From: EvMick@aol.com
Date: Wed Aug 13 1997 - 09:01:20 MDT
Speaking of waistlines...I've finally got mine out there where I can keep an
eye on it.
Seriously though...something's gotta be done... and I've been thinking about
it for some time...unfortunately thinking doesn't accomplish much...my job is
(mostly) sedantary....and the possible exercise in which I might engage is
insufferably boring....(weight lifting...dumbells)....or dangerous..(walking
after a day of driving...thru warehouse districts...docks....etc....or thru
truckstops...dodging SUPER-TRUCKER!!! 90mph inna parking lot)
So...I have come up with an alternative...which I would like critiqued.
I was in the same room with a TV a week or so ago...rare occurence....The Tv
was on to an "infomercial"....one of those (you guessed it) exercise
machines. This particular one was something called (I think) the Western
Flyer.(it said something about a web-site?) It was billed as an alternative
to the Health Rider ..."why ride when you can FLY!!" Naturally all the
models were in wonderful shape ...mostly female...and incredibly sexy.
But I keep thinking about it. <infectous memes>
Some time in the not too distant future I'm going to "remodel" my truck.
Probably put a big horse under the hood and get a custom sleeper. (at that
it'll still cost between a quarter and a half of what a new truck would
cost...$120K or so...for what I'd get).. In that sleeper why not have an
exercise machine? Some guys do....I've heard of Nordic Tracks and various
weight machines...
My thought is a variation on that theme....virtual reality.
The Western Flyer provides a "full body workout" with a motion not unlike
cross country skiing or skating. (and it folds up relatively small) Now
suppose that various sensors were attached to the machine(duration,speed,etc
equivalents.) ...and the user..(heart rate..blood pressure)..and fed to a
computer which controls a VR setup...taking appropriate scenes from a CD-rom
no doubt....or developed according to some program. The user would ...via
head-mounted display and audio...experience something similar to roller
blading or skiing....or whatever...variable scenery...controll of direction
and speed...maybe even some kind of game or competition <roller blade thru
the valley of EEEE Gog....look out for trolls, dragons...and naked water
sprites....be sure you laser bolt ...and other weapons..are fully charged!>
At least it would releive the deadly boredom of monotonous...repetitive
exercise...and if it's fun...it won't be a chore to do it often enough to be
useful.
The exercise machine in question costs about $200...i-glasses cost about
$500...that leaves a computer...would a general purpose one work...like my
pentium laptop? or would it need a dedicated chip...and the engineering...or
is plug-in play (with a few mods) possible? and the programming....(I
particularly like the part about chasing the scantily-clad nympth down the
long winding grassy lane thru the forest.......<computer monitors
heartbeat...once "training effect " is acheived and maintained for given
period of time..."trainee" gets a reward......gains on nympth
or...!!!!!!!!!!>
EvMick
Segovia, Tx.
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