Gym, Meet Esports

We’ve already seen interactive Pong. Now meet the next step in real life borrowing a bit of flash from their virtual equivalent.

The idea comes from a Canadian company called LÜ, which pitches itself as a company that transforms gyms into “a giant video game”. The idea is to make the spaces more interactive, projecting images and sound onto the walls to make gyms more fun for kids.

The product isn’t released yet – it’s due out in May – but the idea is to make physical activity more appealing. It’s all done through a series of 3D cameras, stereo systems and synchronised lighting setups, which makes you wonder if the whole thing might be equally suited for a high school disco.

Jokes aside, it’s a pretty neat idea. And I can’t help but wonder whether 50 years down the line whether augmented reality tech is going to be implemented in a similar way: running on the treadmill becomes an escape from a zombie apocalypse, or jumping around an indoor centre is transformed into the rooftops of Mirror’s Edge.

I look forward to that day.