#833 Where Angels Fear

Before there was the treadmill, there was the treadle. The treadle was an old-fashioned device that employed a mechanical action that powered all sorts of things. In third world countries, they still use treadles to power pumps to raise water out of deep wells.
Treadles were the original foot power where horsepower wasn’t available.
You may remember your grandma’s sewing machine. It likely had a treadle. Think of a treadmill, but you’re sitting down.
It was the basis of a children’s fable about the sewing industry, Handsew and Treadle.
Enter my idea to overcome childhood obesity. There has been much ado recently about another idea I once had that was overheard and stolen.
I’m always making smart-assy but insightful remarks about new things. I was one of the first people to use one of those foil-wrapped fingerwipe things they give out in BBQ and chicken places to clean a stain off a counter.
Let’s just say someone “swiped” that idea right away.
This time, I was watching someone wiggle around while they were doing a video road race using a Nintendo Wii. I said, gee, they should work it so you have to jump or do some other aerobic gyration to get ahead in this game. Wii-robicize was stolen and born.
My idea this time goes in a more mundane direction. Grand Theft Treadle. Make kids sitting down at their video games work a treadle to generate the power.
Most of today’s electronics are very power frugal anyhow. It’s not like the poor kid is going to have to pump enough energy to run your refrigerator.
Ideally, you’d want the video game to involve running so the player’s actions would kind of approximate the action on the screen. Or you could work out a pedal-treadle combo that could be used in some Grand Theft Bicycle type game.
Heck, let’s take the idea out in the city. Have WiFi hot spots be powered by treadles under the coffee tables.
Latte energized wired geeks firing up their laptops and using treadle power to surf the web.
The cure for obesity is just a step or two away.
America, ya gotta love it.