Google’s Street View is a pretty great tool to help you explore places you’ve never been before. Granted it’s not quite the same as being there yourself, but it helps. It also lets you enjoy a foreign and faraway location without having to leave the comfort of your bedroom, which is what a British man by the name of Aaron Puzey is trying to do.
According to Puzey, his goal is to try and cycle through the UK on a stationary bike while in virtual reality. If you’re wondering what that’s like, basically it’s like being on a bike in the gym except that you’ll have a more interesting view. Also it probably isn’t quite the same given the terrain won’t be as bumpy, and the weather a lot more accommodating, but it is still a feat nonetheless.
He says, “I want to become the first person to cycle through Britain in virtual reality. I really, really do. In fact I might be the first person to cycle any great distance in VR.” He will don the Samsung Gear VR headset and will also rely on Google’s Street View to provide him with his images. There will also be a Bluetooth cadence sensor involved, which will determine the speed that he is traveling.
In turn the images in Street View will warp and switch depending on how fast he is moving, almost like real-life. We reckon it’s actually not such a bad idea, and for those of you who hate exercising, this could be a good way of making the treadmill a little less dull.
Filed in . Read more about Virtual Reality (VR).