Scraps of Future.

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An Imagination on Health

Sally was a little nervous as she pulled open the gym door. Why? This was the 3rd gym this year she was trying that’s why. And thanks for asking.

In her baggy red t-shirt, she knew she was fairly overweight. Not obese, but could definitely see that train coming down the tracks, and hadn’t had much luck with her first two attempts. 

A smack of lemon scent brought her into the present. Lemon? Faruk had told her about this. Well actually he had mentioned it on his Facebook page. Was that right? No, it was the gymBot who had been praising Faruk’s weight loss, and posture improvement. He’d mentioned the lemon thing on Twitter. To be honest, Faruk was looking great these days —he was the reason she was giving this a go. 

This gym sure looked different. More colorful walls than the ones she remembered from the 90s. It even *sounded* different. Why was that, Sally wondered. Ahh, no “ka-clink” of heavy weights being dropped by muscled beef-heads. In fact no beef-heads in sight. Sally squinted and looked around…there didn’t seem any ‘heavy’ equipment like that at all? The place was a bit more like a…video arcade…’new media installation’ at the art gallery…walking internet cafe?

Her feet shuffled themselves forward. The guy in front was talking to the counter attendant as she waited in line. He was a bit bigger than her. Actually a lot bigger. And you know — that was different too…normally gyms were full of the svelte, lycra-cladded minority. Even the counter attendant was a little rounder than they usually look. Weird!

The conversation in front ended and the guy, in a hideous lime-green shirt, headed off to a special room on the side labelled ‘Self assessments’. Good to know someone had worse taste in colors. Sally’s eyes followed green-shirt-guy in a room empty except for a big TV screen, a stationary bike and…some gaming gear? Yes; she’d seen this things before. But not together…a wii-fit on the floor and kinect camera like the one her gaming boyfriend had connected to the xbox at home. As green-shirt-guy hopped on the bike, a picturesque view of a quaint, she though Swiss, village appeared on the screen. He started to ride and the view started to move in sync.

The attendant’s bright cherub face came into focus —  a patient smile. “Oh! sorry!”. “I was in a bit of a daze there!” stuttered Sally. The counter girl smiled and apparently was pretty used to people being dumbstruck when they saw this place.

“Don’t worry… everyone’s jaw drops a little when they see this place!”

Sally chuckled and glanced around. There certainly were a lot of big screens. Closest by, she saw an older lady walking on a treadmill while having a video chat. And in distance was a class in a room, sharing a virtual workout class with what looked, she guessed by the ethnic makeup, a class in India.

“You must be Sally. Welcome!”

Sally was a little startled. The attendant quickly smiled and explained. “you signed up online already, so I have your Facebook profile here. We like look out for new members faces.” 

“Oh yes! I forgot. I think I completed everything?”

“Yup…it’s all looking good. In fact, once I show you around, you’ll be good to go. Ready?”

“Um…sure!”

The attendant walked around from behind the counter as they wandered into the main gym area. There was the usual collection of elliptical machines, pilates balls, and some light machines. But everywhere where also big screens. And in some rooms, whole walls with projected images. As they walked together through the centre, Sally caught a glance of room containing 5 young guys, all wriggling along the floor like an army soldier avoiding enemy fire. She could see in the projected wall a battle scene, with avatars of the same guys holding their spears while crawling through heavy grass towards a giant mammoth. 

“Since the US health bill of 2011…” The attendants voice poked Sally out of her daze…”…all federally subsidised gyms need to show results. Here at our gym we do that with weekly tests. And it’s motivating to see exactly how you’re going!”

They walked into an identical room, as the one green-shirt guy had walked into at the front. This one was empty, but had the same equipment; a big video display, a stationary bike, wii fit floor unit and kinect camera on the TV.

“and…I forgot to give you this. It’s your gym card. There’s a chip in it which every machine will recognize, so it will know it’s you. 

The machine came alive as the attendant finished her sentence.

The screen displayed said ‘Welcome Sally”. Sally recognized a fan of her ‘motivational photos’ under the words, one of her in a bikini when she was a thin twenty-thing in college, her two beautiful smiling daughters, and a breathtaking beach sunset. She remembered how fit she was when she took that golden sunset photo in Bali.

“This little test will take about 20mins, and will test your BMI, flexibility, posture, and general fitness. You can get started on that, and I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes. ok?”

“Thanks!” Sally chirped as the attendant headed out. This place was a bit overwhelming! But nice, she thought. The door clicked shut.

What? Was that a…kitchen? Sally realized from her new vantage point that she could catch a glimpse through the side entry glass doors. A row of people in aprons were stirring bowls in parallel…a cooking…class…in a…gym? 

Wow. This place sure was different.

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People who are really serious

People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware.

—Alan Kay

People who are really serious about hardware should make software. More feedback, faster iterations. More in touch with customers.