treadmill walking simulation: possible?

[sim]

I know one can do just about anything in Houdini, so really my question is: can this be done in a non-'insanely difficult' way?

 

I'd love to try and set up a walking treadmill simulation. The idea is that a character starts from standstill to a walk and then to a run. And then just for fun the treadmill inclines upwards so the character ends up running up a slope.

I'm hoping to make the treadmill react to the character. It works to keep the character stationary - however the character moves.

 

I'm thinking I might be able to make use of the crowd agent toolset. As I understand it, each individual is a particle. Perhaps the treadmill can read the forces that motivate the particle and apply an equal opposite force to keep the particle 'stationary'. (Visually represented as a treadmill.) And the other thing I was hoping to leverage from the crowd tools is the terrain adaptation. So that the character's feet would adjust to the treadmill as it inclines upwards, and also leaning the torso forward to keep the character upright.

 

Am I on the right path here? Is there perhaps a better alternative? I'm open to any suggestions. Character animation and crowds is not a part of Houdini I've spent much time in.

 

'regards,

Simeon