Immersive technologies are increasingly influencing digital interactions, and UNWARE, a young startup from Ingolstadt, Germany, is working on a new approach to virtual reality. Their prototype, a Holodeck-like system, aims to provide an interactive and realistic immersive experience without the need for VR headsets. This article explores UNWARE’s vision, its technological development, and the potential applications across various industries.
The key motivation behind UNWARE’s approach is to offer an alternative to conventional VR headsets, which many professionals find impractical. By eliminating wearable devices, the company seeks to create a more natural and social immersive experience.
Background and Company Development UNWARE’s founding team comes from the automotive industry, with experience at Audi and Continental. Their expertise in infotainment and innovation management laid the foundation for their transition into immersive technology. Recognizing the limitations of VR headsets, they focused on creating a solution that allows for full immersion without the discomfort and isolation associated with traditional VR setups.
The company has gone through an intensive research phase to better understand the specific needs and challenges of immersive environments in industrial and business use cases. This research involved extensive user studies, consultations with industry experts, and iterative prototyping to ensure that their solution addresses real-world pain points. Through rapid ideation and user testing, they refined their approach to deliver an experience that is both functional and intuitive.
A key observation during their research was that many professionals, particularly in management positions, were reluctant to use VR headsets. Reasons ranged from concerns about looking unprofessional or even ridiculous in meetings to hygiene issues—shared headsets often become sweaty and uncomfortable. Additionally, some users avoided VR due to the risk of ruining their hairstyle or simply feeling claustrophobic. The bulkiness of headsets and the discomfort of prolonged use were also frequently cited issues. Motion sickness remains a significant barrier for many potential users, as traditional VR systems can induce dizziness and nausea due to tracking inconsistencies and latency. These factors highlighted the need for a headset-free alternative.
Current Development Stage: Market-Ready MVP and Testing UNWARE has successfully developed its Minimum Viable Product (MVP), which is now market-ready. The system is actively being tested in real-world environments, and interested companies can experience it firsthand. The core idea is an interactive space utilizing high-end projection technology and ultra-low-latency motion tracking. Unlike VR headsets, which are often single-user experiences, UNWARE’s system allows multiple participants to engage in the same immersive environment simultaneously.
The system’s tracking operates at a latency of less than 8 milliseconds, ensuring seamless interaction and reducing motion sickness. With the MVP fully functional, UNWARE is focusing on refining projection quality, scalability, and user interaction based on industry feedback.
A first test system has been set up as a showroom in the brigk digital startup incubator for the Ingolstadt region – near the Congress Centrum Ingolstadt, which is directly connected to the Maritim Hotel Ingolstadt, allowing potential clients and industry professionals easy access to experience the technology firsthand. The test environment allows for real-world feedback and further refinements before broader market deployment. The ability to test the system in a practical setting has been invaluable in identifying both technical challenges and user experience improvements.
Potential Applications and Market Interest While still in its early stages, UNWARE’s system has attracted interest from multiple industries. The automotive sector sees potential for design validation and collaborative prototyping, eliminating the need for physical models. Similarly, the retail and real estate industries could use it for interactive product showcases and virtual walkthroughs.
Corporate training, defense simulations, and high-end luxury sales are also considered promising applications. The pricing model is still under evaluation, but UNWARE is considering leasing options to make the technology more accessible to different business sizes. The ability to provide an immersive experience without requiring cumbersome headsets makes the system particularly attractive for customer engagement, as it removes barriers that often hinder the adoption of VR-based interactions.
Next Steps and Future Outlook The immediate focus for UNWARE is further technical refinement and pilot projects with industry partners. With growing interest, the company is looking to scale production and explore additional use cases. Businesses interested in testing the technology can currently experience it at UNWARE’s Ingolstadt facility.
Long-term, UNWARE aims to develop a more scalable and modular version of the system, allowing companies to adapt it to different spaces and use cases. Future iterations may include improved interactive elements, AI-driven personalization, and deeper integration with enterprise workflows. The startup envisions a world where immersive experiences become part of everyday business operations, making collaboration and training more intuitive and engaging.
Interview with Maike Voigt, CEO of UNWARE – Revolutionizing Training Through Wearable-Free VR
Interviewer (Martin Sambauer):
I recently read about your company in the Süddeutsche Zeitung – a fascinating concept! Could you tell us more about UNWARE and its core mission?
Maike Voigt:
Absolutely! Our goal at UNWARE is to enable Virtual Reality experiences without any wearables. Unlike traditional VR systems that rely on headsets and controllers, our solution is entirely software-based, allowing users to interact naturally using gesture control and body movements. We target a solution for immersive storytelling in real estate and retail as well as a training and development tool that serves industries, simulations, and professional education.
Technology & Interaction Methods
Interviewer:
So, your focus is primarily on B2B use cases?
Maike Voigt:
Exactly. Our core application is training and simulation, not entertainment or narrative-driven experiences. Many of our clients come from industry, manufacturing, energy, defence and security, real estate, and retail. The need for wearable-free, multi-user VR solutions is especially high in environments where teams need to collaborate efficiently without technical barriers or where sales and marketing professional want to interact with their clients while selling their products in a VR experience.
Interviewer:
How does the interaction work in a system without controllers or VR headsets?
Maike Voigt:
Our system is based on precise head and body tracking. We developed a high-speed tracking system that captures full-body movements with a latency of under 8 milliseconds. The software then synchronizes these movements in real-time, ensuring a fluid and natural interaction with the virtual environment including gesture control.
Interviewer:
Does this mean multiple people can have the same virtual experience?
Maike Voigt:
Yes, that’s one of our key differentiators. Unlike VR headsets, which are usually single-user experiences, our system allows multiple users to be in same VR environment. This is crucial for team training, collaborative design workshops, and industrial simulations.
Applications & Use Cases
Interviewer:
Which industries benefit the most from your technology?
Maike Voigt:
We currently see the highest demand in:
- Industrial training and simulation: Used for technical training, machinery simulation, and process planning.
- Architecture and real estate: Clients can walk through virtual buildings before construction.
- Defense and security: Mission training and tactical simulations.
- Real estate and retail: VR storytelling in showrooms and at events for luxury and large-scale real estate or for complex and high-prized products.
Mobility & Flexibility
Interviewer:
Is the system mobile? Can it be used at trade shows or exhibitions?
Maike Voigt:
Yes. The entire system is modular and transportable. It can be set up within a day and is compact enough to fit into a 7.5-ton truck or a standard shipping container. This makes it easy to use for temporary installations, trade fairs, and corporate showrooms.
Interviewer:
How does your system compare to traditional VR setups in terms of usability?
Maike Voigt:
A major advantage is that our solution does not require headsets or controllers, which are often uncomfortable or create barriers in professional environments. With our system, users don’t lose physical awareness, making it ideal for sales environments, executive presentations, and training where direct human interaction is necessary.
Immersion, Audio & Lighting
Interviewer:
How do you handle immersion in terms of sound and lighting?
Maike Voigt:
Our system includes built-in acoustic insulation, creating an optimal sound environment. The setup is also fully enclosed, so we have complete control over lighting conditions, ensuring a seamless immersive experience regardless of the external environment.
Cost & Leasing Model
Interviewer:
Let’s talk about costs. What is the price range for companies interested in your solution?
Maike Voigt:
The base price of our system in Germany is €350,000. However, we offer leasing options through CHG Meridian, allowing companies to lease the system for €10,000 to €15,000 per month.
Interviewer:
What’s the typical delivery time if a company wants to purchase the system?
Maike Voigt:
Currently 4-6 months depending on the delivery time for some components that come from the U.S. and as the UNWARE Holodecks are still MVPs that are built in small series. Because we source some components from the U.S., the current delivery time is four to six months.
Interviewer:
Do you offer a testing phase before purchase?
Maike Voigt:
Yes, companies can test their own VR content in our showroom in Ingolstadt before making a commitment.
Future Developments & AI Integration
Interviewer:
What are your next big developments in this field?
Maike Voigt:
We are actively working on enhanced gesture tracking – so more precise hand and finger recognition to improve gesture control. Depending on the specific customer use case it’s also likely to create larger holodecks or to connect further hardware such as 360 degrees treadmills to enable walking in the VR environment. As we have a minimum viable product will learn more about what is really needed for the final product together with our first lead customers in the upcoming months.
Final Thoughts
Interviewer:
Your system seems like a game-changer in the VR industry. Any final thoughts?
Maike Voigt:
We truly believe that VR in many professional use cases should be accessible without the barriers of wearables. Whether for industrial design, simulation and training, or immersive sales presentations, our solution enables intuitive and highly effective interactions. We are excited about the future and look forward to expanding our technology even further.
Interviewer:
Thank you for sharing these insights. I’m eager to follow your journey.
Maike Voigt:
Thank you. It was a pleasure discussing our vision.
Conclusion
This interview highlights UNWARE’s shift away from traditional VR storytelling towards professional training applications. By eliminating wearables and enhancing multi-user interaction, UNWARE offers a highly immersive, scalable, and practical solution for industries needing real-world simulations and training tools. The company’s AI-powered future developments and cloud-based streaming models further position it as a key innovator in the field of industrial and professional VR applications.
