Yes there are pool treadmills, desk treadmills, and water-resistance treadmills for dogs, but the Treadwall throws the horizontal nature of previous treadmill innovations out the window. For 10-grand, you can climb yourself to death in your own living room without getting higher than 10 feet or so, making the inevitable fall when you fail to keep up with the scrolling handholds all the more manageable. But let's see how some drunken Jackass wannabees fare in the following video.

AU: Wow. I was climbing something very similar to this at the local rock-climbing centre when I was in Cadets back in 1996. Unlike the US to be so out of date...

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This extremely fancy treadmill puts in a whole lot of effort to make you feel like you're running outside when you, in actuality, aren't. While it'd be easy to cynically joke about how people hate the sun so much that they're devising ways to pretend to run outside, this is clearly designed for physical therapy in hospitals. But really, what makes me interested in it is the potential to put something completely different up on that screen. Like a video game.

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Treadmill desks are nothing new, but while products like the Steelcase Walkstation try to trick you into doing extra work while exercising, the JW Treadmill desk is unapologetic about being purely focused on entertainment. In fact, it goes completely over the top with a five-display setup.

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We've seen water resistance treadmills before, but those were for people. What about for dogs? Clearly, a water resistance treadmill for dogs is an absolute necessity in this day and age. I mean, how else can you possibly keep your dog fit and trim while also instilling a lifelong fear of water and enclosed spaces? It's just perfect. [Product Page via BornRich]

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We were wrong when we thought that our crazy technologically-obsessed culture now was responsible for the doggy treadmill idea. It originated in the the 1930s. Modern Mechanix dug up one of their old articles from the last century and found this thing, first debuted at the LA Dog Show, which supposedly lets dogs run for "an hour without getting anywhere." How could you tell (besides the black and white) that this is an invention from the last century? Because the lack of safety concerns for the dog; the whole thing is raised up off the floor, meaning if Floofy gets tired, he's going flying. [Modern Mechanix via Boing Boing]

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The Alter-G treadmill has been given the greenlight by the FDA for classification as a medical device. The powers that be were no doubt swept away by the treadmills ability to reduce the weight of the user by as much as 80% (In 1% increments) using a NASA designed air pressure regulation system.

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Here's a practical design: the Hydro Physio Lifestyle Water Resistance Treadmill (believe it or not, that's the short version of the name). It combines the water resistance of swimming with the monotony of running to create a really strange form of exercise. The water level can be adjusted so it focuses on different areas during your workout, and, to be honest, it does look like a unique way to get your exercise in, despite how crazily impractical it is. [Product Page via Oh Gizmo!]

The problem with all the crappy "virtual reality" equipment that's been out there for so long is that you're always stuck standing in place as you "virtually" move around an environment. If you really want to feel immersed in something, you need to be able to walk around it as you walk around a real environment. Well, this omnidirectional treadmill will allow you to do just that. Created by Virtual Space Devices, Inc., which has one of the crappiest websites I've ever seen for a "high tech" company, it's been developed over the last 10 years for the US Army. Get this shit into arcades, stat! [Virtual Space Devices via New Launches]

The Oooms Rollator is a treadmill that breaks the rules, Fonzie-style. While most treadmills are designed to keep you stationary, the Rollator moves you around when you walk...just like if you were really walking. So what's the point? (plus bonus video after the jump)

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