Pulse Fitness Watch
Skills Used: Industrial Design, User Research, Form Development, Visual Branding, 3D Printing, SolidWorks, SketchBook Pro, Photoshop,, Keyshot
The Pulse Watch was a two week long personal project to further develop my SolidWorks and UI/UX Design skill-set. I was inspired to design the Pulse Watch after frequently finding myself changing songs on my phone during my workouts. The Pulse Watch creates a customized playlist as you workout. The watch selects songs that have a similar BPM (beats per minute) to your current heart rate. This is accomplished through its on board heart rate monitor and the existing BPM information stored in the metadata of MP3 files.
Project Scope & User Research
01: Music as Motivation
Athletes and gym goers use music as a source of motivation during their workouts. Music sets the tempo and rhythm of an individuals workout.
02: Existing Technology
Many individuals use smart phones with music applications such as iTunes and Spotify. Both iTunes and Spotify MP3 files contain the BPM of each song in the music library.
03: Market Opportunity
There is an opportunity to combine the technical capabilities of heart monitors and the BPM information stored in MP3 files, to maximize an individuals workout.
How It Works
BPM Syncing
The Pulse Watch reads your current heart rate from the pulse of your wrist and will play a song that has the same musical BPM of your heart rate.
The heart rate monitor is integrated into the buckle of the watch in order to get the most accurate reading. The green LEDs paired with light sensitive photo-diodes detect the amount of blood flowing through your wrist.
Heart Rate Monitor
The watch features a resistive touch screen display. The advantage of a resistive touch screen prevents modes from accidentally switching if sweat touches the screen or if you accidentally bump it.
Touch Display
The main PCB connects the Pulse Watch to the heart-rate monitor and users phone. The watch pairs to the users phone via BlueTooth.
PCB
Heart Rate Monitor Cable
The wire in the strap connects the heart rate monitor placed in the buckle of the watch with the PCB.
Motivational Platform
To help users achieve their fitness goals I created a motivational platform to help them achieve their goals. The motivational features combine competitive and discipline features to keep the users motivated to reach their fitness goals and to develop a healthy work-out routine.
Trainer Mode
Trainer mode provides nutritional information and will remind you when to have meals.
Structure Mode
Structure mode helps the user create a healthy routine for their current lifestyle to ensure they are getting enough sleep & proper nutrition.
Routine Mode
Routine mode helps you remember which sets & exercises you are supposed to do on certain days.
Compete Mode
Compete mode is a platform that brings a competitive edge. This mode pairs you up with others who have similar fitness goals.
Discipline Mode
The watch will enter sleep mode if you have not exercised recently & can only be awakened when the user has an increased heart-rate for over 10 minutes .
Pump-Up Mode
Pump-Up mode is a feature that creates a custom playlist based off your current heart rate when paired with your mobile device.
User Interface
The users navigate the watch by using the home screen and the button on the right-hand side of the watch. I chose to use only two buttons to streamline the navigation process for the user and to eliminate confusion. Allowing the user to focus on their workout and not navigating the features on the watch.
Physical Buttons
Physical buttons were chosen in place of a touch-screen alternative, allowing the user to easily find their way to the navigation settings by feel, without looking down at the watch and interrupting their workout.
Heart Rate Sensor
The heart rate monitor is placed at the bottom of the watch to guarantee the most accurate reading. This provides and advantage over other fitness watches that read an individuals heart rate from the top of their wrist.
Final Design
The final design includes a over-sized bezel to withstand impacts from working out and daily activity combined with a rubber wrist strap to wick away sweat and water.
