Ekto VR, a virtual reality equipment company, has developed shoes that users can wear to walk inside the virtual world without physically moving, thanks to a unique technology that keeps the user’s movement in place in reality.

The company is based in Pittsburgh and works on developing virtual reality equipment compatible with various tech applications, including games and other VR-based products.

The company describes its new shoes as semi-robotic because they work against the user’s movement and prevent forward walking, even though the avatar in the virtual world moves forward.

This is achieved through a set of wheels and brakes that fix the user’s position and keep them stationary.

The company worked on developing the shoes for over 5 years before reaching a commercially viable version, and it expects to launch a consumer version next year.

Currently, the company is collaborating with several VR technology and game development companies to support the shoes in various games.

Although the company’s current focus is on VR gaming, the uses of such shoes are diverse, ranging from training soldiers in virtual environments to virtual tours in museums and archaeological sites.