In this week’s episode of the Engineering Update starring Editor Kasey Panetta (@kcpanetta), Digital Editor Jason Lomberg (@JasonECNMag), and WDD’s Editor-in-Chief, Janine E. Mooney (@JMooneyWDD):
Bringing virtual reality to indoor cycling
We’ve all been there–in a crowded gym sitting on a stationary bike counting down the minutes until the workout is over. BORINGGGG. Now imagine being immersed in an intense uphill battle, a leisurely ride along the Pacific Coast Highway, or a thrilling escape from zombies in a Walking Dead-like post-apolocayptic world. BOOM! An Italian startup is making this awesome workout possible. Widerun is a smart bike trainer designed to connect to virtual reality head-mounted units
A personal navigation device that zaps your legs
If common, everyday GPS don’t quite do it for you, German scientists have created satellite navigation technology that provides direct electrical stimulation to your legs to guide you to your destination. And yes, it’s just as weird and potentially dangerous as it sounds. Scientists connected a mobile phone with traditional navigation software to an electrical muscle stimulator targeting the leg’s Sartorius muscle, which covers your entire thigh and is in fact the longest muscle in the human body.
An electric vehicle designed for Antarctica
Though electric vehicles are a common topic on technology and consumer blogs, rarely do your hear the technology partnered with the word Antarctica. But, for scientists who live and work there, it’s an interesting exploration into what types of vehicles are ideal for the climate and geography. The appropriately named Venturi Anarctica is a 10 foot long and 7.5 foot wide joy-stick controlled prototype vehicle designed by Venturi Automobiles.
