Human Powered River Gym Still Just a Dream in NYC

Yesterday Inhabitat reminded us about that River Gym idea that was, er, floated back in 2005 as part of New York Magazine's contest for forward-thinking gym concepts. Dr. Mitchell Joachim and Douglas Joachim's idea for a floating gym is premised on "transforming wasted human mechanical energy into a useful kinetic gymnasium." Their eco-friendly gym would harness the energy usually lost during New Yorkers' workouts and use it to power boats back and forth across the Hudson and East Rivers.

So whatever happened to that? Well, nothing in New York, but Dr. Joachim, an adjunct professor at Columbia, tells us that the idea of utilizing exercise energy is catching on elsewhere. He writes:

It seems they copied the River Gym in Hong Kong. And now the Swiss are making offers to us. Although, we have no protection there either. As far as I'm concerned the River Gym is an elective and free design concept, that anyone willing may interpret for their own use. However, they should hire us for the expertise in making it possible.

Indeed, a non-floating gym in Hong Kong called California Fitness is using cycling and cross-training machines to generate electricity. The owner asserts, "One person has the ability of producing 50 watts of electricity per hour when exercising at a moderate pace….If a person spends one hour per day running on the machine, he/she could generate 18.2 kilowatts of electricity and prevent 4,380 liters of CO2 released per year."

Given the Bloomberg administration's big talk about sustainable energy, fitness, and reducing traffic congestion, the River Gym would seem like a no-brainer. And if the cabaret laws are ever relaxed, maybe we can get one of those Sustainable Dance Clubs, like the one that's opened in London!

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By John Del Signore in News on July 24, 2008 5:11 PM

Comments [rss]

blablanyc

The water gets too choppy at times for it to possible.

Snoopy

You could always take the subway home or a cab.

Jen Chung

@mattcarman, that's total incentive! That's why running outside is better than a treadmill--you have to run back home, versus just being a wimp and getting off the treadmill after 10 minutes.

mattcarman

So you can't leave the gym until everyone else has helped you paddle back home?

babyhitler

this is how they first made those human batteries in the matrix. choose the red pill.

Snoopy

Where does one buy 120 volt batteries?

Rocknrope

The human body generates more bio-electricity than a 120-volt battery and over 25,000 BTU's of body heat. Combined with a new form of fusion, the machines had found all the energy they would ever need.

nymichi

And somebody does pay to a studio to develop this stupid idea?

Spend the money in improve the city roads, that will safe more Co2

cucarachita

When I suggested, at my local gym, that the cycling and elliptical machines at the gym could be used to generate energy, they looked at me like I was nuts!

I feel SO vindicated!

There is a site online for a bicycle generator, in case anyone's interested in generating their own energy: http://scienceshareware.com/pedal-power-build-your-own.htm

glennQNYC

If a person spends one hour per day running on the machine, he/she could generate 18.2 kilowatts of electricity and prevent 4,380 liters of CO2 released per year."

Anyone want to bet this estimate doesn't consider the CO2 "released" by the people exercising?

Snoopy

How about turning all the bullshit that is thrown out on blogs into methane gas? It's just as realistic a solution as the floating gym above. I don't get the floating part.

I think I'm going to start calling myself Dr. from now on. It's has some more punch to it.