Ethereal Matter’s MEK system bridges the virtual and physical worlds, creating immersive, full-body interactive experiences for recreation and fitness that are accessible to everyone. Combining gamified movement with cutting-edge VR technology, MEK’s full-body motion platform offers fully individualised engagement designed for all personalities and abilities.
The potential for the MEK’s VR content is vast and varied, from adrenaline-pumping challenges to relaxing virtual escapes, appealing to a broad spectrum of users. Whether installed as standalone attractions or integrated into gyms, family entertainment centres (FECs), trampoline parks, or malls, it is positioned to capture a growing market eager for escapism and for active entertainment that feels less like a workout and more like fun.
As Ethereal Matter prepares to showcase the groundbreaking new product at the Augmented World Expo (AWE) in June, we speak to the company‘s founder, Scott Summit, about its potential, his vision for what the platform can achieve, and why this is unlike any VR experience before it.
A real connection with the virtual world
Ethereal Matter’s full-body motion platform allows users to connect with the virtual world in a far more immersive way than traditional VR systems.
“With the MEK, you can fully engage with your virtual surroundings – as if the fictional, immersive world has suddenly been brought to life,” says Summit.
“We’ve built a robotic platform that engages your hands, feet, arms, legs, and more, providing force feedback for a truly embodied experience. Everything within the human range of motion becomes a part of a richly designed experience. We’re also developing games, fitness programs, and activities that bring that world to life, ranging from light entertainment to full-on sports and recreation.
“Our goal is to deliver immersion that feels as connected as the physical world, without some of the limitations reality can impose.”
The inspiration came, he says, from seeing the gap between what technology currently offers and what people crave: richer, more human experiences.
“We’re wired to explore, to connect, to engage with others in meaningful ways. But tools like Zoom calls and flat-screen entertainment fall short; they’re dehumanised, impersonal, and a poor substitute for genuine, three-dimensional presence.
“Tapping into the technologies available today, we saw an opportunity to bring a richer, more immersive form of interaction to life. Whether it’s travelling the world without the cost, hassle, or carbon footprint of flights, or making sports and recreation accessible to everyone, not just elite athletes, immersive tech holds the opportunity to make entirely new forms of activity suddenly possible.
Summit and his team wanted to create a platform that delivers personalised, engaging experiences at scale, because no two people are the same:
“That’s the challenge we set out to solve: combining today’s media technologies in such a way that we can explore entirely fresh experiences.”
Always something new to discover
Expanding on what makes Ethereal Matter different from other virtual experiences, Summit says:
“There are some amazing VR experiences out there, but many fall into the ‘one-hit wonder’ category: you try it once, it’s fun, but there’s no real urge to repeat, now that you’ve checked that box. Many are highly scripted or limited to a single type of activity, like flying or sitting in a haptic pod for a virtual tour. Once you’ve seen it, that’s all there is.”
“As a universal motion platform, the MEK is not limited to any specific experience. Instead, it controls all activity within the full human range of motion, designed around to any motion we can imagine. One minute you might be flapping your arms to fly, the next you’re paddleboarding through Venice, climbing a scan of El Capitan, scuba diving in the deep sea, or giant robot boxing.
“The variety is limitless, keeping it endlessly fresh and exciting. There’s always something new to discover; you never fully acclimate because the possibilities are constantly expanding.”
More than gamification
Gamification also increases this repeatability, making the activity more akin to real-world sports and recreation.
“The draw that keeps people coming back lies in how we combine environment, interaction, and embodiment. This is not simply gamification for the sake of points or badges.
“Think of Pod Racing across a dangerous desert scene: first, you’re immersed in a richly imaginative world; then there’s the unique vehicle you learn to pilot. Finally, there’s the rush that comes from mastering its nuances and manoeuvrability, as it becomes an extension of your intentions.
“That combination creates a deeply immersive and rewarding experience for your entire body.”
The MEK was designed to support this type of engagement across a wide range of activity types, from intense, fast-paced games like robot boxing or shooters, to relaxing, meditative ones like soaring, paddleboarding, or climbing. Even familiar gym workouts may be designed to target specific fitness outcomes, but in an engaging way.
“Since everything runs on code, we can design for virtually any personality or play style. Whether you’re into competition, exploration, fitness, or just having fun, we can tailor an experience that speaks directly to you. The goal is to make immersive activity accessible and exciting for everyone, beyond traditional gamers.”
Accessibility is key for Ethereal Matter
Accessibility and inclusivity were integral to the design from the outset. The MEK motion platform accommodates the wide range of body types, strengths, and abilities that people bring to a physical experience.
“Unlike a gym machine or a theme park ride, which might have a few adjustable elements, the MEK is fully dynamic because it’s driven entirely by code,” says Summit.
“The experience begins when the MEK determines your height, letting it calculate the ideal position for your hands. From there, it scales the entire virtual environment precisely to your individual proportions. Imagine jumping on a jet ski that instantly adjusts to your proportions. That’s impossible in the real world, but entirely achievable in VR.”
Users also have complete control over force feedback, allowing them to adjust the resistance up for a fitness workout or dial it down for a more relaxed, recreational session. The surrounding environment can range from a high-intensity challenge to a peaceful escape or a competitive social game, all depending on how the user chooses to engage.
“That flexibility gives everyone complete agency over their experience.”
He adds: “Even competitive activities can be normalised. If someone who’s 5’4″ is robot boxing someone who’s 6’4″, we can scale both avatars to be the same size. So now you’ve got two Pacific Rim-style robots fighting on equal terms, regardless of the physical differences between players.
“The MEK surpasses customisation – it’s hyper-personalisation. It flips the traditional model on its head. Instead of designing a one-size-fits-all experience, we invite each person to shape it around themselves.”
Fun and fitness
The potential applications for the mech are extensive, including gyms, family entertainment centres (FECs), trampoline parks, malls, theme parks, or anywhere people go for escape, activity and engagement.
“At its core, the MEK is a universal motion platform, akin to hexapod motion systems or ‘Stewart platforms’ commonly used by FECs at sites like Disney. To this end, we designed the MEK to meet the highest software and mechanical standards right from the start.”
The MEK platform can offer constantly fresh, deeply engaging activities that keep people coming back. You will never exhaust the possibilities that the motion platform offers.
“It’s built tough enough for the fitness industry, though we’re initially targeting FECs and other location-based entertainment venues since they often have a strong understanding of immersive technology. But these sites thrive on repeatability, so the variety of full-body, immersive experiences draws a broader audience and entices them to return for more.
“The MEK platform can offer constantly fresh, deeply engaging activities that keep people coming back. You will never exhaust the possibilities that the motion platform offers.”
Fitness and virtual personal training lie on the team’s radar.
“Gyms constantly battle boredom, and with it, attrition. They lose around 60% of new members every six months, mainly due to the tedium and monotony of traditional workouts. By contrast, the MEK offers a personalised experience every time, transforming fitness into a memorable experience, while broadening the demographic appeal way beyond the traditional gym crowd.”
Team sports
The potential exists for league and team sports that take place in virtual environments that are both carbon-free and travel-free.
“When I was on the college rowing team, we had to take days out of our studies to travel to regattas, finding ourselves stuck in hotels at significant cost to the university, all for a short competition. Imagine instead, for example, Stanford playing Dartmouth in virtual dogfights three times a week, requiring no travel or missed school, and generating no carbon, costing nothing per event.
“Yet the experience requires teamwork, training, strategy, physical and mental stamina, and leaves you healthier, just like real-world sport.
“And traditionally, if you didn’t make the cut for a team, the school had nothing to offer. In our case, the MEK is open to anyone, regardless of ability or physical location. The MEK rewrites the rules by combining the valuable physical elements of traditional sports with sustainability, inclusivity and convenience.”
Tapping into the wellbeing trend
Summit believes the MEK represents a game-changer for parents. Kids are naturally drawn to video games because they’re fun, social, and deeply immersive, but they often come at the cost of physical activity and health.
“We offer a way to flip that script: kids get the high-density, social and rewarding gameplay they love, but now it’s physically active and health-promoting. Instead of trying to pull kids away from screens, parents can use our platform to turn screen time into real-world wellness. That’s the dream scenario — entertainment that actually makes you healthier the more you do it.”
Active entertainment is a big trend, and Ethereal Matter is in a perfect position to build on that, says Summit:
“I’ve been using Supernatural [a VR fitness app on Meta Quest] since it launched, and it’s been my most convenient and consistent form of fitness. Other sports and gym memberships have come and gone, but Supernatural has stuck, especially on days when the weather’s bad or I need a quick mental reset. It’s 20 minutes of endorphins, dopamine, and mental clarity.
“Supernatural set wheels in motion and validated the market. XR now offers an opportunity to build on what they started and to create products that transcend entertainment and exercise, serving our well-being more holistically.”
After all, escapism is essential to mental health:
“Travel used to offer escape, but it grows more expensive, more stressful, and less accessible by the day. The MEK offers people the chance to escape, to soar through the Japanese mountains in autumn, or paddleboard in Venice, for example, whenever they want – all during their lunch break.
“It’s about wellness, fitness, adventure, and joy, all on your terms, right when you need it.”
Meet Ethereal Matter at AWE
The Ethereal Matter team will be exhibiting at Augmented World Expo (AWE) in California this June.
“We attend every year, but this time it’s especially thrilling to be on the presenting side, sharing something truly unprecedented. We’re bringing a level of full-body interaction that hasn’t been seen before at AWE.”
“We’ll showcase three different games, each designed for different personality types and representing a wide range of motion and engagement. Attendees will get a firsthand sense of what it feels like to physically interact with a virtual world, an experience that goes far beyond the usual one-directional VR interaction.
Visitors can also gain an exclusive peek behind the scenes, exploring some of the features still in development, offering a glimpse into how the platform is evolving.
“It’s a unique opportunity for attendees to not only try our technology but also understand the creative process behind it and all it can offer.”
Getting the right team in place
To get such an ambitious project off the ground, Summit assembled a ‘rockstar team’ right from the start.
“This project combines several different disciplines: hardware, software, gaming, marketing, fitness, and manufacturing – all requiring a best-in-class team. Luckily, in the Bay Area, the talent pool is everywhere.
“For example, on the marketing side, we have Wayne, who worked with Steve Jobs for 20 years across three of his companies. In mechatronics and engineering, we have top engineers from Arcimoto, a billion-dollar electric car company. If you can take an electric car from concept to production, you can tackle almost anything.”
On the gaming side, Ethereal Matter brought in two veterans from Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic, who bring deep expertise in creating immersive game experiences.
“And, for business development, we have Mike and Matt. Mike recently managed tech ingredients at the Neom project in Saudi Arabia, and Matt, who’s also an investor, has a track record in marketing and running complex businesses. We also collaborate with partners in Taiwan for manufacturing, as well as researchers and advisors from various fields, including medical, fitness, and business.
“I’m genuinely excited to have assembled such a talented and diverse team. They’re all truly best in class.”
Ethereal Matter: making people healthier, happier and more connected
Ethereal Matter is currently fielding significant investor interest and aims to close a funding round soon.
“Once we have that secured, we plan to have machines deployed at pilot sites around the world within the year. Our pilot partners are eager to be among the first to showcase the technology.”
Meanwhile, the company continues to refine the design for mass production. “We’ve completed a design-for-manufacturability round, so the product is very close to production-ready. With real-world testing and some final tweaks, we expect to move into full production within about a year and a half.
“To potential investors watching this space, I’d say this: hyper-personalisation at scale presents enormous opportunities to improve health, fitness, entertainment, and social connection through fully immersive, full-body experiences.
“Thanks to rapidly advancing technologies, we’re entering a new era of rich, interactive experiences that have never been possible before.”
Finally, on the ultimate goal of Ethereal Matter, Summit says:
“We hope to make people healthier, happier, and more connected through the use of technology, gamification, and immersive presence within virtual worlds.”
