Pulse Gym

Collection
Design Strategy (MBA) | Design Division

Course
Spring 2015Sustainability StudioMichael SammetDSMBA-604-2B
Final project
Student(s)
Anthony Salazar, Charlene Peluso, Damian Wolfgram, Weston McVicker
Description
Net-Postive Gym through Energy Capture

Many people go to the gym to burn calories from the food they have eaten or have stored up as fat. In this burning process, the human body uses most of the energy to keep your body running, but 25% of caloric intake is released in various forms of energy such as kinetic. This includes everything from lifting weights to running on a treadmill or even walking around between workouts. There is potential disruption in the human expenditure loss. In a world where energy is burned for almost everything and "net-zero” is nowhere close to everyone’s first priority, there is much room for improvement.


Current technology exists through energy capture cardio machines and energy capture floors, which transmit kinetic energy to energy that can be used to power mobile phones, lighting, entire buildings and stadiums. Smaller niche gyms such as Green MicroGym in Portland, Organ and University Institutions such as UC Berkeley have already implemented these types of ideas into their exercise facilities. Energy capture from fitness is not a new concept, but the system has not been perfected.

Pulse Gym aims to provide a full-service gym directly in competition with leading gyms like 24 Hour Fitness, LifeTime Fitness and Equinox. Pulse Gym's objectives:

- Pulse uses Energy Capture machines and PAVE technology throughout the gym to partially power up the gym and connect wirelessly through web technologies for data analytics and visualization.

- Pulse aims to connect people socially and environmentally through “pulse touchpoints” such as the Livable Garden and the Juice Bar.

- Pulse employs individuals who are fitness-minded and eco-conscious, but also provides an open-source framework where trainers may rent space to foster a broad and diverse fitness community.

- Pulse balances technology, nature and communities by offering different types of fitness activities to provide a total mind-body-earth experience that is enjoyable, educational and meaningful.

Pulse gym provides at a minimum the same services traditional gyms offer, but what makes our service unique is the vision of a human-powered facility working towards net-postive results for both the individual's body and the health of the environment.

Links to resources


Details