Closer VR with ORIGAMI

Drawing inspiration from ORIGAMI, the traditional Japanese craft of folding paper, we developed innovative VR goggles made of paper. By using ORIGAMI techniques to fold the goggles we were able to create VR goggles that fit in the palm of the hand, one of the smallest in the world. Less than an inch thick, these goggles are 80% lower in cost and size than those sold on Amazon. Because they cost a mere 2 dollars, many companies can purchase them as novelty goods.

ORIGAMI is the traditional Japanese craft of creating new shapes by carefully folding paper. When using ORIGAMI, a single piece of paper is folded multiple times, so the resulting shape can be considerably smaller than the original piece of paper. For this project, we used a technique called the accordion fold to get the VR goggles down to the smallest size possible, less than an inch in thickness. And because we made each pair of goggles out a single sheet of paper and mass produced the paper, we succeeded in reducing the size and cost of the goggles by more than 80% of conventional pairs. Not only did we create something that could be attached to a plastic bottle, but something that could also be effortlessly removed and simply spread open to use. No complicated assembly, and users could still enjoy the immersive experience of VR.

One week from the launch of the Micro VR Kit delivery service, it was reported on by over 700 media, creating a PR effect topping $5 million and triggering over 300 inquiries. As a first step, it was used in an ad campaign for German mineral water Gerolsteiner.

Using a QR code on the Micro VR Kit attached to the water bottle, users could access VR content. Even though the users were in Japan, the content virtually put them in the land of the water’s origin. 94% of consumers who came into contact with this content gained a deeper understanding of the product’s unique features, and over 75% experienced an increased purchase desire. What’s more, the number of people trying the product went up 150%. In this way, the Micro VR Kit proved to be an effective tool for both allowing people to experience VR technology and deepening brand understanding.