Performance Lab’s new patent addresses a big problem in exercise, sport and health wearables which is that the mass of data that is recorded day to day and month to month doesn’t provide much back in a meaningful way. Once you’ve looked at the metric a few times and seen the numbers change it all gets a bit, well, boring!
Peter person doesn’t want an avalanche of data — he just wants to know what it all means. He needs a system that can help him but, in order to help, that system first needs to understand each situation Peter is in.
He needs smart coaching or care — a wearable device that knows Peter’s struggles, understands him and can help.
Smart coaching and care on an Apple watch, for example, comes with a problem. Just like humans, intelligent software on a watch needs context to understand things.
‘Training Zones’ are old hat
Let’s take a simple example — high heart rate. Traditional analysis uses the concept of ‘Training Zones’ — a way of assessing a user’s personal intensity. Peter might be in a high effort zone, meaning he is working hard. But traditional analysis using these zones utilises the heart rate parameter only. This type of analysis can tell you that Peter’s heart rate is high but it can’t tell you what Peter is doing. There isn’t any context.
Why could Peter’s heart rate be high? Because Peter is:
- exercising very hard?
- climbing a flight of stairs?
- very hot and struggling with the heat?
- very nervous?
- sick?
- showing abnormal heart function such as atrial fibrillation?
With a Training Zone, using heart rate alone, a machine can’t tell the difference between any of the above situations and neither can we without more context.
‘Activity Types’ — a new patented classification system
Performance Lab has invented and patented a new classification system called ‘Activity Types’. Activity Types uses not just one parameter, but multiple parameters to arrive at a classification of activity and can do this automatically and in real time on an Apple watch, for example. Using our Peter Person example, Activity Types can look at:
- Peter’s speed and heart rate and see that he is actually running quite hard and fast.
- altitude change and heart rate and see that Peter is climbing stairs.
- temperature and heart rate and see that Peter is very hot.
- historic norms for ‘like data’ and see that Peter is sick or nervous.
- (in the near future) EKG readings and see that Peter shows a heart abnormality in certain situations — potentially saving his life.
To truly help Peter, each situation requires a different interpretation and suggested action.
Performance Lab’s new patent on Activity Types is the analytical gateway to personalized care and support for Peter and others — anywhere and anytime off a device such as an Apple watch, powered by our unique algorithms.
This could involve artificial intelligence on your watch or in your ear, or it could be sending the data to a medical professional or coach who is monitoring your activity and providing expert care.