Fablab Session #2

On March 13th, we had fablab session 2. You may call it the “prototype it” session. We wanted to prototype our spin green concept like we blogged here and added some new features.

We searched on the Internet for some equipment to prototype. We found a bike that needs to look like a spinning bike.

For the gaming experience we wanted we connected on the big screen a WII computer.

To let our prototype creating energy we faked it with some attributes and lights so it looked like an energy producer. Because of the time limit we had, it wasn’t possible to create real energy, but it is possible to create energy out of cycling wheels.

While four group members were working on the bike prototype where we wanted to show how energy can be produce and demonstrate the actual spinning class purpose, the other two group members started working on creation the visualization of our idea of spinning gym with a gaming element as a social place for people, both adults and kids, to come, work out, interact and race against each other. At first Silvano and I (Marina) tried to create a drwaing in Photoshop, but since that took too much time and we did not have much time, with the help of FabLab employee (sorry cannot recall the name), we were able to print several images of people spinning in the 3D printer. The we took a few cartons and put them together with a scotch tape to create a room of the spinning class (to display one room as in our complete demo gaming element of mario cart would have been shown anyway). So we wanted to show how the spinning room would look like and how all the bikes would be connected to one energy depot where the produced energy would be streamed to. We also drew an image of television so that people who are spinning could either use a live instructor or have a possibility of using a digital instructor, which is an alternative for those who cannot make it to classes schedule with regular instructors. At the same time it is also a representation of our other room with gaming element, where on the TV screen people, adults and kids, can see themselves racing against each other.

During the demonstration in class we displayed this carton prototype of the room layout with spinning carton images, connected together with wires (we drew them since we did not have sufficient time), and Mona was riding the bike, while at the same time racing in mariocart game, which was displayed on the TV screen of Fab Lab. While she was riding the bike, the light bulb was lighting up (as if), showing that she was producing energy. Our demonstration was successful as we described the whole idea in words, but also showed to the class how the lay out of our Spinning GYm would look like, what is the gaming element about and how people would produce energy while spinning.