New Nike+ Plans

Apple and nike are working together to make big changes to the Nike+ program in the future.

If you are not yet aware of Nike+ it is a system where you have a sensor in your shoe (doesn’t have to be a Nike shoe) and and iPod. I do not have one yet but the idea is very exciting. You simply put the sensor in or on your shoe. Start up your iPod and start running. The sensor picks up your steps and distance and tracks your speed and when you finish you sync with iTunes to have it track your stats.

A little geeky but I am a sucker for the geeky stuff.

Anyway the Apple Insider has an article today about the Nike+ future and there are a few modifications that Apple is looking to make to this system.

the system aims to more precisely track a runners performance over a period of time by factoring in various physical characteristics of the runner, such as age, weight, and gender, which could then be used to evaluate the runner’s performance against a reference performance typical of a person having similar physical characteristics.

This is just building on the data that it is already collecting and benchmarking you to other people. This way you can tell how good of shape you are in compared to others

The Nike+ sensor would provide notification to a user that a particular garment has reached an expected useful lifetime based upon any number of factors, such as, an amount of time that the garment has been used, or the amount of wear detected by the sensor.

This is good for you as it will allow you to know when you need a new pair of shoes, of course I am sure that Nike would love you to change your shoes more often.

One of the sensors employed by the running shoes could also include location-sensing devices (such as a GPS receiver) that provide velocity and location data to a processor unit that can be coupled to a database having information such as physical characteristic data such as weight, age, and gender, according to the filing. The database can then, in turn, provide an updated readout to a display unit of the user’s ongoing athletic performance statistics. Such statistics can include elevation gain, speed, heading, elevation, calories burned, anticipated calories burned (based upon a pre-selected course), and others.

GPS is great for mapping where you have run in the past and understanding how you deal with steep hills up or down so that you can improve your running performance.

So there are some exciting changes coming. I have seen one of these Nike+ units in action and the sync and it is really exciting stuff. If you are a runner or a treadmiller at home you may find this to be a great little tool and motivator to get you excited and interested in your running.

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Tags: GPS, ipod, little tool, location-sensing devices, nike program, nike+, runner, running, running shoes

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