Rocket Bike Challenge
Find a way to adapt common gym tools for a reduced gravity environment and design a workout routine that can minimize bone and muscular loss while being fun and easy to use during a long term mission. In doing so consider constraints regarding weight (equipment should weigh less than 500kg) and dimensions. Consider incorporating virtual reality to simulate a jog through an astronaut’s favorite Earth destinations or incorporate gaming to motivate users.
Sum up
The Rocket Bike Challenge is an adventure designed to go with future NASA Space Apps events !
Riding bike home trainers in Space Apps locations, or even individualy your own bike, each pedal stroke will help a common virtual bike reaching the Moon.
We also think about social networks interactions giving distance bonus. This is more than just a sport challenge...
The idea is to push back the limits engaging more people in Space Apps events, connecting people thanks to a global sport/social network challenge based on a global cooperation.
This adventure is based on :
- a beautiful history about space, love and challenge,
- a webpage collecting and merging bike data and visualizing the bike course,
- a bike home trainer hack to transmit data.
What we've developped :
- a home trainer hack based on a Raspberry Pi, transmitting wheel turns,
- a webpage displaying a map with trajectory and scripts displaying ISS, the rocket bike position, social interaction,
- a story line giving sense and helping engagement in this adventure.
What will remain to do after 2016 Space Apps :
- developp smartphone app to allow people participating with their own bikes,
- improve graphism and visuals,
- integrate the social network interactions.
The Story
I almost there, - squeezing the handlebar with my sweaty palms.
I almost, almost there! - I can feel my muscles shaking, but i’m still pedaling with all my efforts.
I almost there. 3 kilometers, two, one… The gateway is open and I finally get off my bike. My breath is hard, my heart is jumping out of my chest. But it doesn't matter, because I'm in. I reached the International Space Station.
********
My name is Mark. I'm a student. I have an ordinary life: college in the morning, part-time job in the evening. Nothing special. Except Selena. We met one year ago, during the Administrative law course, and she became my good friend. Well, the really good one…
I told her once that i’m ready to do something really crazy for her. Well, you know all this talks about getting the star from the sky etc. She laughed, of course. Told me that stars are hot and prickly and she prefer something soft.
- Rabbits? - I asked.
- Well, why not! The little Moon rabbit, like in the old East legend, - she laughed.
Moon rabbit? Well...
********
Now, I’m looking out the porthole. The Moon is much closer that it was before. But still far, far away.
My velo is here, near me. I had to carefully tie it - otherwise it could damage something during the unwitting flight through the ISS corridors;)
I call my transport the “space rocket bike”. It sounds little bit pathetically, but it’s true! There is a special app, which traces every pedal stroke and sends information about distance I have already passed, to the server. So I can see both the data and my course on the web page.
I'm looking out the porthole toward the Earth's satellite. According to the old legends there is a Moon Rabbit, who lives there. Someone call it Jade rabbit, someone thinks it's Gold. I'm not exactly sure. I think it should be Gentle or Soft - what suits the better for my... well, for my love.
I’m looking out… ISS is the intermediate point of my travel. I still need to conquer about 400 000 km. I plan to use others space sport stations as the interim bases. It will be like a game - i need to find them, using the map, integrated in my app.
And of course I will appreciate the help from everyone on Earth and not only the Earth! From the ISS astronauts too. One of them is already helping - using his exercise bike. You can do the same for me. Riding the velo simulator in Space Apps locations, or even individually your own bike, each pedal stroke will help my bike reaching the Moon.
Let's keep one virtual bike travelling in space! The more bicycles we have, from both the Earth and space, the more far away we may travel. The more we are, the more we will go far.
Thanks for your attention. I must go on…
Some JS and web libraries :
