One of the surprise benefits of virtual reality (VR) gaming is its ability to get players moving, burning calories and therefore help make them get a little healthier in the process. There are titles which are tailor-made for helping gamers keep track of those calories like BoxVR but what about the videogames which don’t. That’s where YUR comes in, and tomorrow the desktop app will launch to make your VR fitness goals a reality.
YUR has actually been around for a few months now in a limited form. The calorie tracking app first appeared during the summer when Synth Riders released an Early Access update for its rhythm action experience, allowing PC VR players to see approximately what they had burnt. Then in September YUR Inc. announced the completion of a funding round which also saw the YUR app arrive for Oculus Quest via Sidequest.
With the addition of YUR on Steam, the app offers a realtime activity overlay onto select VR videogames. Using YUR Inc’s. patent-pending technology to estimate calories burned, the app is compatible with the following VR titles:
- Beat Saber
- Pistol Whip
- Superhot VR
- Synth Riders
- Creed: Rise to Glory
- Gorn
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
- Audica
- Blade and Sorcery
- Arizona Sunshine
- Thrill of the Fight
The app has its own dashboard so you can keep an eye on numerous stats and fitness goals. YUR Inc. also mentions the app supports Bluetooth heart rate monitors. Currently, only BTLE heart rate monitors Polar H10 and XOSS optical armband have been tested. Fitness trackers like Apple Watch, FitBit and Android Watch aren’t supported due to the fact that they don’t broadcast the BTLE heart rate profile.
The announcement also conincides with an update for the Oculus Quest version. Updated to 2.0.4 on Sidequest, the new version is more in line with the PC edition, featuring new charts with additional details, new overlay designed by Carize and Quest Link support via the PC app.
The YUR fitness app will be available from tomorrow, 4th November via Steam Early Access. For further updates on the latest VR fitness advancements, keep reading VRFocus.