Walmart’s innovation lab, called Store No. 8, has
acquired a virtual reality startup.
The retailer announced that it has acquired Spatialand, which will operate in stealth mode, according to a blog post by the company.
“The team
will develop and explore new products and uses of VR through immersive retail environments that can be incorporated by all facets of Walmart, online and offline,” states the announcement.
Spatialand’s VR platform has been used for projects with Oculus, Intel, Reebok and Linkin Park.
The acquisition follows the development of a proof of concept VR experience the
companies worked together on last year.
“The team will continue the work we began last summer at Innov8,” states the blog. “This experience transported users to a campsite in
Yosemite National Park, where outdoor products such as tents were available to utilize in the same way as when camping, entering the space and judging its size and ease of setup to ensure it is the
best product for a customer’s needs.”
Kate Finnegan, a principal of Store No. 8, will serve as interim CEO of the VR studio.
Walmart has previously used virtual reality for
employee training in some of its facilities.