I was really into road bikes a couple of years ago, and even back then I had an idea for a some kind of virtual reality biking machine. Please take the time to listen to this idea I have and give me some feedback on if it's something you would possibly think about buying, and if so what would it be worth, and also any ideas to improve on my concept.
I was just getting interested in micro-controllers about the same time I was seriouslly getting into racing with road bikes and since then I have learned so much about them. I can do the programming too on the windows side using the XNA framework (Think XBox 360 games that uses directx).
Anyway, as far as the bike itself goes I envision using your own bike and strapping it down onto a machine of some kind which would measure and give feedback to make it as convincing as possible.
There would be something under the back wheel that would give it resistance. Easier would be going downhill, harder would be uphill.
Also, the whole platform would tilt up and down (hills) and it would also easily lean left to right to simulate when you make wide turns (it would have to resist the side to side moment depending on terrain, speed, your weight and center of gravity, ect.... The wheel under the back wheel (and front wheel) would also have some kind of vibration and bumping feature to simulate rough pavement, speed bumps, ect...
That was just a quick rundown to give you some idea of what i'm thinking of.
For visuals I was thinking you could go with a big screen TV (or none) all the way up to some 3d goggles with head tracking, so as your turn your head the scenery would change.
I have also thought about using humidifiers, heat lamps, air conditioners, fans, sprinklers, ect... for an even fuller effect, but that is mainly just icing on the cake, you would have to be pretty hardcore to install the system in a place that you could get soaked 🙂
Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on what would make the platform react in the most convincing way possible?
Ideally the whole thing would plug into either a PC or XBox 360. You could literally simulate any race in the world, and even network more then one together through the internet to race together. The ultimate winter training system.
Thank you for your time, feel free to ask any questions. Right now the whole idea is just that, an idea, but I believe it's within my ability to actually build this, money is the only thing holding me back but I can do quite a bit of programming while I get the money together to buy the parts to build a prototype of the platform that the bike would attach too.