Exercising and fun have merged with the new health tracker: a hula hoop that track your data while the user is having fun spinning the hoop around his waist. Pitcured, Vhoop segments and bag. (Image via Vhoop)
Every day researchers are looking for ways to make life easier and more exciting. Given the hype around being and staying healthy, the best and biggest target market for a product currently would be the health-conscious people: from people who want to lose weight to those who want to keep in shape. However, some of the exercises offered in gym centers or by personal trainers are not really motivating; they make it look like the clients had to suffer or be unhappy to reach their health goals.
That must be the problem Vhoop is trying to solve. Created by Virfit, a Korean company, Vhoop is a hula hoop made smart. Like any hula hoop game, the user should make the hoop keep turning by his waist and hips movements. Sensors incorporated in the hoop help track how many turns or movements the user has accomplished, and the equivalent number of calories burnt as a result. Every data collected by the hoop is sent to the Vhoop app via Bluetooth, allowing the user to evaluate his progress and the necessary improvements. The app is available both for iOS and Android. Users of the Vhoop can have even more fun by competing with friends and family through the app. Users are even awarded trophies and other rewards as a mean to keep exercising motivating.
Vhoop features. (Image via Vhoop)
Even though Vhoop appears to be just a toy, it presents some features that make it superior to a toy. First, it is built to withstand the numerous falls that occur during any hula hoop game. The outer “skin” of the hoop is made from polypropylene, a form of plastic that resists stressing and is used for products meant to last. The inner “skin” is a rubber which probably offers support to the outer skin as well as the user. With its 3 ½ pounds, Vhoop is portable and easy to assemble. All the users have to do is to separate the disc into 8 pieces, carry them and reassemble them at the destination. Even better, the hoop is water friendly. It means that users have no excuse to not complete their daily workout. And, if a user is afraid to forget, the app offers an option to set reminders.
Some other features of the Vhoop include the possibility to add weights inside the hoop, for users who would like more challenge during their workout. For an electronic device, the Vhoop needs to be charged; and once that’s done, the device can last up to fifteen hours. Unfortunately, the Vhoop might not be for all pockets. Scheduled to be released in April of this year, the final version of the hoop will cost users $120.
Now, as with any new product, there are always early adapters, but until it is proven to help people lose weight, the Vhoop might not sell much. Especially since it tracks mostly similar data as a pedometer. But, in the world of consumerism, it only takes an endorsement from a fitness guru for the Vhoop’s sales to take off. For now, all that is left is to wait for the feedback from users who pre-orders the Vhoop.
I suspect this will open the door to many, many classic games and toys getting upgrades!
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