System and method for simulating environmental conditions on an exercise bicycle
A stationary exercise cycle includes a simulation system for simulating real-world terrain based on environmental and other real-world conditions. Using topographical or other data, an actual location can be simulated. The exercise cycle may include a resistance mechanism that is adjusted based on changes in simulated slope, and by amounts simulating actual frictional and gravitational forces. The simulated speed of the rider, as well as speed and direction of a simulated wind, are used to determine a simulated air speed. Based on the simulated air speed, the simulation system determines the simulated air resistance hindering the rider, and changes reflective of the simulated air resistance are made by the resistance mechanism. The stationary exercise cycle takes into account actual or approximate physical information of the user in determining the real-world conditions that are simulated, including the height, weight, shape, and/or rising position of the rider.
1. An exercise apparatus, comprising:
a rotatable pedal assembly;
a resistance mechanism disposed to apply a variable resistance to the rotatable pedal assembly; and
at least one controller comprising a processor, wherein the at least one controller is in communication with the resistance mechanism to vary resistance applied by the resistance mechanism to the rotatable pedal assembly based at least in part on a simulated air resistance;
a sensor determining a simulated speed of a user of the exercise apparatus; and
an input comprising weather information at a real world remote location, the weather information including a speed of the wind at the real world remote location, the processor determining the simulated air resistance based at least in part on the simulated speed of the user of the exercise apparatus and the speed of the wind at the real world remote location, the controller selectively varying the resistance of the resistance mechanism based on the simulated air resistance.
2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the simulated air resistance is dependent on at least one physical characteristic of a user of the exercise apparatus, the at least one physical characteristic of the user including a height of the user.
3. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the simulated air resistance is dependent on at least one physical characteristic of a user of the exercise apparatus, the at least one physical characteristic of the user including an approximate frontal area of the user.
4. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus includes a communication interface configured to access a remote source to obtain at least one physical characteristic of the user, the at least one physical characteristic used to determine the simulated air resistance.
5. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the simulated air resistance is at least in part dependent on a drag coefficient.
6. The exercise apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the drag coefficient changes when an aerodynamic position of the user changes.
7. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the resistance applied by the resistance mechanism to the rotatable pedal assembly is at least in part based on a simulated rolling friction, the simulated rolling friction being at least in part dependent on velocity and slope.
8. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the simulated air resistance is at least in part dependent on a simulated current altitude relative to an altitude of surrounding terrain.
9. The exercise apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the simulated air resistance is based at least in part on a scaling factor applied to simulated wind velocity.
10. The exercise apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the simulated air resistance is variable through at least a backing off of an adjustment to the simulated air resistance as the simulated current altitude approaches a peak altitude.
11. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the simulated air resistance is at least in part dependent on a wind direction at the real world remote location.
12. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the simulated air resistance includes at least a surface wind at the real world remote location.
13. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the simulated air resistance is at least in part based on the equation (½)(VCdAp)(V+V wind)2+mgV(Crf+slope).
14. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display for displaying images corresponding to a real-world terrain being simulated.
15. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the resistance mechanism applies a variable resistance based at least in part on a relation of a physical setting of the resistance mechanism to a power value and a rotational speed.
16. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller selectively varies the resistance of the resistance mechanism based upon the simulated speed of the user of the exercise apparatus, a speed of a wind at the real world remote location, and a direction of the wind at the real world remote location.
17. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor determines a drag based upon the simulated speed of the user of the exercise apparatus and the speed of the wind at the real world remote location; and
wherein the processor uses the drag to determine an amount the resistance of the resistance mechanism should vary, the controller varying the resistance of the resistance mechanism by the determined amount.
18. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor to determine a body position of the user of the exercise apparatus, the processor using the simulated speed of the user of the exercise apparatus and the body position of the user of the exercise apparatus to determine an amount the resistance of the resistance mechanism should vary, the controller varying the resistance of the resistance mechanism by the determined amount.
19. An exercise bicycle, comprising:
a pedal assembly including a first foot pedal and a second foot pedal;
a brake element configured to apply resistance to the pedal assembly;
a controller with at least one processor for adjusting the resistance applied by the brake element by simulating at least air resistance based on one or more particular physical characteristics of a user of the exercise bicycle;
a sensor determining a simulated speed of the user of the exercise bicycle; and
an input comprising weather information at a real world remote location, the weather information including a speed of the wind at the real world remote location, the processor determining the simulated air resistance based at least in part on the one or more particular physical characteristics of the user of the exercise bicycle, the simulated speed of the user of the exercise bicycle, and the speed of the wind at the real world remote location, the controller selectively varying the resistance applied by the brake element based on the simulated air resistance.