BikeAround: Making memories accessible and world travel feasible for all by Marilynn Larkin, MA

Shortly after George Fermanis started The Fermanis Group, a Canadian consultancy that advises and invests in companies aiming to improve the lives of older adults, a colleague sent him a video about BikeAround. "I was convinced this technology could have practical applications in older-adult communities throughout Canada," Fermanis says. BikeAround consists of a large dome and a cycling unit with sensors embedded in the pedals. It integrates Google Street View, a technology that provides panoramic views of many natural wonders and landmarks, as well as specific streets worldwide. The user sits in the cycling unit and pedals and steers. That same speed and motion are displayed in the dome, offering a user-controlled immersive experience in the environment of choice. The streets and views displayed also can be controlled via computer by another individual-a staff member in a community, for example-to facilitate use by people with mobility impairments.