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Games Controlled By An Exercise Bike

Posted by Hemos on from the no-more-excues-fat-butt dept.

Fidigit writes "I know that most people reading this won't be _that_ interested in exercise, but given there's tech with it ... What do you think about computer games controlled by an exercise bike in your house? It sounds crazy, but it might just work." Update: 01/14 00:14 GMT by T : An anonymous reader points to another example of the same concept.

4 of 310 comments (clear)

  1. Not news by OldMiner · · Score: 5, Informative

    This has been done several times before. For instance, there is this SNES/Sega/PC/whatever else you want bike which is basically a fancy looking controller and then there's this SNES specific bike, the Life Cycle which I recall being issues in some back issue of Nintendo Power. I think there was even a Pacman-esque game that was supposed to go with it.

    --
    You like splinters in your crotch? -Jon Caldara
    1. Re:Not news by yo303 · · Score: 4, Informative
      I wrote part of the SNES software for the LifeCycle when I worked at Radical Entertainment.

      The Exertainment System is the first truly interactive system that combines aerobic exercise and video entertainment. It consists of a Lifecycle 3500 aerobic trainer, one of the world's most popular computerized exercise bikes, and a Super NES, the world's most popular 16-bit video game system.

      While riding on your Lifecycle 3500, you can use the system to monitor your biking activities (rpm, distance, calories, etc.) or set up a long-term fitness program in the "Program Manager". You can also choose to participate in the game "Mountain Bike Rally". Choose from several riders, several terrains, and several different bikes to have a truly interactive experience.

      It didn't sell very well, but mostly because it wasn't marketed properly. You still see the systems in a some fitness clubs (if you do, enter your name as "ronaye" to see an easter egg picture of my girlfriend at the time.)

      The new system in the article is multiplayer, which should make it a little more fun. It didn't seem to have any feedback to make the pedalling harder, however. That is essential to making the exercise interactive.

      I think systems like this will take off, once they're done right. I mean, plain exercise bikes are already a substitute for real biking, and those are accepted now. "Virtual" exercising systems are just trying to be a step closer to reality.

      yo.

  2. Nothing new... by sjehay · · Score: 5, Informative

    See here for a commercially-available product for interfacing turbo trainers and Playstation (2)s that has been around for a while...

  3. This has been around for a while.. by andres32a · · Score: 4, Informative

    I have been using the http://www.exertris.com/>Exertris for over a year know... Its Great. I personally find exercise quite boring but this does help me get through. The problem is that the number of games are limited.
    You can take a tour at the website to see if one is right for you...