Any.Fit

Discovery and Invention - Project 3

Overview

CrossFit is a set of high intensity workout that combines both cardio and weight training in a very short amount of time. For this project, I followed the CrossFit design guideline provided by my classmate Qing and designed Any.Fit. It uses a projector and camera to create an immersive experience of taking a CrossFit class for the users at home. Any.Fit solves the main issues of CrossFit while preserving the characteristics of a CrossFit class.

My final design is an wearable instrument in the form of a glove. There are sensors on each of the fingers that can detect surface textures. The data is sent to a smart phone remotely and corresponding audio is played in the headphone.

Read design document

• Applying Design Guideline
• Story Board
• Video
• Persona

In this project, I focused on five of the ten design guidelines provided by Qing:

1. Designs for females and rookies
2. Efficiently utilize and design the available spaces
3. Preserve the characteristics of the CrossFit workouts
• WOD (workout of the day)
• Data-driven
• Positive attitudes
4. Digitally track the movement of the user for suggestions on breaks
5. Digitally track the progress for better routine planning and suggestions

Qing has also specified four main issues of CrossFit:

• Expenses
• Foundation class costs of $149 per month
• Peer pressure
• People competing for shorter time and higher intensity in every movement
• Limited hours
• CrossFit clubs are often studio based and open only when there are classes
• Sex difference
• Crossfitters of different sex perform very differently in some of the movements in WOD, even though they can lift around the same weight in weight lifting sessions

Looking at existing designs

A virtual reality application is the first idea that came into my mind when I think of creating such experience. However, the expense of a virtual reality headset and the discomfort of wearing one made me realized it is not an appropriate solution. So I started to explore more possibilities.
In the next phase of the design process, I was looking at commercial products (e.g. Peloton), award-winning designs (e.g. Core77) for inspirations. I eventually settled upon the idea of using a projector to create an immersive experience. Since projectors were already used by pioneers of virtual reality in CAVE (Cave automatic virtual environment) to create illusions of reality in a small room, I decided to project videos of CrossFit class onto two walls.

Sketches