Sense-Able Clothing Reminds Exercisers to Work Out Right
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Transcript of Sense-Able Clothing Reminds Exercisers to Work Out Right
Sense-Able Clothing Reminds Exercisers to Work Out Right
Bees do it. Cells phones do it. And now workout clothing does it too. Buzz, that is.
Say your stomach pooches out too far while doing a core exercise in a Pilates class. The sensors inthe Move tank top spot your mistake and emit a mild electric shock reminding you to tighten upthose abs. Same thing if your hip pops out at the wrong angle during a leg toning series. When thecorrection is made, the clothing delivers three buzzy "attaboys" to the area so you know you're backin alignment.
The garment, which was presented this July at the Wearable Technologies conference in SanFrancisco, has four stretch-and-flex sensors woven out of conductive fibers and embedded into itsfront, back and sides. The sensors are strategically placed to help correct the most common errorspeople make during a mat Pilates class.
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Made from the same materials as regular exercise clothing, it isn't bulky or uncomfortable, and mostof the garment can withstand the spin cycle. The battery and other components that can't be washedare removable.
Wearable instructor
The tank also transmits workout information to your smart phone via Bluetooth and has an app thatanalyses your technique and critiques your performance. You can download short animated moviesthat show you where you tend to go wrong, then offers suggestions on how you can improve.
Jennifer Darmour, the tank's designer, says the idea came to her when she realized how muchmoney she was spending on Pilates classes, which can run upward of $200 an hour for a privatesession. She started to think of ways to help speed up the learning process.
"I thought putting sensors in the clothing could give feedback to help you improve your technique alot faster," Darmour who is a technology expert, says."It's not meant to replace an instructor but itcan certainly help you understand the technique even when the instructor isn't around."
Scientists are on board with the concept. Joseph Paradiso of the Massachusetts InformationTechnology Media Lab in Cambridge, Mass., believes this type of technology can be a great teachingtool, particularly for an activity like Pilates in which the movement is meant to be very precise.
"There is only so much information we can take in with our eyes and our ears and these types of
sensors can be very effective at picking up mistakes and offering feedback. When they are in theright place they help you instinctively make corrections," Paradiso says.
Big Business
The Move system is unique to the Pilates world but so-called wearable technology is a hot clothingcategory. IMS Research, a British research firm that tracks statistics for the global electronicsindustry, reports that more than 14 million wearable devices were shipped last year, most of them inthe fitness and medical category. By 2016, they predict the market will hit $6 billion in revenue.
While the Move tank is still in the development phase and won't hit the shelves for at least a year,consumers will find there's certainly is no shortage of workout gear that helps track stats, enhanceperformance or offer a measure of protection.
Shoe inserts, wrist watches and clip-ons serve as high-tech pedometers to track, download andanalyze the mileage and speed of runners and cyclists. A waistband called the Lumobelt uses asensor system similar to the Movement tank to remind those with back pain to stand up straight.There's even an "invisible bike helmet" you wear around your neck like a scarf; if you're in a crash itdeploys like an airbag over your head. (The $600 helmet, designed by Swedish company Hövding,can only be activated once.)
Darmour is working on incorporating sensor technology into other types of gear where the sportcalls for precise technique. She hopes in the future, she'll also have clothes that zap golfers, baseballpitchers and yoga lovers whenever they make a wrong move.