VR Bungee Jumping Simulation Tips You Over In Real Life At AWE

The show floor of Augmented World Expo in Long Beach this year features a simulation of bungee jumping with the completely unnerving sensation of actually falling.

The demo for Anywhere Bungee is extremely short, but impactful enough that I thought about the experience for the rest of the day. It began with being handed a Quest 3 and getting strapped into a contraption resembling a large padded massage table wedged between two motorized arms. After getting my feet strapped in tight to a set of inversion cuffs, I was given a very quick explanation of what I was about to experience and then put right into the action.

In headset the simulation begins with the sensation of being moved into position for my impending jump. Anxiety began to wash over me as I felt suspended high in the air, dangling over the edge of a large skyscraper in Tokyo, Japan. The Logilicity team behind the experience began to chant in unison.

One... Two... Three. BUNGEE!

From a downward facing position strapped to the table and tilted forward a little bit to start, I dropped suddenly to a fully vertical position with my arms outstretched in front of me. This was a sensation that I have never experienced before in virtual reality and for the first time in a long while, I actually felt frightened in a VR headset.

The sensation of being flipped vertically as I plunged toward the ground below me, and again on the initial bounce, left my hands visibly trembling from the degree of fear and exhilaration at what I had just encountered. I’ve been using VR headsets for more than a quarter century and I don't often feel sensations like that anymore, even in the most intense virtual horror experiences at home. Experiencing the sudden pull of gravity seemed to transition my brain into believing I was actually falling, wind blowing in my face as I rapidly descended.

When the demo was over I spoke with Tetsuya Nonomura, who told me he prefers the title Chief Bungee Jumper to CEO. He told me his passion for bungee jumping led him to want to develop the Anywhere Bungee system so enthusiasts and the general public could do these activities in a controlled and easily accessible way.

Currently deployed in rooftop settings like Tokyo Tower and Abeno Harukas in Japan, Logilicity says they are looking to expand their virtual bungee experience to partners and anyone who might be curious about the thrill bungee can provide without having to fling themselves off of a real structure.

Now my mind is racing over other potential extreme sports that could be simulated using motion platforms and virtual reality. As someone who has never experienced real bungee jumping, I can't speak to how 1:1 this experience feels, but it was intense enough that I’m now chasing that feeling and searching for other intense VR simulations like this one. We would love to hear about similar experiences in the comments below, or you can contact us privately.