Interactive Athletic Equipment With Real-Time Performance Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Individuals struggle to maintain motivation in regular exercise programs due to slow physical improvements and lack of immediate, visual feedback, and competition with others can enhance motivation.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for collecting and displaying athletic information, allowing users to compare their performance with personal bests, set goals, and engage in challenges with others, providing real-time feedback and visual representation of progress.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical improvements from exercise are tracked, then motivation should be improved, but the improvements come too slowly to provide sufficient motivation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotivation consistencyVSAvoidtime for physical improvement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements immediate visual feedback through graphs displaying athletic performance data, allowing users to see real-time or near-real-time results of their exercise efforts. This feedback loop converts slow physical improvements into immediately visible graphical representations, maintaining motivation consistency without requiring users to wait for gradual physical changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary representation layer between actual physical performance and user perception. Instead of directly observing slow physical changes, users interact with graphical intermediaries (charts, graphs, visual displays) that instantly reflect athletic data, bridging the time gap between effort and observable results.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If athletic data is collected and displayed for performance critique, then user engagement is improved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser engagementVSAvoiddata collection and display system
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs multi-functional athletic equipment that simultaneously collects various athletic data, displays graphical representations, provides feedback, and enables user interaction through a single integrated platform. This universal approach consolidates multiple functions into unified equipment, reducing overall system complexity while enhancing user engagement through comprehensive performance tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If competition elements are added to provide motivation, then exercise adherence is improved, but the system requires network connectivity and data sharing infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexercise adherenceVSAvoidnetwork and data sharing infrastructure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges competitive elements directly into the athletic equipment interface, combining social networking, data sharing, and competition features with the core athletic monitoring functions. By integrating these elements into a unified system rather than separate components, the patent reduces infrastructure complexity while maintaining exercise adherence through competitive motivation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3352107B1Interactive athletic equipment system
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 NIKE INNOVATE CV
  • EP3352107B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3352107B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3352107B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and techniques for the collection and display of athletic information. Athletic data relating to a single person or group of people is collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed at a desired remote location so that the person or people can review and critique their performance. In addition, athletic data for multiple persons can be collected at a central location, and subsequently displayed to a user at a desired remote location, so that the user can compare his or her athletic activities to others.