$40 Virtual Reality for Stationary Bikes

Pete Prestipino
by Pete Prestipino 26 Jan, 2016
$40 Virtual Reality for Stationary Bikes

The only thing worse than a treadmill is a stationary bike, but add in some virtual reality and you have a recipe for an awesome workout. 

In a recent YouTube video, Paul Yan used an Arduino circuit board with a Bluetooth link to a smartphone. An optical tachometer was fitted to the board which monitors the amount of time takes fora  wheel to complete a single revoluion - measuring the movement and speed. With power from a single 9 volt battery, the Arduino is palced next to teh back wheel where it uses a strip on the tire as a starting point. 

Using a custom made iOS app, and a pre-built 3D world powered by the Unity 3D game engine, the iPhone is slipped into a VR headset ready for the 'cyclist' to wear. Instead of a wall, the TV, or the sweaty back of another gym-goer to stare at, it transports you into a colorful, game-like 3D city. Peddle away, and you're off on a tour. The headset used cost $10, and is compatible with Google Cardboard, which can be had for free provided you come up with a way to secure it on your face.

Pete Prestipino
Pete Prestipino
Digital marketing executive with proven experience in all aspects of search engine optimization (SEO), performance-based advertising, consumer-generated/social media, email marketing, lead generation, Web design, usability, and analytics. - 20-year Internet marketing veteran, currently serving as the Digital Marketing Campaign Manager at Antenna Group (formerly Chicago Digital). - Former Editor-In-Chief of Website Magazine, and a regular speaker on Web technology digital marketing strategy - Author of several books on digital marketing Including Web 360: The Fundamentals of Web Success; Affiliate 360: The Fundamentals of Performance Marketing; Domains 360: The Fundamentals of Buying & Selling Domain Names, and SEO 360: The Fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization.