University Implementations of VR Treadmills: Japanese School adopts a VR Treadmill for Fire Evacuation Drills.
To make virtual reality play a bigger part in professional drills of disaster prevention, the JeSU(Japan Esports Union) conducted an experimental demonstration training, adopting KAT Walk mini S into a VR fire evacuation drill at Kiryu No.1 High School on January 25th. Eighteen esports club members in the school participated in the training and experienced the simulated evacuation.
As shown above, one of the trainees is experiencing the fire evacuation drill in VR on the KAT Walk Mini S with a VR headset. As the billowing smoke rises from the canteen on the first floor in the simulated scenario, she evacuated from the scene of fire by following the instructions projected in the headset, and using her legs to escape the 'danger' in a highly realistic, yet completely safe environment. Adoption of VR treadmills in simulated training scenarios allows for a great improvement the performance and provides practical knowledge that is remembered by the user as a true memory, rather than a theoretical rule.
The VR scenario was developed by the JeSU, which aims to put it into systematic and practical use, allowing students to learn how to safely evacuate in the simulated fire scenario. The deputy director who experienced the drill in VR said, "The simulated scenario was so real, I think it will be useful because we can't practice evacuation in real disasters."
Academic and research institutions rely on advanced hardware like the KAT Walk Mini S and Omnideck to bring VR treadmill experiences to life. These solutions, featuring omnidirectional movement, haptic feedback, and customizable friction, pair with VR headsets such as the Oculus Quest system to support natural walking and immersive simulations. Such technologies are essential for projects ranging from cognitive and motoric testing to large-scale research initiatives like the Cluster of Excellence SimTech, enabling realistic and versatile virtual environments in university settings.
Simulation-based training with VR treadmills is not limited to fire drills—it's also applied in medical, military, and industrial safety education, where realistic practice in a safe environment is essential.
Universities are adopting VR treadmills to enhance research and learning. The University of Stuttgart’s Immersion Lab uses them for realistic virtual simulations, while the University of the Pacific’s students created a VR fitness game that tracks body movement. These projects improve hands-on experience, support studies in performance and rehabilitation, and highlight the growing role of VR in academic settings.
Yet again, virtual reality and VR treadmills prove themselves to be so much more than gaming devices, with true potential to improve our safety awareness and save lives.
