Going to the gym can be boring, some agree with me. In this project the goal was to create an interactive treadmill that lets you control a movie playback with your steps. A ‘gamification’ concept was implemented, as you walk on the treadmill you receive an immediate reward, you are allowed to watch the movie that you chose. With this solution, at the same time you exercise, you enjoy the experience of viewing a movie, removing the focus of a not-so-pleasant experience, that is walking in the same place, and targeting your mind to the narrative that you are triggering with your movements.
Arduino + Processing + VLC Player
A magnetic switch is connected to Arduino (with Standard Firmata). Processing is receiving values from Arduino and calculating walking speed. If exceeds a specified value, it sends an order to VLC Player (via web interface) to start movie (or other media) playback. In the case of speed decreasing above the defined value, movie pauses.
