Exercise machines that complement existing video games were showcased during last week's CES trade show. Though the idea of fusing fitness with what is normally a indolent activity harkens back to the NES's Power Pad, the emergence of graphics mirroring an experience closer to photo-realism have reinvigorated this peripheral market.

Powergrid's Exerstation won a CES Best of Innovations Award in Electronic Gaming. Compatible with PS2, XBox, and Gamecube, its a controller mounted on a steel pole that measures pressure exerted upon it. This force output is translated into game movement, "The harder you push, the faster you go." Other functions normally served by a controller's buttons are still accessible on the main console. A recently released version for home-use costs $200 USD. Visit the Exerstation product page.

The GameRunner is a treadmill that puts you in the shoes of your video game's character. Your on-screen movement is controlled by how fast you are walking/running and handlebars convey left-to-right steering commands. Compatible with PC's, it plugs into a USB port for power and data transmission. Its eponymous manufacturer is promoting it specifically for use with the First-Person Shooter genre. The company plans to introduce it soon for less than $500 USD. Watch a video of the GameRunner in action.

Konami's dance Dance Revolution is an arcade sensation around the world and available on the PS2, XBox, and Gamecube, having been released in 94 separate iterations since its debut in 1998. The game's play mechanics involve upbeat music playing while scrolling commands moving from the bottom of the screen to the top indicate which of four arrows the player should step on using a pad placed on the floor. Nintendo and Konami's recent Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix was promoted at the CES this week. Learn more about dance games used for fitness.