RSSMaker Aki Mimoto wrote in to let us know about his exciting new Arduino/VR/Web app mashup. He's wired up his wife's bike on a stationary platform to an Arduino using a reed sensor. Using the sensor data from the bike, along with data from a head mounted display (HMD), Ari is able to accurately pinpoint his position within Google Street View. Additional data from the HMD allows Ari to look around at his surroundings for a true VR experience.
Pragmatically explained, it means that I don't have to sit in the darkness or stare at my garage door while I'm huffing away. Hopefully once this is done, I'll be able to spend a few nights a week pedalling away downstairs and work my way across the US or Australia over the course of the year.
In the Maker Shed:
WOW! It's almost like riding a bike for real!
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Why doesn't he just go for a real bike ride instead?
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Ever try bicycling in the dead of winter? it aint fun! virtual reality to the rescue!
With that said, I hope google gives him access to some raw data (the stuff they have stored locally, which is higher res) so he can get it to run smoother
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Aki - great idea. I'm not a coder, but would love to help if I can. How about using a commercially available bicycle interface like Gamebike (gamebike.com)? The front wheel turns the bike on the street while bottons on the controller can turn the riders virtual view. Don't forget to accumulate stats like miles pedaled, average heart rate, cadence, etc.
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