Puma has taken the idea of fitness to altogether a different level by creating a robot that is able to match Usain Bolt’s 2009 speed record of 44.6 KPH. The robot known as BeatBot has been created by ad agency J. Walter Thompson New York.
The robot that looks like a shoebox on wheels is a programmable, self-driving and line-driving one that is made to push runners by providing them a real visual target to beat. Runners can enter the time and distance of the race of their choice.
They then need to put the robot on the starting line next to them and let the race begin. The BeatBot helps runners to race against their own best time and their rival’s best time. As mentioned above, the robot can match Usain Bolt’s record.
JWT New York executive creative director Florent Imbert was of the view, “We found a lot of anecdotal evidence that head to head competition raised performance levels, even a few studies that showed an uptick performance. Running against an invisible clock will never be as motivating as running against someone—or something”.
Using the nine infrared sensors, the BeatBot scans and follows the line on a track. Its wheel revolutions measure both speed and distance. The data is being processed in real time. The robot is being outfitted with rear LED lights and there are GoPro cameras on the front and back. It allows you to review your run after the race.
Imbert said that they have gone through over eight prototypes and assessed every aspect of the race from the weight of the car to the lag between the Arduino and servo. In the process, they have also included NASA robotics engineer and three MIT graduates.
According to a report in TechCrunch by Brian Heater, "Its story is that of an epic battle. Mankind versus machine in a race for dominance. Only one can win. In practice, thankfully, it's much, much more adorable. A four- wheeled robot that looks remarkably like an RC car crossbred with a shoebox , programmed to give athletes something to race against. A sort of free-roaming robotic rabbit to their inner-greyhound."
The `bot is capable of hitting Usain Bolt levels of speed, but runners can slow it down via a mobile app in hopes of actually having a chance against the little box, which monitors the revolution of its wheels to figure out how fast it's going. The BeatBot also sports front- and rear-facing GoPro cameras and LED lights on its tail for easier viewing after it leaves a runner in the dust.
A report published in the Fastcocreate said, "The world is awash in fitness apps and trackers. Nike Plus, Fitbit, Under Armour's Healthbox, and more-they're all based on the idea that tracking and monitoring your health and athletic performance will help you understand your routine, inspire you to carry on, and ultimately improve your performance. Now Puma has taken this idea to a new level by going beyond wearable to raceable tech. Meet the Beatbot."
Runners can enter the time and distance of the race they want, put the robot on the starting line next to them and go. The BeatBot paces out the programmed race, allowing runners to race against their own best time, their rival's best time, or even Usain Bolt's best time, because the robot can match the world-record holder's a top speed of 44-km/hour. Usain Bolt may like it, but chances are you won't be racing BeatBot anytime soon. Imbert says right now it's only available to Puma-sponsored athletes and teams. "While the cost of the current model makes it prohibitive for the average consumers to train with," he says. "The plan is always to develop new models, products and ideas to inspire every athlete."
"We found a lot of anecdotal evidence that head to head competition raised performance levels, even a few studies that showed an uptick performance," Florent Imbert, JWT New York's executive creative director told Fast Company. "But, to us, it felt like a human truth. Running against an invisible clock will never be as motivating as running against someone - or something," according to a news report published by The Verge.
The BeatBot uses nine infrared sensors to maintain its course around the track, making over 100 adjustments per second to stay on course, with rear and front-mounted GoPo cameras that will allow runners to review their training. Imbert says the BeatBot is too expensive to produce on a larger scale, but Puma-sponsored athletes like Usain Bolt - and probably Rihanna because Rihanna gets what Rihanna wants - will have full access to the device.
By: Herb Ryder (Maine News Online).
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