Acer Shows Off Bike Desk That Charges Your Devices While You’re All Powered Up
By Mikelle Leow, 04 Jan 2023
Those spin classes are finally paying off! At CES 2023, Acer unveiled a stationary bike that lets you work out while you work out spreadsheets. Not only that, but it also uses kinetic energy to charge up your digital workspace.
The eKinekt BD 3 is a bike desk that relies on your pedaling power to keep your equipment running, bringing to mind electronics circa The Flintstones era. It’s aimed at helping professionals get out of their sedentary lifestyles, while giving high-achievers the work and physical productivity they so desire.
The work-and-play desk, which promises ample space for typing and video calls, is available in ‘Working Mode’ and ‘Sports Mode’, allowing users to adjust their pedaling activity for focus or intensity.
With Working Mode, the desk part is positioned closer to the chair, enabling riders to type and casually pedal on an upright posture. Sports Mode, on the other hand, stretches the desk farther, making its rider lean in to pedal like a cyclist. A simple slide of the seat is all it takes to resume to Working Mode.
As its name suggests, the eKinekt harnesses kinetic energy, AKA the energy that comes from your physiological output. Acer says a full hour of constant cycling at 60 revolutions per minute can yield up to 75 watts of self-generated power. “The useable energy is then utilized to charge laptops and other devices, so users can get work done and stay active at the same time, the company explains.”
An LED signal on the back of the bike beams to indicate that your pedaling is being transformed into kinetic energy.
Just like how your office chair should be adjusted for your comfort, the bike desk can be adapted to fit your preferences at any time, from the height of the seat or desk to the resistance of the bike.
Functioning as actual desk space, the eKinekt BD 3 includes two USB Type-A and one USB Type-C port to power up multiple devices, along with a slot to prop up your smartphone. A nice touch is the bag hook for hanging other belongings, as well as a beverage holder to remind you to stay hydrated.
The bike comes with an LCD display and an accompanying smartphone app for riders to check their progress, such as the duration of their workout, the watts generated, and how many calories they’ve burned. These results can be compared over time to help users reach their fitness goals.
Living up to its sustainable power source, the desk’s casing is constructed from post-consumer recycled plastic too.
The equipment evidently reinvents the wheel of the standing desk. The good news is that the eKinekt BD 3 is cycling into motion for real, and it will reach North America this year for a price of US$999. The bike desk will first head to Taiwan in April before launching in other markets like North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in June.
[via Lowyat.NET, Thurrott, Acer, images via Acer]