Isometric exercise device with intelligent activity and motion monitoring for healthcare (HealthSwitch)
Innovate UK
Tough Life Products Limited
It's a fact, only 61.4% of people in England aged 16 and over are 'physically active' and people become less active the older they are. There are several reasons for this, many people find that they physically can't do the exercises they once enjoyed; and for those who have been generally inactive, regardless of age, getting started is not easy and for some it's just too hard and so they give up. In addition, cost and space can limit an individual's access to equipment at home; and gyms and sports centres can be seen as intimidating.    This project is to innovate an existing fitness product to target physically inactive people, particularly those who are elderly and those with onset of disease; patients in rehabilitation; and those with restricted mobility. This new devise 'Health Switch' will help users gradually improve their upper-body fitness and bone strength without risk of injury, whilst motivating them through an app so that they can monitor their improvement.    Tough Life Products Ltd aim to make a smart exercise device based on the existing 'Switch Fitness' design; and also develop an appropriate app to interpret data into useable performance indicators to motivate users. https://www.switchfitnessuk.com/home/    'Health Switch' will be able to be use in a seated position, such as a wheelchair; it will work on the principle of isometric, 'time under tension' exercise; so instead of using weights or resistance bands the user will work against their own strength, the more tension they put in, the stronger they get; making it effective and challenging throughout their health improvement, irrespective of gender, age or fitness.
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