Equilibrium Barre | Gym equipment for pregnant women
Product-Service System Design
Academic project @Politecnico di Milano - Master degree in Product-Service System Design
Design team: Greys Acosta, Greta Gamba, Chenhao Yang
Oct 2018 - Jan 2019
Women, during pregnancy, are suggested to train some specific parts of the body that are overloaded. However, they feel insecure about doing activities alone because they are afraid of losing balance or doing something wrong for the baby.
SOLUTION
Equilibrium Barre is a gym equipment designed to allow pregnant women to practice low impact physical activity safely.
The product can be used to do many exercises taken from different disciplines, like ballet, pilates, yoga or fitness.
Equilibrium Barre is not just a product. It is part of a service allowing women to track their activity, to be aware of their physical form and limits, and to receive continuous support from trainers and doctors.
INTERACTION
The exercises can be performed on the mat surface or on a sliding cart located at the base of the equipment.
All exercises are performed with the support of an adjustable bar, which makes the equipment safe, and an interactive screen, which provides user guidance and feedback on performing exercises.
TECHNOLOGIES
When the user starts an exercise from the interactive screen, the system helps, via light indicators, to adjust the bar in the right position. In addition, the screen guides the user in assuming the correct starting position.
Thanks to the pressure sensors in the mat and cart, the system keeps monitoring the positions of the body during exercise.
Finally, special sensors located in the support bar allow constant monitoring of the user’s vital signs to verify the personal responses of the body and ensure that the exercises are carried out safely.
Although most of the interaction takes place with the equipment and its screen, the mobile app (dedicated section in the Technogym "My wellness APP") enables and extends the experience with social aspects and progress monitoring features.
Here is the low-fi interface of the two digital touchpoints.
FUNCTIONAL DETAILS
Mat
- Lines on the mat surface help the user take the correct position of the body
- It is equipped with pressure sensors to monitor the position and movements of the body
- Lines on the mat surface help the user take the correct position of the body
- It is equipped with pressure sensors to monitor the position and movements of the body
Cart
- When used it moves along two tracks present on the sides of the mat. These rails are equipped with locking systems that hold the cart in place to prevent slipping until the pressure sensors detect a correct weight distribution on the cart
- When not in use can be folded and stored in its housing, becoming a mat extension
- When used it moves along two tracks present on the sides of the mat. These rails are equipped with locking systems that hold the cart in place to prevent slipping until the pressure sensors detect a correct weight distribution on the cart
- When not in use can be folded and stored in its housing, becoming a mat extension
- It is equipped with pressure sensors to monitor the position and movements of the body
Screen
- It is equipped with tilting supports to be always visible to the user during the execution of the exercises
- It is equipped with tilting supports to be always visible to the user during the execution of the exercises
- Its position is automatically set according to the exercise and the height of the user but can be slightly adjusted from the screen interface or with the controllers next to the mat
Bar
- Its height is manually adjusted by the user via vertical rails and fastening rings, but is guided by the system via light indicators
- It is equipped with sensors to monitor the vital parameters of the user
- Its height is manually adjusted by the user via vertical rails and fastening rings, but is guided by the system via light indicators
- It is equipped with sensors to monitor the vital parameters of the user
IDENTITY
This product-service system was an academic project, ideally designed for Technogym company. This allowed us to create a product in line with a well defined portfolio and with an existing service system, although no collaboration with the company was made.
