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ULTRA MARATHON HEADPHONES
run.
SMART.
ROLE
designer
RESPONSIBILITIES
design research, user experience design, sketching and ideation, concept refinement, CAD, prototyping
TOOLS
rhino, solidworks, keyshot, illustrator, photoshop, rapid prototyping
BRIEF
Develop headphones specifically targeted towards long distance runners. Understand the unique challenges, pain points and opportunities necessary to create a more enjoyable experience.
SCOPE
designer
(industrial, research, strategy and experience)
TIMELINE
6 months
Why design headphones for ultrarunners? to answer this we must first understand the challenges they face:
Larissa
brett
ULTRAMARATHON RACES...
range in distances from
31mi - 150mi
on average take
24hrs
cause runners to burn upwards of
10,000cal
ULTRAMARATHON RACERS...
run at an average pace of
13:16min/mi
burns energy at a rate of
100kcal/mi
absord energy at a rate of
240kcal/hr
USEFUL INSIGHTS...
No matter the experience and training all runners are susceptible to bonking.
The amount of fuel consumed by the body must be strategically replenished throughout the race.
Due to the constraints on the body for fuel intake, a runner must prepare themselves for an ultra marathon up to 48 hours prior to the race.
On average the body consumes roughly 450-600 kcals/hr of energy, but can only absorb about 240kcals/hr.
This means every hour a runner is losing 200-300 kcals of energy they cannot replenish.
WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?
-
THE BODY CANNOT PHYSICALLY MAINTAIN ENERGY LEVELS
-
THIS EMPHASIZES IMPORTANCE OF PROPER FUEL INTAKE
-
A STRICT FUELING SCHEDULE IS A NECESSITY
-
THESE ATHLETES DO MUCH OF THEIR RUNNING IN THE DARK
How do we design for these extreme conditions? Target pain points:
REMINDER to keep runners fueling properly throughout the run
COMFORTABLE solution that is pleasant to wear for long periods of time
LIGHTWEIGHT materials to reduce intrusion
HEARING your surroundings is vital to safety
HEAT loss is important to regulate body temperature and covering the ears can trap heat in
DURABLE construction that doesn't wear down over time
ready, set, design
INSPIRATION
EXPLORATION
How DID i improve the ULTRARUNNERS experience?
FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND COMFORT:
RUN
SAFE.
FEATURES
control button
usb-c
micro-perforated mesh
emissive light
directional speakers
off-ear headphones
ultralight flexible band
silicone padding
Speakers rotate individually from active (on) to standby (off) position, quickly providing the ability to listen to both, one or neither.
SPEAKER CONTROL
FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS ENHANCE VISIBILITY OF RUNNER AT NIGHT
How CAN WE PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE EXPERIENCE?
SOFTWARE INTEGRATION:
THE ULTRA-APP
REMIND TRACK LEARN
The importance of monitoring fuel intake and activity levels while running long distances can’t be stressed enough.
This application assists ultra marathon athletes to get the most out of their bodies without exceeding their limits.
By monitoring fuel intake and physical output athletes can reach peak performance.
To see the complete digital product presentation CLICK HERE
Go Run
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