Fuzzbuzz Technologies integrated Scalable Display Technologies across more than 50 Equinox fitness studios to power the Pursuit — a gamified indoor cycling experience using seamless multi-projector displays that eliminated manual calibration and reduced service calls by 80%.
Established in 1991, Equinox pioneered the premium health and fitness space. With over 100 clubs worldwide, the luxury fitness brand continues to push the definition of performance — particularly in indoor cycling. Equinox's concept fuses cycling classes with gaming in a class called The Pursuit: 45-minute high-intensity sessions where riders compete using data visualizations projected onto an ultrawide screen at the front of the room.
"In 2015, Equinox introduced a one-of-a-kind format to create an interactive game for cycling classes," said Fred Allman, Chief Operating Officer for Fuzzbuzz Technologies, Inc. "The concept provides a visual representation of each rider's performance. Once they start pedaling, they can track their performance, represented as a spinning wheel with their assigned number, on an ultra-wide screen at the front of the room. The technology tracks the relationship between the speed of the rider's pedaling and the intensity of their resistance. The total output translates on the spinning wheel. Riders can compete individually or in groups through a series of games displayed on the screen. The competitive style and unique design set the Pursuit apart from other indoor cycling experiences."
Fuzzbuzz Technologies, a full-service audiovisual firm based in Vermont, was selected to engineer and integrate the AV technology across Equinox's premium studios. The firm brings decades of experience designing, installing, and servicing audio, video, and specialty control systems in commercial environments, with long-standing relationships with brands including Apple, Ben & Jerry's, Hilton Garden Inn, the Department of Defense, and Prada.
"Since 2015, I've worked alongside Equinox to integrate the latest technology into their high-end health and fitness studios," noted Allman. "The indoor cycling studios are unique because we've combined high-quality audio and crisp video displays to create an immersive, technology-driven competition. At first glance, the dimmed cycling studios might look like a typical indoor cycling class with rows of tiered bikes in an arc facing the instructor. Still, the combination of audio and video creates one of the most unique fitness experiences."
Allman added, "Equinox required a high-quality solution with a seamless user experience. The display is one of the main components of the workout, so we needed to design a solution with crisp image quality. We selected projectors versus LED displays because it was the only feasible method of producing a high-resolution video display across a 32×10 aspect ratio image. We simply couldn't achieve our desired output with LED displays. Although, with multiple projectors, we were faced with the challenge of creating a single, seamless image."
Fuzzbuzz Technologies integrated Scalable Display Technologies to create a sustainable, easy-to-use solution for blending high-resolution projectors on ultrawide screens. Scalable's software is central to the interactive nature of the classes, keeping riders engaged with real-time graphics and leaderboards. The software also gives Fuzzbuzz a reliable, user-friendly interface for remote recalibration — eliminating the need for on-site service calls to maintain display quality.
"It was easy for the projectors to get bumped and lose alignment," explained Allman. "There's a lot of movement in the room, and the slightest adjustment can ruin the entire display and, as a result, hinder the rider's experience. Originally, we were manually calibrating each projector. It created an influx of service calls and caused downtime for the system because we'd have to send a technician to the studio to calibrate the projector physically. We were impressed by a working example of Scalable Display Technologies and decided to try it to determine if it would simplify calibration."
"Scalable's automatic calibration has eliminated 80% of the service calls," noted Allman. "The automatic recalibration enables the client's IT department to recalibrate the system remotely. They can log into the system and utilize the webcam to analyze the current display. After their initial analysis, they can recalibrate and adjust as needed. It's incredibly simple for them. The client loves it because it reduces service calls and downtime."
Allman added, "We initially integrated Scalable in 2015. Since then, we've completed over 50 installations for Equinox with Scalable's technology. We've created a standardized solution with two projectors and Scalable's technology across all Equinox facilities."
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