Proposal: Pace Yourself

Title: Pace Yourself

Summary: An projected animal companion assists you on your runs and logs your pace.

What is it

This projection is meant to be an entertaining way to help runners keep their pace. As an ex-cross country runner, I often find myself trying to run at a pace I can’t maintain anymore. Last year, I got shin splints halfway through training for a half marathon because I was pushing myself too hard. In cases like mine, or for runners who are training alone, without others to help set the pace, this projection helps the runner set goals and gives them a visual pace-keeper.

This allows runners to increase their pace in a constructive manner by analyzing their step per minute count for every minute of their run, and comparing it to their previous runs and their long-term target pace. The mechanism can then suggest a target pace for their next run. The visual projection of a running animal can allow the runner to keep their short-term target pace in a simple way, by keeping up with their animal friend.

PLAN

  1. draw a couple of running animal animations, for different paces
  2. use geolocation tracking to determine pace (on run)
  3. code pace graph viewer (3-line graph) (off run)
  4. code short-term pace goal calculator (off run)
  5. animal selector based on short-term goal pace (on run)
  6. sync animal run pace and short-term goal pace (on run)
  7. code animal noise for excessive pace deviation (on run)
  8. combine on-run and off-run modes — based on device motion
  9. adjust for phone use and display
  10. find a portable projector
  11. animal projection
  12. create armband including projector and phone holder

MATERIALS NEEDED

This project is meant to be lightweight and useable for high intensity physical activity. I would need a portable projector and materials to create an armband that could carry the projector and a phone while still allowing the animal image to be projected and the phone screen to be visible (fabric, needle, thread).

DELIVERABLES FOR SHOW

What I need: Place for laptop, dark hallway or area to walk around in (so people can see the projection)

MEDIA FOR SHOW

Poster or storyboard to explain functionality of the equipment and/or wifi connection instructions so that people can work the basic non-projection code on their phones.

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