Advancement of technology has reduced sizes of the electronic components, which made it possible in creating smaller devices, especially wearable devices. The best examples of wearable devices are fitness bands and smartwatches. These devices became popular because of the demand for sports and fitness tracking, and communicating with the connected smartphone. These devices have Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) embedded inside the product, for tracking exercise and sleep. IMUs are also used for gait analysis and it is a cheap, reliable and portable sensor when compared to other devices for capturing gait data. 

Fitness trackers are not using this potential, and they are not improving the performance and technique of a running athlete through gait parameters. Calculation of steps according to gait analysis is calculated from foot and not from wrist, which otherwise renders the related fitness parameters inaccurate. Therefore, we develop a low-cost wearable for the foot to improve the performance and technique of a running athlete through the runner’s kinematic features. In this project, we also discuss about the unique features - integration of a running technique and fatigue alertness - that are not present in existing fitness trackers, design exploration of our product and our evaluation of the product.

Case Study Download:
• Slingshot - Wearable Device for a Running Athlete......
• Slingshot - Wearable Device for a Running Athlete - Report......