Connected Exercise Bike
I would enjoy an interactive exercise bike and/or treadmill that could integrate with sites like http://www.gmap-pedometer.com so you could actually run or bike the course of any route you can create. Its resistance and elevation would change based on ground covered. This would allow the user to gauge one’s ability to handle a course that is not easily accessible, or try to tackle something like a Tour leg or the Ironman, rather than prepackaged (and not very realistic) courses. Then you could also compare times to winners, or see where you might fall in the pack of a competition, if you are planning on taking part in a triathlon, bike race, or marathon.
tophe said,
April 5, 2007 @ 1:47 pm
yes, why can’t we integrate GIS terrain data with an exercycle? Even better integrate a google-earth-like flythrough, at street level. Even if the landscape is fake, the actual terrain could be simulated in virtual world software.
Joel Galbraith said,
April 10, 2007 @ 1:31 pm
While not exactly what you were describing, In my mind they are related devices.
http://www.gearandtraining.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=22256&gclid=CM3w-oLguIsCFQkjWAodF2HF1g
http://www.tacx.com/producten.php?lvlMain=17&language=EN&ttop=VR%20terrains%20&%20Real%20Life%20Video
http://www.spinervals.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=204
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-06-07-office-fit_x.htm?csp=34
I have some other links saved somewhere, but can’t seem to find them–now there’s a design challenge–and I haven’t been impressed with existing solutions.
-Joel G.