Engadget

Girl, Apple's gonna make you sweat with a treadmill patent

Daniel Cooper — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:17:00 EST

Wednesday means we're about to delve into Cupertino's newest patents. Remember: just because there's a patent, doesn't mean it'll be in your next iPad. Got it? Good. This week's haul starts with a rather dry patent to correct bad motion sensing. Accelerometer-based devices are only as good as the data it collects, using a flat horizontal plane as a reference point -- any incline and the whole show is ruined. Apple's 3D patent can mathematically correct for gravitational movement along the "plane of motion." The second's about getting sweaty on sports equipment. Shove your iPod into a treadmill and it'll record your vital statistics for uploading to a third party website for "mutual encouragement." It wouldn't be hard to imagine this working its way into something similar to Nike+, but it would be hard to imagine Nike insisting that Apple just do it.

Girl, Apple's gonna make you sweat with a treadmill patent originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paralyzed man can stand and walk again, thanks to spinal implant

Amar Toor — Fri, 20 May 2011 08:47:00 EST

Here's an amazing story to end your week on a high note: a 25-year-old paraplegic is now walking again, thanks to a groundbreaking procedure developed by neuroscientists at the University of Louisville, UCLA and Cal Tech. The Oregon man, Rob Summers, was paralyzed below the chest in 2006, after getting hit by a speeding car. This week, however, doctors announced that Summers can now stand up on his own and remain standing for up to four minutes. With the help of a special harness, he can even take steps on a treadmill and can move his lower extremities for the first time in years. It was all made possible by a spinal implant that emits small pulses of electricity, designed to replicate signals that the brain usually sends to coordinate movement. Prior to receiving the implant in 2009, Summers underwent two years of training on a treadmill, with a harness supporting his weight and researchers moving his legs. This week's breakthrough comes after 30 years of research, though scientists acknowledge that this brand of epidural stimulation still needs to be tested on a broader sample of subjects before any definitive conclusions can be drawn. Summers, meanwhile, seems understandably elated. "This procedure has completely changed my life," the former baseball player said. "To be able to pick up my foot and step down again was unbelievable, but beyond all of that my sense of well-being has changed." We can only imagine.

Paralyzed man can stand and walk again, thanks to spinal implant originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 May 2011 08:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ProForm Trailrunner 4.0 treadmill tricks you into exercising with 10-inch Android tablet

Darren Murph — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:29:00 EST

Looking for a New Year's resolution to break? Look elsewhere. If you commit to banging out three solid miles on a Trailrunner 4.0 treadmill each day, there's a better-than-average chance you'll actually be able to do just that throughout 2011. In a presumed effort to keep nerds and internet junkies "in shape," ProForm has slapped a 10-inch Android tablet (non-removable, sadly) up top, offering users the ability to check the news, browse their email and surf the web so long as a WiFi network is within range. Once you're done with that, you can scroll through workout stats and options including speed, time, distance, calories burned, pulse, incline and pace. Moreover, it's integrated with iFit Live in order to give users the ability to map their progress, and the inbuilt speaker system and auxiliary input lets you jam to your heart's content, too. At $2,999, it's hardly an impulse buy, but considering that you were already budgeting $500 for a new Android device... actually, nah, it's still no bargain.

[Thanks, Justin]

ProForm Trailrunner 4.0 treadmill tricks you into exercising with 10-inch Android tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: fuel efficiency flies high, turbines touch the sky, and salt that stores sunlight

Inhabitat — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EST

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week Inhabitat brought you a surge of renewable energy news as groundbreaking projects supercharged every corner of the world. London officially crowned the first skyscraper with built-in wind turbines while Sicily generated solar power in the dead of night with the world's first solar plant that stores energy using molten salt. And speaking of solar power, China is heating things up with the largest building-integrated photovoltaic plant on the planet.

In transportation news, we scored an exclusive interview with auto manufacturer Edison2, who is currently coming up aces with three ultra-efficient vehicles in the final stages of the Progressive Auto X Prize -- and we watched high-tech aviation soar to new heights as Airbus unveiled its vision for a fuel-efficient aircraft of the future.

Finally, we were wowed by the world's first biomass consuming robot, which actually eats, excretes, and can run for a whole week unsupervised. If you're thinking "I can do that" then we encourage you to try - why not start training with this exercise-inducing treadmill desk? Don't forget to wear your spiffy glow-in-the-dark performance wear; your co-workers will love it.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: fuel efficiency flies high, turbines touch the sky, and salt that stores sunlight originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AlterG's M300 treadmill: same 'anti-gravity' vibe, now 'only' $24,500

Darren Murph — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:08:00 EST

We've always heard that holiday calories "don't count," but disregarding urban legend for a minute, we'd say AlterG's timing here is nothing short of impeccable. Nearly 1.5 years after the outfit's P200 series was a-okay'd by the FCC, an all new walking machine has entered the fray. The M300 treadmill brings along the same "anti-gravity" feel (useful for rehabilitation and athletic training), but in a machine that's a third of the price and way, way sleeker. The idea here is to reduce the strain on joints and muscles as one exercises, and while that's certainly commendable, we're still thinking it'll take one or two more iterations to get one priced for the everyman. You know, unless you consider $24,500+ (or $499+ per month for the rest of your Earthly life) "affordable."

[Via MedGadget]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household

AlterG's M300 treadmill: same 'anti-gravity' vibe, now 'only' $24,500 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Details on Azeroth-traversing treadmill revealed

Donald Melanson — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:34:00 EST

Well, it looks like those keen to attempt their own real life trek across Azeroth (or the virtual world of their choice) now have a fairly straightforward course of action to follow, as the originators of the MMO-connected treadmill have just posted some detailed plans for the rig on the ever-useful Instructables website. In case you didn't catch it the first time around, the setup simply uses a mouse (they recommend an MX Revolution) that's held in place against a mousepad affixed to a bicycle wheel, which itself is simply rested against the treadmill -- a joystick handles the directional control. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from taking things a few steps further and, if you do, be sure to let us know.

[Via Hack a Day]

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Details on Azeroth-traversing treadmill revealed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nerds race across Azeroth IRL, nearly die from shame

Paul Miller — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:23:00 EST

Let's try not to read too much into this one. Here are the facts: two dweebs thought it would be a good idea to hook up treadmills to their PCs, don brightly-colored wigs and cardboard swords, and race their avatars across about a mile of virtual turf by jogging in place with only a modicum of coordination and zero athletic ability. The folks at Mana Energy Potion were complicit in the event, which failed to prove treadmill gaming is a good idea, but made great strides in proving just how low World of Warcraft addiction has brought certain members of our society. Video is after the break, we recommend you look away.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Nerds race across Azeroth IRL, nearly die from shame

Filed under: Gaming

Nerds race across Azeroth IRL, nearly die from shame originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Omni-directional treadmill allows individuals to sashay through virtual cities

Darren Murph — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:32:00 EST

Though not the first omni-directional treadmill we've ever seen, this version crafted for the EU-funded CyberWalk Project is entirely more interesting. The 6- x 6-meter device features an active walking area of 4.5- x 4.5-meters, and later this month, individuals anxious to prance through a virtual city will be able to strap on a head-mounted display, lace up their LA Lights and indulge in escapism. Aside from giving curious persons the ability to walk through a recreated version of ancient Pompeii, the device could also be used to meander through buildings not yet created or give firefighters a way to train without placing them in harm's way. Now, if only there was an option to dissolve into pixels and teleport to locales you find particularly intriguing, we'd be sold.

[Via Slashdot]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Omni-directional treadmill allows individuals to sashay through virtual cities originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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G-Trainer "anti-gravity" treadmill gets approved by the FDA

Donald Melanson — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:22:00 EST

Alter-G looks to have been boasting about its G-Trainer "anti-gravity" treadmill for some time now, but it seems that it's now a whole lot closer to finding itself under your feet someday, as it has now been approved as an actual medical device by the FDA. In case it didn't pop up on your radar, the device itself makes use of a specialized air pressure regulation system to reduce the individuals' effective body weight by up to 80%, with it apparently precise enough to make changes in increments as small as 1%. Of course, Alter-G also seems to be quite confident that the rig is entirely safe but, given some of the predicaments we've seen other, seemingly innocuous treadmills get in, we'd still be a little cautious about strapping ourselves into the thing.

[Via MedGadget]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

G-Trainer "anti-gravity" treadmill gets approved by the FDA originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Treadmill recall stuck in endless, fiery loop

Nilay Patel — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:13:00 EST

It's not every day a company has to recall their recall, but Cybex International is once again recalling six different treadmill models after first recalling them in 2003 -- because the wire nuts used in the first recall repair are causing the units to overheat and catch fire. Five treadmills have gone up in smoke thus far, and if you own a Cybex 400T or 410T, Trotter 510, 525, or 535, or just the charmingly unbranded CXT+ treadmill, you may want to unplug your rig and pick up the phone ASAP. No word on what this next recall will cause, but we're hoping for sentience with a dash of world domination.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Treadmill recall stuck in endless, fiery loop originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Steelcase's Walkstation marries desk and treadmill

Evan Blass — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:02:00 EST

Anyone who reads the fine site Book of Joe knows that the man behind the blogging empire is religiously devoted to working out while writing, and prides himself on having integrated a treadmill into his workspace. Well manufacturer Steelcase thinks that this trend has grown beyond one individual multitasking in his underwear, and is poised to introduce a nicely-designed product called the Walkstation which seems more at home in a CEO's office than your messy living room. Not many details are available on this converged piece of furniture co-designed by the Mayo Clinic's Dr. James Levine (who's been working in this specialized field for at least two years, apparently), ~~but supposedly there's an all day demo going down on October 25th at 4 Columbus Circle if you happen to be in the New York area. And if you do go, try to show up in a cab just to be ironic.~~

Update: We've learned -- unsurprisingly, from the Joe mentioned above -- that this rig will retail for a cool $6,500, thereby making it the Rolls Royce of integrated workstations. Thanks, Joe, and keep, um, running for the stars!

Update 2: Whoops, guess there's no demo going on after all. You can still show up to that address, we guess, but you certainly won't have the good time you would have had working and exercising simultaneously.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Steelcase's Walkstation marries desk and treadmill originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Moonwalk treadmill trains brain-injured patients to walk

Darren Murph — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:07:00 EST

Though there's been plenty of inventions that help brain-injured individuals regain a somewhat normal gait, a split-belt treadmill that oftentimes "pushes people into sloppy versions of Michael Jackson's moonwalk" is certainly one of the most bizarre. The device enables one foot to move up to four times faster than the other or throw one leg into reverse whilst the other moves forward, essentially forcing one's brain to make an "unconscious adjustment" in order to keep him / her from falling down. The goal, now, however, is to figure out how to make the temporary fixes instituted by the moonwalk machine permanent -- without forcing the disabled to live out their lives with Thriller running through their headphones.

[Via ShortNews]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Moonwalk treadmill trains brain-injured patients to walk originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Omni-directional treadmill could put you in the game

Joshua Topolsky — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:01:00 EST

Sure, you get a pretty good workout on that regular treadmill, but don't you think you could burn more calories if you had a little directional freedom? Well, thanks to the ridiculously clever people at Virtual Space Devices, you're one step closer to breaking free of your staid workout -- and one step closer to fully immersive virtual environments. The Michigan-based company has been developing an omni-directional treadmill since 1996, and they appear to have come up with a real solution -- a self-contained unit which allows you to walk (or run) in any direction you choose, without actually covering any ground. Next up the company plans to manufacture a device called the iPlane, which will not only allow you to walk and run wherever you want, but fly as well, which should make future iterations of Doom really, really interesting. Watch the video after the break and be stunned and amazed.

[Via Digg]

Continue reading Omni-directional treadmill could put you in the game

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Omni-directional treadmill could put you in the game originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doggy treadmill gets your pup in shape

Darren Murph — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 02:30:00 EST

For those of you out there whipping your offspring into shape by utilizing the Step2Play middleman, and burning your own fair share of calories on the GameRunner, it's about time Rover joined the fray, eh? The Dog Walker treadmill helps prevent doggy obesity and apparently relieves the dog's stress, all while helping it to exert all that pent-up energy from being cramped up in the house all day. Aside from sporting a smaller, dog-friendly design, casters to enable easy transport, and two side shields to prevent minor tumbling disasters, the machine also sports a safety leash which prevents the pup from sliding off the rear (or giving up on the goal) and a devilish remote control to vary the speed from 0 to 5-kilometers per hour (3.1 mph). So if you're tired of Fido's stomach dragging the ground while crawling around in misery, you can pick up its very own treadmill (to go along with that recently-purchased pedometer) for ¥15,800 ($131).

[Via TokyoMango]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Doggy treadmill gets your pup in shape originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 28 Jan 2007 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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