Skulpt is a hand-held training tool that helps athletes and others
committed to a healthy lifestyle better understand how to effectively train. By
utilizing 12 censors located on the back of the device, it analyzes 12 distinct
muscles that it can be applied to and tells the user how close they are to
reaching peak performance. To use this technology, owners of the device must
make an account and link that account with the Skulpt app for their Android or
iPhone.
One interesting point that was made in the article I read was that
Skulpt is different from other muscle and body fat measure devices/apps because
of its unique metrics when it comes to muscle quality analytics. It employs
cutting edge technology that measure not only percentage of body fat, but also
muscle quality and how much room there is for improvement and growth in that
given muscle. Skulpt's capability to perform these measurements all over the
body from biceps, to abs, to calves, give it a definitive edge when it comes to
establishing itself as the new way to train.
Additionally, upon purchase Skulpt comes with a charging station,
case, and bottle. The usage of the spray bottle is what I found to be
particularly interesting as it turns out the technology of the sensors on the
Skulpt need to be wet to perform. The reason I found this to be fascinating is
because the article also makes mention that because of this feature it is
possible for users to bring Skulpt into the shower with them, adding to the
convenience of measuring one's physical fitness with this revolutionary
technology.
Finally, through the app that accompanies it, one can visually see
a diagram of their body and the different areas broken down by levels of
fitness. For example, Skulpt categorizes the muscles it measures as in need of
work, average, fit, athletic, or "skulpted". Along with the
descriptions are corresponding numbers representing how in shape that muscle
is, with higher numbers indicating a better level of overall health and
performance. It also appears that the diagram that is presented through the
smartphone app incorporates various colors that also correspond with the
number and descriptive terms to help indicate where one's body currently
stands.
Although the article does make mention of a few legitimate
concerns for Skulpt, there are a few areas that I feel may have been
overlooked. These areas were how it fails to mention how Skulpt markets itself
to its desired consumer base, the way in which Skulpt goes about its production
process, and also how Skulpt genereates the numbers it uses for its advanced
muscle analytics.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkgHg39BtRk
Article: http://www.cnet.com/products/skulpt-aim/
Health and fitness is a growing field. In the past two years health and fitness related apps have more than doubled, signaling the tremendous increase in healthy and fit lifestyles. With this is mind, Skulpt's revolutionary technology has great potential. Most fitness apps only break down basic fitness elements such as calorie counters, distance trackers, and the results your body SHOULD have. What Skulpt seems to be doing is breaking down the body into 12 specific areas heavy in muscle and/or fat and letting the app user what results your body DOES have. This way Skulpt can pinpoint specific muscle areas that are in need of training and the areas that are in prime condition. This enables one to analyze their own body and improve their muscles in a more specific way . As someone who is looking to get back in shape and gain some muscle I am definitely intrigued by this app because it can let me know what muscle areas I need to work on.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michael that health and fitness apps have been an extremely fast growing industry. Since the majority of people own a smartphone these days, it is very simple for users to get workout plans, calorie counters, and food and diet advice at the snap of their fingers. It sounds like Skulpt has created an tool with optimum technology that can really analyze people's body types and muscles better than most other technology available to the typical person. I am curious to know how Skulpt is useful after analyzing the measurements of the person's muscles, does it then suggest workout plans to help increase these muscles that are not as strong? Since a lot of people are motivated when they have guidance in their training plan, I think Skulpt should then be able to give suggestions to users that will help them get the most out of their workouts for these muscles without injury or strain from doing too much. Also, I am curious about the judgments of each muscle potential and current ability. I believe that everyone has a different body type and this results in different levels of potential muscle growth for each person. Another concern I have about this product is the mention that the sensors on Skulpt have to be wet in order to perform properly. Before taking these results for exactly what they are, I would want to know if the amount of water or sweat on the sensors produces different results. Although I think there are a few things that I am hesitant about before fully buying into the effectiveness of this product, I think this tool is a great way for athletes and typical gym goers to see a breakdown of their muscles and find a way to optimize their results from their workout plans.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Michael and Dominique have to say about the want for fitness apps have dramatically increased over the years. Even with the use of social media there a people that promote fitness and looking and eating healthy. This has caused people to want to look a certain way. I too am guilty of this and feel motivated when I see these accounts. Being that we use our phones so often it makes sense that we would turn to it to look for fitness tips. I have downloaded a number of fitness apps to help me with my work out regimen and a lot of time I ended up deleting them. The apps were not always helpful and found my self board and not getting the work out I wanted. After reading this article I am very interested to learn more about it. I like the idea of how the app measures your exact body type and shows you how much work needs to be done. Now a days people tend to be more focused on living a healthy lifestyle and I feel that the app Skulpt will help those who are committed to this.
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