Auto-Follow Resistance Control for Connected Fitness Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing connected fitness systems lack an efficient way to automatically adjust exercise machine settings, such as resistance, in real-time to match instructor cues during power zone classes, leading to suboptimal user performance and experience.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an auto-follow mode in exercise machines, which synchronizes with instructor cues during live or recorded classes to automatically adjust resistance or other settings, ensuring the user's output remains within specified power zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual adjustment of exercise machine settings is used during power zone classes, then user control and flexibility are maintained, but user performance and experience deteriorate due to inability to match instructor cues in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The exercise machine automatically adjusts resistance and other settings based on instructor cues without requiring user intervention. The system self-regulates by receiving cue data, determining current output, and modifying machine settings autonomously to maintain user performance within target power zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors user output and compares it against target power zones defined by instructor cues. Based on this feedback loop, the exercise machine automatically adjusts resistance and settings to keep user performance within the desired range, ensuring real-time alignment with class instructions.
2Reliability
If automatic adjustment of exercise machine settings is implemented, then user performance and experience improve by matching instructor cues, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs multiple functions: receiving instructor cues, determining user output, comparing against target zones, and adjusting machine settings. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated controller, managing complexity while achieving automatic performance optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines cue data processing, performance monitoring, and resistance control into a unified auto-follow mode. By merging these functions into one coordinated system rather than separate independent components, the patent achieves automatic adjustment capability while containing overall system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If real-time synchronization with instructor cues is implemented, then power zone accuracy improves, but loss of time for processing and adjustment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-processes instructor cue data as it arrives during the class, maintaining a synchronized timeline of target power zones. By preparing and organizing cue data in advance rather than processing it reactively, the system achieves real-time accuracy without significant processing delays during actual exercise execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The auto-follow mode operates continuously throughout the exercise class, constantly receiving cues, monitoring output, and adjusting settings without interruption. This continuous operation eliminates idle processing time and maintains uninterrupted synchronization between instructor cues and machine settings, ensuring consistent power zone accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods provide an auto-follow mode of operation during a power zone class or other class/activity that includes segments of prescribed or instructed efforts for users. For example, as a zone changes within an exercise class, an exercise machine streaming the exercise class may automatically adjust its resistance to move the user into the new zone. The systems and methods can respond to or perform actions in response to receiving instructor cue data, such as cue data that is synchronized with a video of an exercise or fitness class.