Kinematix’s TUNE, a pair of smart insoles for running shoes, are no average fitness trackers—merely gauging step number, heart rate and other metrics common to similar devices. With them, the company wants to help amateur and professional runners alike actually improve their performance, as well.
“TUNE measures what makes a runner move forward: the interaction of both feet and ground,” Paulo dos Santos, CEO of Kinematix, told ITProPortal in a recent interview. “It qualifies that interaction uniquely, as the behavior of the feet on the ground can significantly affect the result or performance.”
Photo source: IT Pro Portal
To that end, the TUNE devices track such running-activity information as what area of the foot is hitting the ground, the amount of time that elapses while the foot is on the ground and heel-strike time and cadence. They then combine this data with GPS stats of the runner’s speed, pace distance and timed runs. By comparing these sets of metrics, the user can pinpoint areas of strength and weakness in his or her performance.
TUNE aids the user in this task, employing algorithms to interpret the data it gleans over time to provide a personalized training plan. The plan offers drills adapted to the wearer’s specific problem areas, so he or she can improve them.
The TUNE devices, each outfitted with 2-mm sensors, fit underneath a shoe’s insole. Users must load each device on a separate connective dock before every run, and launch a companion TUNE app on their smart phones, which generates the running parameters via GPS and Bluetooth.
Photo source: Kinematix
Kinematrix is currently in the marketing stage of the TUNE product. It is also looking into capitalizing on its capabilities for other sports. For more information, see the full article here.