Get In the Zone! 🏃🏼‍♂️

HCI Master's Thesis: Sports Eyewear & Interaction Design

Role

HCI Designer

Team

1 Designer + 2 Supervisors

Duration

1 Year

Project Overview

Get in the Zone is a HCI design project exploring ambient visual feedback in wearable technology for novice runner zone training based on HR value. Conducted as part of my Master's thesis at the University of Salzburg, the project investigates how real-time, non-intrusive visual cues can assist runners in maintaining optimal heart rate zones, thereby regulating pace more efficiently and overall performance.

Design Challenge

Traditional heart rate monitoring devices often require runners to stop to interact, glance at screens, or interpret auditory cues, which can disrupt focus and natural movement. The primary challenge addressed in this project was creating a wearable system that:

Provides clear and immediate visual feedback on heart rate zones.
Minimizes cognitive load and distraction during running.
Integrates seamlessly with the runner's peripheral vision.

Project Overview

Design Challenge

Provides clear and immediate visual feedback on heart rate zones.
Minimizes cognitive load and distraction during running.
Integrates seamlessly with the runner's peripheral vision.

Concept Development

The wearable system centers around a pair of smart glasses equipped with an LED-based ambient feedback mechanism. The design journey included:

Literature Review: Analyzing existing research on wearable technologies and runner feedback systems, including studies that highlight the importance of glanceable feedback and movement-based design principles.
Prototyping: Iterating on multiple LED light sequences to convey heart rate zone information effectively. Multiple output modalities, such as haptic, audio, and visual, have been tested on multiple points on the body.
User Testing: Conducting controlled treadmill experiments with participants. Each participant received real-time visual feedback via the glasses connected to a chest strap heart monitor, adjusting their speed to stay within personalized heart rate zones calculated using the Karvonen formula.

Testing and Methodology

The experimental procedure included:

Zone Calculation: Determining resting and maximum heart rate, and calculating personalized training zones for each participant using established methodologies.
Running Sessions: Participants undertook two 10-minute treadmill sessions while adjusting their pace to remain within the target heart rate zone indicated by the glasses' light sequences.
Qualitative & Quantitative Data Collection: Post-session interviews gathered insights on participants' perceptions of the feedback system, its clarity, and the impact on their running experience as well as metrics on the duration of each zone.

Key Findings and Design Insights coming soon..

Conclusion

Interaction in Motion contributes to the growing field of human-computer interaction in sports technology by providing an empirical basis for designing ambient feedback systems. The insights gained from this project highlight the importance of peripheral visual feedback in enhancing performance while ensuring a natural, enjoyable running experience.

Next Steps

Iteration: Refine the glasses design for further comfort and better ergonomics.
Expansion: Exploring integration with additional biofeedback sensors for a more holistic running experience.
Deployment: Testing in varied outdoor environments to account for real-world complexities.

This project not only showcases my capability in research-driven design but also reflects my commitment to creating user-centered, innovative solutions in wearable technology.