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Valo Motion announces launch of the International Association of Mixed Reality Sports

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Valo Motion Jumpball

Valo Motion, a pioneer in combining interactive technology with physical activities, is part of a newly-launched association for mixed-reality sports.

XRS associationValo Motion is pleased to announce that it is a member of the International Association of Mixed Reality Sports (XRS) which launched this week. This is the world’s first association for mixed reality sports and will support and grow the meaning of the sector.

The latest innovations in sports technology mean that the real world and tech can now be combined in exciting new ways to make exercise fun, accessible and inclusive.

XRS’ mission statement

This new association will promote physical activity by combining sports, technology and gaming, changing how people exercise around the globe. XRS is a collection of product manufacturers, operators and sponsors who will share knowledge, create standards, form and educate interest groups, and shape the future of mixed reality sports and competitions.

XRS is also looking forward to welcoming new members, partners and sponsors that share the same passion for the future of sports.

The founding members are:

  • Fun With Balls – Germany. The company behind the innovative interactiveSQUASH product, which turns the classic game into an immersive experience, ideal for generating income for squash court operators.
  • ICAROS – Germany. This company’s products blend training, gaming and social competition to create exercise experiences for fitness clubs, hotels, and in leading orthopaedic and neurologic therapy facilities.
  • Sphery – Switzerland. Sphery’s ExerCube transforms physical training into a motivating and effective workout for body and brain.
  • Valo Motion – Finland. Creator of pioneering products, ValoClimb and ValoJump, which provide fun immersive digital experiences for sports equipment such as climbing walls and trampolines

Fuelling the development of mixed-reality sports

Chairman of the XRS association, Markos Aristides Kern, says: “As startups in this exciting field, we have seen the immense potential of disruption. With the rapid increase in global demand, interest by big brands and governmental institutions, we see a big need of a neutral entity like an association to further fuel this development.

“Mixed Reality Sports is unknown terrain for many and we hope that this organization will play a valuable part in communicating how these solutions present a cure to a big problem of our time – our increasing inactivity crisis. We all share the belief, that this is done best with joint forces since we’re just at the beginning of the biggest change in sports history.”

Chairwoman Anna Lisa Martin-Niedecken adds: “Thanks to powerful new technologies, which allow us to design with and for the (moving) human body, and to create outstanding multi-dimensional experiences for various application fields such as fitness, (e)sports and rehabilitation, we start into a groundbreaking new era!

“With the XRS association, we want to make a sustainable contribution to building a bridge between analogue and digital sports, bringing people together in attractive body-centred worlds of experience and letting them write new stories.”

Valo Motion’s Dr Raine Kajastila is Secretary of the association. He says:

“It’s important to create active experiences that empower people to find the joy of movement. XRS games are perfect since they can be challenging for active adults, but at the same time fun and easy enough to get all people up from their couches to find the fun in movement.

“Luckily, we have already seen that XRS games excite especially the Fortnight generation, who, while having a blast playing, also do something for their health with a proper workout!”

Earlier this month, Valo Motion also launched a new XR trampoline sports game called Jumpball.

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charlotte coates

Charlotte Coates

Charlotte Coates is blooloop's editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.

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