The goals for the design of a new treadmill dash (or 'upper') were to create an inviting and useful exercise environment for the runner, to showcase a new touchscreen display, and be flexible in architecture in order to support older display hardware. These often conflicting mandates were accomplished by: reductions in the sizes of the parts for a minimal tightly packaged appearance; a layered yet smooth appearance that is easy to clean; wrap-around chamfers that make it lean and sinewy with emphasis on structures and the new display; and right-size storage areas make it more about the display and the human and less about “treadmill”.

The Orbit tread dash project is a showcase of efficient material usage, with nothing that is not essential. Due to the weight of the new touchscreen display, and the need to use a pre-existing 'lower' treadmill unit, everything on the inside and out needed to work together to realize the design concept.