Nike+iPod

Nike+ GPS App, powered by MotionX, on an iPhone 4

The Nike+iPod Sports Kit is a device which measures and records the distance and pace of a walk or run. The Nike+iPod consists of a small accelerometer^[1] attached to or embedded in a shoe, which communicates with either the Nike+ Sportband, a receiver plugged into an iPod Nano, or directly with a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Generation iPod Touch, iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 or a Nike+ Sportwatch. If using the iPod or the iPhone 3GS, iTunes software can be used to view the walk or run history.

On September 7, 2010, Nike released the Nike+ GPS App, which used a tracking engine powered by MotionX that does not require the separate shoe sensor. This application works using the accelerometer and GPS of the iPhone and the accelerometer of the iPod Touch (which does not currently contain a GPS chip). It is $1.99/£1.19 in the App Store.

Overview

The sensor and iPod kit were revealed on May 20, 2006. The kit is able to store information such as the elapsed time of the workout, the distance traveled, pace, or calories burned by the individual wearing the shoes, and display it on the screen or broadcast it through the headphones of an iPod.

The sensor and Sportband kit was announced in April 2008.^[2] The kit allows users to store run information without the iPod Nano. The Sportband consists of two parts: a rubber holding strap which is worn around the wrist, and the receiver which resembles a USB key-disk. The receiver displays information comparable to that of the iPod kit on the built-in display. After a run, the receiver can be plugged straight into a USB port and the software will upload the run information automatically to the Nike+ website.

As of August 2008 "Nike+iPod for the Gym" launched, allowing users to record their cardio workouts directly to their iPods. No Sport kit or shoe sensor is required; all that is needed is a compatible iPod (1st–6th generation iPod Nano or 2nd/3rd gen iPod Touch) and an enabled piece of cardio equipment. As of March 2009, the seven largest commercial equipment providers were shipping enabled equipment (Life Fitness, Technogym, Precor USA, Star Trac, Cybex International, Matrix and Free Motion). The models of compatible cardio equipment include treadmills, stationary bicycles, stair climbers, ellipticals, and others such as Precor's Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT). Once the user syncs an iPod with iTunes, the cardio workouts are automatically stored at Nikeplus.com, where each workout is visualized and tracked based on the number of calories burned. The calories are converted to "CardioMiles", at a ratio of 100:1, allowing cardio users to take full advantage of all the tools and features of Nikeplus.com, and allow them to engage in challenges with other runners, walkers and cardio users, using a common currency.

With the release of the second-generation iPod Touch in 2008, Apple Inc. included a built-in Nike+ receiver which allowed the iPod to connect directly to the wireless sensor thus eliminating the need for an external receiver to be connected. Apple also added the built-in receiver to the iPhone 3GS (released 2009), iPhone 4 (2010), and third-generation iPod Touch (2009).

On June 7, 2010, Polar and Nike introduced the Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+. This new product works with the Nike+ SportBand and the fifth generation iPod nano in conjunction with the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit. Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+ communicates directly with the fifth generation iPod nano and Nike+ SportBand using a proprietary digital protocol but it is dual-mode so it is also compatible with most Polar training computers (all those using 5 kHz analog transmission technology). ^[3]

Sports kit equipment

The kit consists of two pieces: a piezoelectric accelerometer with a transmitter that is mounted under the inner sole of the shoe and a receiver that connects to the iPod. They communicate using a 2.4GHz wireless radio and proprietary network protocol. Nike recommends that the shoe be a Nike+ model with a special pocket in which to place the device. Nike has released the sensor for individual sale meaning that consumers no longer have to purchase the whole set (the iPod receiver and sensor). As the sensor battery cannot be replaced, a new one must be purchased every time the battery runs out.

After-market solutions are available to users who do not want to use shoes with built-in or hand-made pockets for the accelerometer, such as shoe pouches and containment devices designed to affix the accelerometer against the shoe laces. No matter how the accelerometer is integrated with the user's shoes, care must be taken that it is firmly fixed in place and will not jerk around while in use, which would degrade the accuracy of the accelerometer.

Sports kit usage

Nike+ iPod transmitter in Nike+ Shoe

The Sports Kit can be used to track running, which it refers to as "workouts". New workouts are started by plugging the receiving unit into the iPod, then navigating through the iPod menu system. The user chooses a goal for the workout, which might be to cover a specific distance, or burn a number of calories, or workout for a specified time. A workout can also be started without a goal, which is called a "Basic Workout". When the workout goal has been set, the receiver seeks the accelerometer, possibly asking the user to "walk around to activate [the] sensor". The user then must press the center button on the iPod to begin the workout.

Audio feedback is provided in the user's choice of generic male or female voice by the iPod over the course of the workout, depending on the type of workout chosen. For goal-oriented workouts, the feedback will correspond to significant milestones toward the goal. In a distance workout, for example, the audio feedback will inform the user as each mile or kilometer has been completed, as well as the half-way point of the workout, and a countdown of four 100-meter increments at the end of the workout.

The iPod's control wheel functions change slightly during a workout. The Pause button now not only pauses the music but also the workout. Similarly, the Menu button is used to access the controls to end the workout. The Forward and Back buttons are unchanged, performing audio track skip and reverse functions. The Center button has two functions: audio feedback about the current distance, time, and pace are provided when the button is tapped once, while if the button is held down the iPod skips to the "PowerSong" - an audio track chosen by the user, generally intended for motivation.

In addition to the in-workout audio feedback, there are pre-recorded congratulations provided by Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Paula Radcliffe whenever a user achieves a personal best (such as fastest mile, fastest 5K, fastest 10K, longest run yet) or reaches certain long-term milestones (such as 250 miles, 500 kilometers). This "celebrity feedback" is heard after the usual end-of-run statistics.

While the Sports Kit can be used immediately after purchase, it will report more accurate results if it is calibrated before the first usage and then regularly afterwards. For calibration, the user finds a fixed known distance of at least 0.25 mile or 400 meters and then sets the Nike+ to calibration mode for the walk or run over that distance. When the walk or run is complete, the device calibrates itself and future workout reporting will reflect statistics closer to that individual user's workout style. Consumer Reports magazine tested the device and found it accurate as long as you keep an even pace. In workouts with varied pace, accuracy was sometimes less than 90%. As walking and running strides can vary significantly, the device should be calibrated for each.

Online integration

In addition to tracking personal workout statistics, the Nike+ integrates directly with the Nike website. Workout data can be automatically uploaded to the website during an iPod sync with iTunes or through another program via the website's public API. The uploaded information is mostly not personally-identifying, but does also contain some personal statistics such as weight (if configured). Workout data is stored in XML files on the iPod, which has led some web and applications programmers to offer alternatives to the official Nike reports.

On October 19, 2006, new features were added to the Nike+ website, including the ability to name runs. Forums were also added (which they refer to as "talk some trash"), allowing users to meet and challenge other runners, ask questions, and give feedback. Recently, there have been several more additions to the Nike+ website including but not limited to: a challenge gallery where all user created challenges are viewable, the ability to name the route taken when running or walking, compatibility with the new iPod Nano (fifth generation), a distance club to view everyone's total distance traveled, fastest 5K et cetera.

References

1. ^ Description at Apple.com
2. ^ Nike+ Sportband forum announcement
3. ^ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/polar-and-nike-introduce-heart-rate-training-to-millions-of-nike-runners-95766249.html

Further reading

• McClusky, Mark (2009-06-22). "The Nike Experiment: How the Shoe Giant Unleashed the Power of Personal Metrics". Med-Tech: Health (Wired) 17 (7). http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/magazine/17-07/lbnp_nike?currentPage=all. Retrieved 2009-06-29. 
• Newitz, Annalee (2006-11-30). "Nike+ IPod = Surveillance". Science: Discoveries (Wired). http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/11/72202. Retrieved 2009-06-29. 

External links

• Official website
• Nike+ - official site at Nike's website
• Nike+iPod raises RFID privacy concerns - CNET News
• Running Tracker - an open source tool to analyze and to compare Nike+ workouts
• Neki++ - an open source workout management and visualization tool
• Twiike - free service that automatically posts new Nike+ runs to the runner's Twitter account on sync
• Slowgeek - free service similar to Twiiki, reads Nike+ runs and make stats, built by Rasmus Lerdorf
• e-Runners - Free website to visualize Nike+ workout, and socialize with runners
• Earndit - free service that gives Nike+ users rewards for their workouts