Will the WiiFit balance board work on carpeting?
Tuesday, July 17th, 2007 at 10:14am by Jack
Scales typically have some difficulty giving an accurate reading when someone puts it on carpeting. That got me thinking–even though WiiFit calculates BMI, and not weight, there some similarities there. And it need calibration, just like a digital scale.
So my question is: Will the Wii Balance Board work on carpeting?
The E3 demo (and subsequent hands-on sessions), were all on a solid surface. Could shag carpeting (or more seriously, any carpeting for that matter) be the Achilles Heel of the Balance Board? My apartment has hardwood floors, so I’m safe, but how about everyone else? My parents’ house has “carpeting throughout” and I worry for the Wii that lives there now.
Will the readings be all out of whack? Will something as ancient and everyday as carpeting derail what looks to be a pretty substantial offering to the non-traditional gaming sect?
We’ll see in 2008, won’t we?
July 17th, 2007 at 10:24 am
We’re doomed!
July 17th, 2007 at 11:36 am
This is a device for the living room. Nintendo wouldn’t release it if it’s not going to work on carpeted floor, because that where most people will use it.
July 17th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Since BMI is a calculation based on weight and height, and I seriously doubt the balance board can tell how tall you are without some help, the balance board certainly does measure weight. It just doesn’t tell you how much you weigh because BMI is a (marginally) better measure of fitness.
If it were able to measure body fat percentage, then it would be really useful at measuring fitness and Reggie would probably have not registered as obese or whatever it called him.
Finally, I can say from recent experience (dealing with my partner who was bedridden back in March but needed to be weighed every day) that putting a $5 plastic cutting board down on the carpet, and putting the scale on top of that, gives you readings that are about as accurate as putting it directly on a floor. I think the balance board should be the same way, so either they’ll ship a cheap slab of wood or plastic in the American version, or it’ll be a ten dollar accessory I’ll never buy because I have cutting boards here already.
I’m also glad they’re already talking about making a beefed up version for the US, because I weigh about 300 pounds right now (I’m 6′3, though, so I’m shaped more like an offensive lineman than a tomato), and back around Thanksgiving it was more like 325. (If I were dieting or exercising, I’d be proud of that, but sadly it was the “power bars from the hospital vending machine” diet.) I’m like three Miyamotos but when I shop at Wal-Mart, I still feel skinny. So, it definitely needs to handle more than 300 pounds and I worry a little about Americans having heart attacks when using this thing, if it gets as popular as Wii Sports.
July 17th, 2007 at 11:53 am
There is another potential problem of using this balance board on a carpet, I think:
Judging from my experience with the DDR dancing mats, these things might not stay put over a carpet surface! Each time you lean on it, it might slide an inch or so until you end up falling over a couch or the stairs…
July 17th, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Solution: go to Office Depot and ask for a plastic cover for carpet that people use for office chair with rollers, It will come in different sizes, get the tinniest and store below the couch, IF when the news that Wii board doesn’t work on carpet, you are ready to go.
July 17th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
How come americans don’t work out? I can’t believe it, all the college girls that come here to Mexico on Spring break are pretty nice with the bubble butts and “average” breasts (I’m more prone to enjoy 36Cs, but that’s just me…), do they go back and start eating like crazy? Your country is all about pro sports and gold medals and gyms, I bet now everyone knows about gastric bypass and just let themselves go with the fried chicken… you can eat all that stuff if you exercise!
July 17th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
lol @ rokerovakero’s post, it’s funny because it came out of nowhere.
As for the carpet thing, I was actually thinking about that was soon as I saw the thing.
At first I thought the whole thing was kind of a stupid idea… I mean, why not just watch an exercise video and follow it? But the more I looked into it, the more interested I became. I’ll probably end up picking one up, if the price is right.
I do have carpeting though, so I’ll have to wait and see how it works on it. I would assume they thought about that, but who knows.
July 17th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Maybe it’ll come bundled with WiiPlank .. a plank of wood to put underneath it.
July 17th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
does carpet really absorb that much of the weight force?
July 17th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
it’s the coffee.don’t listen to me…
July 17th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
I would think that carpet could absorb alot of weight. In my house I had a very think pad installed under my extremely plush carpet. I swear it is like walking on a matress in the living room. Not being a jerkish bragger but when i bought it I todl them I wanted it to be the softest thing that I could possibly buy. And you know what I have fell asleep on that floor several times watching TV. I used to love to lay on the floor when i was a kid and watch TV. So this need for a soft floor must stem from that. To give you an idea of the thickness that is down. I have a a concrete slab floor throughout the house. The carpet stops in the dining room where it is tile floor and the carpet is thick enough to trip over stepping to it from the tile floor. Either way I think it will give this Wii board thingy troubles.
July 17th, 2007 at 1:51 pm
good lord sorry for the typos in that long comment
July 17th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
InvisibleMan, I have yet to come across a DDR pad that had rubber feet on the bottom, as the balance board pretty much has to. That, and DDR pads weigh a lot less than this thing is going to. I know, having had to duct tape a couple of them to the floor in the past lest my family members crack their skulls open.
The office chair rolling pad is a good idea, but the plastic teeth on them will make it tough to get under the couch and back out again. I still maintain the cutting board method is the best approach. Either that or just a small slab of plywood, maybe a foot and a half by 2 feet.
July 17th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
wow, it really does make a huge difference, i tried it out with an electric scale and going from tile floor to carpet, the reading on the scale of my weight dropped by over 1/2, crazy; yeah they better come up with a solution
July 17th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Unless you have pretty thick padding under your carpet I doubt it’d be much of a problem. If it is it could be solved with a small piece of plywood.
July 17th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Nyko will soon announce the WiiPlank .. just you wait.
July 18th, 2007 at 12:49 am
guys, check out this video from joystiq. the guy is playing wii fit on a carpet.
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/18/todays-sweatiest-video-wii-fit/
July 18th, 2007 at 12:50 am
question is are they planning to sell that mat.
July 18th, 2007 at 5:32 am
It does measure weight.
You tell it your height beforehand, then it secretly calculates BMI. There’s no chance it won’t work on carpet.
July 18th, 2007 at 10:37 am
If you notice in the video http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/18/todays-sweatiest-video-wii-fit/
he plays on carpet, BUT the balance board is on a thick solid mat placed on top of the carpet. Hmmm…