HONG KONG, Nov. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — For many, the pandemic has resulted in a shift to a more sedentary lifestyle, raising alarm bells for health experts. On the latest episode of ‘Tech for Good’, CNN anchor and correspondent Kristie Lu Stout meets the minds behind the technologies that are aimed at combating this trend. From virtual reality gyms to interactive home exercise equipment, CNN learns how innovations in fitness technology are changing the way we stay in shape and play sports.
CNN’s ‘Tech for Good’ explores the world of fitness technology
As lockdowns closed gyms around the world, fitness buffs gravitated toward virtual options – and high-tech businesses saw opportunity. CNN hears from the co-founder of Peloton, Tom Cortese, about its role as a pioneer of ‘connected fitness’ – a workout genre which enables a gym-like experience without the need for a gym. Lu Stout also speaks with Celeste Burgoyne, President of the Americas and Global Guest Innovation at Lululemon, about the company’s foray into the tech space with the acquisition of Mirror, a platform which brings the studio experience into the home. Seoul-based Tangram Factory has also entered the smart fitness space with its LED-embedded jump rope, and US-based Hydrow has come out with a rowing machine that seeks to simulate the real thing.
For some, improving one’s fitness is all fun and games. CNN visits Black Box VR in San Francisco, the world’s first resistance based virtual reality gym, which uses immersive games and artificial intelligence that automatically adjusts resistance to motivate its members. Co-founder Preston Lewis explains how the gamification aspects of the experience are designed to make people "addicted to their workouts." Other companies are also exploring the potential of extended reality, like Vancouver-based Form which has launched a smart swim goggle, and French startup Immersiv.io which hopes to use augmented reality to reinvent the experience of watching sports.
Baseball is arguably the most popular spectator sport in Taiwan. Lu Stout chats to Ching Lun Lin, CEO of Taiwan-based sports tech company Jingletek, which recently unveiled ‘STRIKE’ – one of the world’s first smart baseballs. The ball is outfitted with precision sensors that can dissect a split-second throw, providing data that the company believes can help improve pitcher performance. Meanwhile, Germany-based Wingfield says it can do the same for tennis players with its smart tennis court.
Whether it’s monitoring your fitness and nutrition or building a health file, smartphone apps are increasingly performing many of the functions of a personal fitness coach. The FitOn app says it grew from zero to six million users in less than eighteen months. MyFitnessPal provides nutrition data facts for more than 14 million foods, leveraging data to help users focus on dietary adjustments, while Sworkit comes with more than 1000 exercises that are personalized depending on a user’s fitness goals.
Tech for Good trailer: https://bit.ly/3o8nJiF
Tech for Good images: https://bit.ly/3woBQnT
Tech for Good microsite: https://cnn.it/2ECCs23
Airtimes for 30-minute special:
Saturday, 13th November at 2:00pm HKT
Sunday, 14th November at 12:00pm and 7:00pm HKT
Monday, 15th November at 6:30am and 9:30am HKT
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