Exertris
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Exergaming, Fitness equipment |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Founder | Gareth Davies |
| Defunct | 2004 |
Key people | Gareth Davies (Founder) |
| Products | Exertris Interactive Exercise Bike |
Exertris was a company specializing in exergaming, established in 2000 by Gareth Davies. Their primary innovation, the Exertris Interactive Exercise Bike, combined integrated video games with physical exercise to enhance user motivation during workouts.
Overview
Gareth Davies, a physicist with a Ph.D. and a passion for fitness, created the Exertris Interactive Exercise Bike to tackle the common problem of maintaining motivation during cardiovascular workouts. Observing that conventional stationary bikes wasted cyclists' effort as heat and noise, he engineered a mechanism to capture this energy and deliver immediate feedback on performance.
The Exertris platform uniquely blended the appeal of video games with the advantages of exercise. Unlike earlier virtual cycling solutions, its gaming content did not simulate cycling itself but instead utilized the rider’s exertion to influence game mechanics developed specifically for this system. The bike’s resistance was automatically modified in real-time to correspond with the gameplay experience.
Significantly, the Exertris bike was among the earliest devices to operate on Windows XP Embedded technology worldwide. It gained notable exposure when Bill Gates presented it during his keynote at the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show. Additionally, it was featured on BBC's Tomorrow's World in both 2002 and 2003, coinciding with Davies’ nomination for the Tomorrow's World Innovation Awards.
Features
The bike was equipped with a gaming console, an LCD screen, a gamepad, and an armrest featuring a patented system that elevated both the screen and armrest simultaneously when adjusting the seat height to preserve optimal posture. Two further patents protected its motivational technology—one converting pedaling speed into virtual energy, and another involving a gearbox-based resistance mechanism that removed the necessity for a bulky flywheel.
A 'manual' mode enabled users to operate the bike as a conventional exercise machine, featuring an LED control panel simulation.
Games
Initially, four games were available on the Exertris Bike:
- Solitaire – where pedaling moved cards; higher-value cards increased bike resistance.
- Gems – a puzzle game inspired by Columns, where cycling slowed falling gems; aligning colors cleared levels and influenced resistance.
- Space Tripper – a side-scrolling shooter licensed from PomPom Games; firing power depended on pedal speed, with optional weapon charging raising resistance.
- Orbit – a multiplayer competitive arena game where connected riders collected gems for points.
Subsequent software updates introduced:
- Maze – reminiscent of Pac-Man, guiding a ladybug through labyrinths while avoiding spiders.
- Light Cycles – a multiplayer game inspired by the famed light cycle sequence from the 1982 film Tron.
Demise
Although well-received by both consumers and media outlets, the Exertris Bike struggled financially due to expensive production costs incurred at low manufacturing volumes and an unfavorable investment environment following the dotcom crash and 9/11 events. These challenges hindered profitability and ultimately resulted in the company’s closure in 2004.