Saga HoloBike’s novel holographic viewport creates a goggle-free VR environment with a previously unobtainable fidelity
Emerging from stealth, Saga debuts the new HoloBike that introduces novel hologram technology to augment indoor cycling by recreating the captivating sense of cruising vast trails. Saga unlocks the potential of metaverse fitness by leveraging the forefront of perceptual computing and light-field display technology to achieve convincing virtual presence without cumbersome VR headsets. The Saga HoloBike is available for pre-order today.
The HoloBike’s stereoscopic light-field display provides a 3D portal to virtual scenes with crystal-clear 4K resolution, unparalleled in fitness technology. The panoramic 27-inch viewport spans the rider’s field of view to simulate the perception of moving through 3D space, breaking the monotony of stationary training. Wind and leaves appear to drift out of the screen, as the rider gazes into the horizon and cruises through vivid scenes generated with neural networks from volumetric scans of real-life landscapes. To achieve life-like visual fidelity, the HoloBike integrates the most powerful graphics process ever used in a consumer fitness device.
Founded in 2020 by Samuel Matson, a former Google VR researcher, Saga has been developing the HoloBike for more than three years. While locked down outside Medellin, Colombia, during the COVID-19 pandemic and passing the days cycling through the Andes Mountains, Samuel observed that the sense of motion seemed to make the time riding pass faster. “When I’m biking outdoors, I can go for three hours just absorbed in that captivating rhythm of moving through space. But even 10 minutes training on a stationary bike feels painfully monotonous,” said Matson. “That phenomenon of time dilation is fascinating. Tapping into that sense of flow, we can create a more meditative training experience that enhances focus and endurance.”
Initial test riders have been impressed with the HoloBike’s immersiveness. “I can ride for the joy of riding,” said cyclist Paul Young of San Francisco. “It’s an experience where you could ride for 40 minutes, check your watch, and be surprised that it hasn’t been just 10 minutes.”
Saga worked with London-based industrial designer Benjamin Hubert and his firm, Layer to craft the HoloBike’s ergonomic frame for optimal performance, inspired by the elegance and athleticism of classic road bikes. The compact, adjustable frame provides a comfortable riding experience for a wide range of body types and riding styles.
Saga is now accepting pre-orders on Kickstarter and expecting to deliver bikes in Winter 2024/25.
HoloBike at a glance:
Founded in 2020, Saga Holographic is innovating at the forefront of immersive technology to help people unlock their athletic potential and live active, healthier lives. Founder and CEO Samuel Matson, a former Google VR researcher, has applied his knowledge of perceptual computing and immersive display technology to enhance athletic training. The company’s first product, the HoloBike, pioneers holographic fitness to elevate indoor cycling with vivid virtual trails in life-like 3D. Saga Holographic is based in Santa Monica, CA.
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