FitLift

Project Title: FitLift

Team Name: Team C.U.R.L.

Team Members: 

  William Scotten, Computer Engineering

  Matthew Nguyen, Computer Science and Engineering

  Kevan Nguyen, Computer Science and Engineering 

Mentor: Professor Demsky, Computer Science 

Executive Summary

Our project, FitLift, is an attachable device to dumbbells that keeps track of your workout through a mobile application. We plan to implement the device to analyze different motion patterns, keep track of the different movements with varying weights and make it accessible for the user to view. We have split up the project into two main aspects: the conversion of gyroscope and accelerometer data into a specific exercise, and the mobile app that allows the user to track their workouts and see their progress. By combining our multidisciplinary skills, we will be able to disrupt the physical fitness market.

Background

We came up with our idea, FitLift, through our passion for lifting. We realized that we wanted a way to easily track our workouts and see how we are improving over the course of the year. In today’s world, people are becoming more focused on their health and fitness life, thus they turn to the gym. However, most beginners of the gym fail to stay consistent, do not keep track of their workouts and fail to see progress being made. This will eventually cause the beginner to give up hope and cancel their gym membership.  

This became an important motivation for us in the development of the idea of FitLift, as we were at one point all beginners who struggled in such aspects. We aspire to make a difference in people’s health and fitness with FitLift.

Purpose

The purpose of FitLift is to create a device that will allow gym-goers the opportunity to easily track their weight lifting progress. Weightlifters can attach the device to any dumbbell, which will then track the amount of repetitions they perform of a certain exercise. This monitored data is then linked to the user’s phone app, where the user will have complete access to the log of his/her workouts.

Approach

Requirements

The required features consists of an attachable device that can be latched onto any free weight (dumbbells and barbells) and a mobile application that syncs with the device. Once the device is latched onto the weight and properly set, it should be able to pick up certain motions and reps when the weight is lifted. This monitored data is then linked to the user’s phone app, where the user will have complete access to the log of his/her workouts. The device will initially support tracking for three exercises: bicep curls, shoulder press, and lateral raises.  The device should also be able to show the results of an exercise on a user’s phone within 30 seconds of them finishing the exercise.

Constraints

The device should be lightweight, ranging from 5 to 10 oz, and should cost no more than $60 per unit. Our project is confined to our group’s budget range, and we are willing to chip in $500 total maximum, so we are within range of making several units.  The largest constraint is that the device will have to have a WiFi connection in order to function properly.  As for the application, it should be developed using only open-source libraries, frameworks, and free services. Within the application, user information will be encrypted and a user’s workout data will only to available to the user and the user’s friends.

Objectives

Our main objective is to have a fully functional workout system that allows users to track their weight lifting exercises automatically. Once we get our main objective cleared, we would want to look towards lowering the cost and power of the device to make it more affordable and longer lasting. Since developing the application for the system requires no extra cost, we would then look into better improving the user’s experience and have an orderly way of displaying data that is convenient and makes sense to the user.

Demo Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqgxgjMBYr8