Entry #2: Home Gym Interface

[Vaughn]

vCrib's Home Gym

1 magnetic contact connected to the Phidget 8/8/8, a microphone and a momentary switch to activate the microphone is all that is needed to hook any almost any gym to a computer. The user, exercise and weight are all set by simply speaking into the microphone. After setting up the exercise, every rep is counted verbally and stored in a database. At the end of the set, you simply say "end set" and the computer will read back your set totals and store them in an exercise log.

The system will accomodate multiple users simply by each user stating their name before their sets. Once the data is in the database, any type of reporting and graphing can be done against the data. In the future, I hope to map exercises to the muscle groups used and analyse neglected or over worked muscles, calculate calories and even have workout programs so the computer will direct you on which exercises to perform.

Besides the Phidget 8/8/8, this project can be done DIY for about $10.

See the video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rs-mJaaj0g

Thanks,
Vaughn

[Alex]

Thanks for the submission Vaughn:)

One thing though, why do you have a power adapter connected to the 8/8/8? That power input is only if you want to power the USB hub on the 8/8/8. The board itself gets all it's power directly from the USB port on your computer.

[Vaughn]

The 8/8/8 is about 9' away from the nearest computer, at the entrance to the wiring closet, so it is real convienient to have a USB hub there. I assume it does not hurt anything.

Vaughn

[Alex]

nah, it doesn't hurt anything. I just wanted to be sure you were aware that you only needed that extra juice if you were (or wanted to be) using the hub is all:)