Hi There,

here is my first Tutorial on Instrucatables, i show you how easily you can turn your crosstrainer, elliptical Trainer, or stationary Bike in a nice VR Machine that shows you:

Speed

Calories

Distance

See the Video here:

First you need some stuff for Building the Speedsensor! You now this from you Bike Computer:

A reed contact switch every turn, so we can calculate the values for our software.

1. KSK 1A87 (reed contact)

2. A Magnet

3. Wirelss Mouse / Wired works too, but not so comfortable.

4. Lusterterminal

5. Double sided duct tape

6. Some wires, soldering iron, some solder

Mount your reed contact on the lusterterminal, like the picture:

Be careful, it is glass!

Open the mouse and remove the right mouse button switch with your soldering iron:

You have to solder 2 wires to the right mouse button, normally there are 3 soldering points, make sure you solder the right ones.

Then connect the wires to the lusterterminal, so they have contact with the pins from reed contact, also if you are a professional then you can use clamps:

You can test it with the magnet: connect the mouse to the PC and move the magnet over the reed contact, you have to hear a click and the right mouse button gives an action on PC Screen. Works? Ok then go to the next step.

Step 1: Mounting the Reed Contact to the Training Device

The Magnet is pasted to the wheel that turns, so every time the magnet comet to the reed contact, it gives a click.

The reed contact is pasted outside the wheel, be careful, because it is glass, when you use neodym magnet 1-2 cm

distance is a good choice. Make sure it makes a "click"

OK you are done so far and can make a first driving test with my software.

I have created a course with unity, you can load the program from here for free:

Bikers Software

After unzipping you can start with bikers.exe

let the resolution how it is and check windowed if not already checked (Better for testing).

Make sure your mouse cursor is in the active window!

In the start window you can type in your

Name

Weight

Gender

Press GO!

(miles not working yet)

Then jump on you training device and start pedaling.

You should see the driver moving, if not then press F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7 for camera switching.

It works? The go over to the more competition next step.

Step 2: More Competition

It is boring to drive/step with the same level or switch it manual , so i have bought an arduino uno (another arduino should work too), and 2 relays to choose level up and level down from the map i have created in unity.

If you have a slope up, it makes auto switch to a higher Level, or when it slope down to a lower level.

For example, when you start with level 5 and a slope up comes, then the relays are switching a fixed value for slope mostly 2-3 steps, also the other way for the lower level.

Do this only when you have some skills for it. If you are fine wit manually set the level then do so, the software works also without arduino. I post more images later from my panel works.

Lets start Arduino Hardware Setup

I have build this on a hole board with some

wires, 2 relay, terminal block and the arduino.

I have an open basket on reichelt, pic your needed parts and datasheets there:

OpenBasket

Place your items on the board and solder them, we use for the relays the normaly open pins.

See the datasheet from the SIL 7271-D 5V from the OpenBasket.

i use wire jumper to connect PIN 7 and PIN 8 to the relays. (Pin7 level down) (Pin8 level up)

and wire jumper to ground.

Now the tricky part to do is, open your crosstrainer panel and solder the level up + and down - switches:

AGAIN! Do this only when you have some skills for it. If you are fine wit manually set the level then do so, the software works also without arduino. I post more images later from my panel.

You can upload the standard cc for arduino, nothing more needed! The rest make my Program:

Upload the StandardFirmata sketch to the board. Open the sketch via File->Examples->Firmata->StandardFirmata and then press Upload. The StandardFirmata sketch will reset all pin states. You can now close the Arduino software.

If you are new, go first (You dont want magic smoke!):

Arduino Homepage

If you have a sparkfun hrmi reader for 5,3KhZ chest straps it shows you the heartrate.

this one: Polar HRMI Reader pcb

If you have a ant+ cheststrap and stick you can use it in 1-2 weeks, i am currently build it in.(Not ready yet).