- Racermate computrainer pro 3d software#
- Racermate computrainer pro 3d simulator#
- Racermate computrainer pro 3d free#
I know which angles the pedals will be at on each frame," says Sachs. "Because the CompuTrainer tracks the rider's rpm, I animated the cycle based on that being a 24-frame movie. "It's not just the same picture over and over," he says.įurthermore, there are 10 different tracks with 24 different pedal positions the rider can be in at any given time, which are synchronized to the action of the actual CompuTrainer rider. For instance, if the rider drifts from the left side of the road to the right side, more of the left portion of the body is displayed. According to Sachs, he created a 3D model of a person and a bike, then created 10 different positions from which the riders can be viewed. The riders, male and female, were modeled and animated in NewTek's (San Antonio, TX) LightWave, with texturing in LightWave's Aura and Jasc Software's (Eden Prairie, MN) Paint Shop Pro. Using a Pentium II platform, Sachs created the 3D scenery, course, and virtual riders-one representing the user and, optionally, another representing a competing cyclist, which can be either virtual or an actual companion hooked into the training system via the Web. 2D billboards of trees and other objects are then added to the 3D scene. Sach's cinematic backdrops are digitally scanned photos that are pasted into a 360-degree display.
Racermate computrainer pro 3d software#
For instance, he can now ride the 1996 Olympic road course in Atlanta, the Wildflower Tria thlon course in California, and the Zofingen World Championship Duathlon course in Switzerland, using software developed by freelance artist Jim Sachs of Lake Arrowhead, California. This enables him to familiarize himself with certain courses and plan his riding strategies accordingly. Or, he creates a customized course using the equipment's software.
Racermate computrainer pro 3d free#
One simulation feature of the equipment that Abraham finds especially useful is the ability to select courses to augment those shipped with the product by downloading them free from the manufacturer's Web site. "Now, no matter what the weather is, you can always have a good ride," explains Abraham, a freelance technology writer who discovered the technology while reporting on the graphics industry. However, living in a northern climate used to prohibit him from participating in early spring events because he was unable to properly train for the cycling portion.
Racermate computrainer pro 3d simulator#
It's like a cool video game, and it's interactive in the true sense."Ībraham began using the bicycle simulator early last year to train for Ironman events, physical endurance contests in which participants run, bike, and swim. "CompuTrainer forces you to work through all your gears because the simulation and interactivity put you on the road going up and down hills. "And because you use your own bike instead of a traditional stationary Exercycle, your training is more authentic." With previous simulated trainers, he notes, a person could ride for hours without changing gears. "It's quite a job to complete some of the courses," Abraham says. As a result, when a person traverses the hills and makes turns in the virtual terrain, the hardware system generates the corresponding resistance on the bicycle. The RacerMate (Seattle) CompuTrainer hardware system-comprising an electronic load generator, sensor system, and other equipment-attaches to any bicycle, while it also feeds into a PC, which displays the interactive 3D graphics. It really feels like you are pedaling up an actual hill," says Abraham.īy incorporating interactive 3D graphics into its cycling training system, RacerMate now offers bicyclists a realistic riding experience indoors. "When you pedal up a CG hill in the simulation, you can feel the stress. But he does so from the comfort of his own office, using an indoor bike trainer that employs interactive 3D graphics to simulate a real cycling environment. Even when the snow begins to pile up along the streets near his home in Montreal, the Ironman competitor still hops on his bike and tackles the challenging hills and terrain along his favorite route. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail can keep cyclist Michael Abraham from taking to the road.