual reality, from your indoor bike with Fit Immersion

Following the conflict in Ukraine, Russia finds itself at the center of international tensions. No European or American airline now serves this destination, and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly advises against traveling there. This is a situation that affects Dimitri Prikhodko in particular, the founder of Fit Immersion, a French startup specializing in virtual-reality sports training solutions. Born in Saint Petersburg, he has a Ukrainian name because, like a large share of Russians, he also has Ukrainian roots. Today, driven by a desire to maintain a link between peoples and the various countries close to his heart, he is offering an original and fun alternative: traveling virtually in Russia from your indoor bike.

Source: press release*

Beyond geopolitical considerations, all populations are suffering from this wartime context:

Ukrainians, victims of Russia’s invasion;
Russians, who are enduring this conflict and are hit by Western sanctions;
And all other civilians, everywhere in the world: risk of famine in Africa due to a lack of wheat, falling purchasing power linked to the surge in energy and commodity prices, a halt to trade relations…

Discovering the largest country in the world, in a 100% pacifist spirit

Before the war began, Dimitri Prikhodko had planned to film routes in Ukraine, to show the beauty and uniqueness of the country. He was due to travel to Kyiv and to the mysterious Chernobyl zone in particular.

Today, he knows that when he goes there, once the conflicts are over, it will be for a shoot highlighting the destruction they have caused.

Like many companies, Dimitri also notes that the economic sanctions imposed on Russia are affecting his start-up: Fit Immersion was in talks with a Russian investor and triathlon champion to accelerate its growth. The young company must therefore now turn to European investors.

In this context, Fit Immersion is launching an initiative that transcends the current situation to put the spotlight on the beauty and magic of Russia, a country that is among the French people’s 10 favorite tourist destinations.

A fully immersive journey, at every indoor cycling session

During the health crisis, Fit Immersion enabled its users to go beyond the 10 km limit imposed by the government: from the Gorges du Tarn (France) to Ballyreagh Wood (Ireland), they were able to broaden their horizons and escape the anxiety-inducing atmosphere of the first lockdown.

Today, athletes can set course for Russia’s two largest cities: Moscow (Moskva City + the Kremlin district) and Saint Petersburg.

Simply install the connected Fit Immersion virtual-reality sports kit on an exercise bike, elliptical or home trainer to enjoy an incredible, totally unprecedented interactive experience, with routes filmed in 360°.

You are no longer simply cycling: you explore the surroundings of the famous Red Square, ride alongside St Isaac’s Cathedral, see the people and the various monuments of each city, and soak up the Slavic atmosphere… exactly as if you were there!

Fit Immersion, the start-up specializing in immersive cycling

Founded in 2017 in Béziers, Fit Immersion offers 21 routes in France and abroad. Since going on sale in 2020, it was very quickly adopted by hundreds of individuals and by a few gyms since the return to normal after a difficult period.

In 2021, the app ended up on the International Space Station, the last place where Russians collaborate with Americans and Europeans. The 3 routes that were selected were, as it happens: Paris, Saint Petersburg and Marseille.

Today, the start-up aims to film routes all over the world and to continue its international rollout. It is already available in French, English, German, Italian and Russian.

To date, Fit Immersion retains its status as the most realistic cycling training app to date thanks to its use of 360° video.

3 platforms for individuals

The app is available on the standalone Fit Immersion sports VR headset, in its mobile version (Android and iOS) and, more recently, in a version compatible with Oculus Quest. All versions can communicate with cadence or power sensors as well as connected exercise bikes or home trainers. Some models will let you feel the change in difficulty synchronized with the routes. Several types of training sessions are available for those seeking performance. Performance is then compared with the target in real time.

Focus on the Mobile Edition 2 virtual-reality kit

This kit lets you train in immersion using your smartphone as the screen.

It contains:

A virtual-reality headset for smartphones optimized for sport. The materials in contact with the head are made of synthetic leather, which keeps them clean after every training session;
An SD card or 256GB memory stick containing 12 routes filmed in 360°;
A wireless speed sensor, allowing you to use conventional (non-connected) training equipment.

Price: €199

Focus on the Oculus Quest version

Since November 2021, Fit Immersion has been available on AppLab and SideQuest (a free alternative to the Oculus Store). The app can also be found by name from the Oculus Store.

To use this app, all you need is an exercise bike or elliptical. Without a sensor or connected equipment, speed will be estimated from head movements. You can acquire routes in exchange for credits purchased on fitimmersion.com. You also accumulate credits for each km ridden.

A kit called “Ocula” has been designed to offer quick setup

It contains:

A wireless speed sensor;
A USB stick containing 5 routes to copy onto the headset;
A voucher for 500 credits to download 5 additional routes.

Price: €119

Focus on the Pro-2 Edition virtual-reality kit

The kit includes:

A standalone sports virtual-reality headset (requiring no smartphone or PC to work). The materials in contact with the head are made of synthetic leather, which keeps them clean after every training session;
12 pre-installed routes;
A speed sensor allowing you to use conventional (non-connected) machines.

Price: €599

Support that goes further for professionals

In gyms, the Pro-2 kit can be paired with a second on-screen app that lets you control the headsets remotely, share the user’s experience, create a race, or simply do a session without using virtual reality. A tablet, a TV screen or even the console of some of the bikes found in many gyms can serve as the screen.

About Fit Immersion

Fit Immersion was founded in 2017 by Dimitri Prikhodko. A specialist in artificial intelligence, he worked on simulating human behavior and on the computing building block of blood-analysis automatons.

Dimitri is also a former semi-professional athlete, who finished in the top 10 at the French junior cross-country championships and recorded the best French performance in the 30-minute track event as a cadet.

The Fit Immersion project was born in 2015, when Dimitri discovered virtual reality. “I found it hard to put up with the indoor-bike training that we were forced to do at certain times, because of injuries and breaks. I told myself that by coupling virtual reality with exercise, you could have a much more motivating experience by simulating an outdoor ride,” he explains.

Dimitri began working on the Fit Immersion project in 2015, alongside his job, before founding the start-up in March 2017. In early 2020, he was joined in the adventure by Chi-Hong Hoac, who became his partner and Fit Immersion’s marketing director. Chi-Hong Hoac is a serial entrepreneur who has already created or supported more than 10 companies, several of them in the communications sector.

Dimitri and Chi-Hong aim to roll out their solution across all of France and to launch it at European level. They wish to offer 40 routes covering 12 countries on 5 continents by the end of 2022.

Fitimmersion.com

*The articles in this New Products section are drawn from press releases and are intended for information only. They have been selected by the editorial team for their relevance to your sporting practice.

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