Physical activity and exercise is the fundamental key in enhancing and maintaing our physical fitness and overall health and well-being. Many of us, including me, require a lot of motivation in approaching such tasks. Poorly designed gym equipment are not only a hindrance, but they also become ugly deterrents. Before you know it, home treadmills quickly become big and expensive coat racks.
SEG T-350
A couple of years ago, my dad purchased a cheap treadmill that was on sale. I quickly came to realise that this was one foolish mistake made on my dad's behalf. Not only is the SEG T-350 not very sturdy and often mechanically and electronically faulty, the product interface is very poorly designed. Firstly the buttons are flat and all lay underneath a thin printed sheet of plastic. They lack a tactile response and require a lot of effort to operate them. When you're puffing and out of breath, running on the treadmill, you want the buttons to be easily accessible. Secondly, the emergency stop magnetic key system, is also very bothersome. I often found myself accidentally stopping the machine by getting my arms caught on the string of the clip. The heart rate monitors are inconveniently placed on the sides. Running with your hands on these side rests creates unwanted stress on your shoulders and provides an awkward and unnatural feeling. The treadmill also has two bottle holders. Although this creates a nice balance and symmetrical appearance, having two bottle holders is quite unnecessary. The treadmill is also very noisy, which makes it almost impossible for me to hear anything coming from my lounge room television. Finally the treadmill has multi-function displays and it is very inconvenient having to switch between display outputs. The treadmill is so poorly designed, I have resorted to joining a gym and using their cardio equipment instead.
Technogym 900 Visioweb
My local gym are equipped with several Technogym 900 Visioweb treadmills. It is clearly obvious that these treadmills are expensive and come from a high-tech generation. Careful consideration into the design of the interface has been taken into account. The treadmills large touchscreen interface allows it to be more user-friendly. This techno-age piece of equipment has internet connectivity, T.V. functionality and iPod/iPhone capabilities. This provides personal entertainment and allows users to be mentally distracted from their strenuous workout. The large screen displays all the information without it being too cluttered or convoluted. The information displays can also be hidden if desired by the user. Users can increase/decrease speed and incline with easily large and accessible yellow levers. Heart rate monitors are positioned on a bar in front. Running with your arms in front is a more natural position. A large red button located in an obvious position allows the user to stop the machine in case of an emergency. The treadmill also has a larger storage space for not only your water bottle but also your phone, wallet, etc. Technogym have focused on making a gym experience enjoyable and as most comfortable as it can be. Therefore I believe that their treadmills are more successful and better executed designs.
-Phi Do
Resources:
http://www.technogym.com/gb/products/cardiovascular-training/treadmills/excite-+/run-now/3859
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