A comment tucked deep in the story references collegiate sports teams, which might use this technology. I think they're right on the mark with that obseravtion. A few years ago, I visited a college that had its athletes using TV cameras in the weight room so the athletes could track their form while they lifted weights. They also used sensors to tell them if they were leaning too far forward while they did squats with heavy weights. These shirts would seem to be a natural for Division 1 college athletics, which is using more and more technology every year.
Greg, I was thinking along the same lines. I worked with a guy once that had some very positive experiences with bio-feedback and was wondering if something like this could be used as an advanced form.
I wonder how similar or not these ideas and technology are to the motion-capture technology that already exists, which has given us at least a couple of animated sci-fi type moves: Beowulf (the one with Angelina Jolie, Ray Winstone and Crispin Glover) and Through a Scanner Darkly.
@Greg: Now this is a great idea. Being able to take that real-time physiological data and leverage it for highly custom physical therapy treatments is perfect. Sometimes it's not that easy to explain where there is pain or what the specific problem is. This add another layer of information that can be tapped to create a spot-on treatment plan.
I can also see where an occupational or physical therapist could benefit by using this vast amount of collected data in conjunction with a computer expert system. The software would then recommend the best custom therapy program for the patient based upon his/her current performance/condition. Insurance companies may also help pay for this if it proves to accelerate patient healing and create a consistent treatment standard. Finally, this system could help coach less-experienced therapists as they develop their skills.
I agree, Beth, user experience will be the key. If the fitness craze continues, I think there will be numbers-obsessed users who will want to quantify everything they do every day.
Good idea, Jmiller. We could use the shirts on top athletes, capture the data and create robots that performed according to the top athletes. Then we would match up top performers.
I've seen variations on this theme in stores and online--perhaps not collecting as much data, but pretty much in the same category. I think the sensors definitely have to be removed to be washed and yes, I realize this is a prototype and the design will be streamlined. I think my point is that the idea is great and there are definitely folks working on the problem, but the user experience (i.e., from the software that displays the data so it's digestable to the actual aesthetics of the shirt design) is key to making this something that isn't just a whim purchase, but becomes part of your daily workout routine.
I agree that it's great first step, jmiller. Most people who work out want to know, at the very least, what their heart rate is. I suspect that the other features will become popular, too, and this idea will take off. Actually, I would be surprised if a sporting goods manufacturer isn't already working on this.
I think about atheletes that currently study hours and hours of film of the swings, throws, or hits. This would allow them to generate data that would give quantatitive data instead of qualitative. before long we can take that data and program robots. We won't have to worry about concusions when it's robots playing the contact sports.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
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For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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