Prototype (video)

At the beginning…

FIRST we placed fake energy generators in the gym machines, and told the users that they were generating energy while they workout.

SECOND we gave them a fake bracelet (Usb bracelet), and told them it was a device that tracked the energy produced by connecting through Bluetooth with the energy generation on the machine


At the end….


  
In the result wireframe, we show them:

Their position in the daily record list: this was the competition factor we added, it end up leading users to workout harder to reach better positions on the daily record list.

Their energy produced: We showed the user in terms of devices charged the energy they generated during their workout. This proved to be an effective way of showing the user some tangible and reasonable results.

Donate your energy: A feature where users where able to choose within three projects and donate their energy to it. All of the project where to build renewable energy systems for lees developed communities. 1, Solar panels for a local village, 2. Wind turbines for a windy village and 3.Hydraulic dam in a rural lake village.
  
Planet Rank: According to how much energy was produced, the user was recognized with a bracelet of a different color and with a discount in a local cafeteria. This simulated the gamification experience we envision the idea to have. 

INSIGHTS Prototype

We were gladly surprise by how the users interacted with the prototype. Some of the reactions we found interesting were:
 
The concept of energy units, is ambiguous to most. 
People didn’t understand what producing 1 Watt means, so it is necessary to express this numbers with a different approach.
On the prototype we express the energy produced by the device they were able to charge. This seemed to be a great way to help the user comprehend how much energy was generated.
 
The user wants to have the option of being discrete
Some of the users felt uncomfortable with the idea of wearing a glowing bracelet to show their performance. They commented that they would like the option of keeping it to their self’s.


Donating and contributing to society is the strongest motivator.
Users declare that the fact that they were able to “donate their energy” to a social project, was encouraging and gave them a deeper sense of purpose to their training.
“…Because is not doing exercise just for fun, but for an important cause. That’s what got me motivated.”
“…the meaning of training isn´t just for my health, but also helping another cuase.”

Users want to share their performance.
A girl that reached the Planet Hero Rank (highest) wanted to share her performance with their friends and took a picture of her achievement in order to share it.
 
The ranks incentivized user to push over their normal limit.  
One of the users that reached the Planet Savior Rank (before Hero), choose to workout longer than what she normally does in order to reach the next rank.

What´s next?

What we see next is doing a funky prototype and start the convergence stage of Design Thinking, to do so we have been overviewing our insights and the needs that we have identified during this period to define our PoV (point of view), and guide the rest of the process.

The PoV that we have identified is:
Communities NEED a tool that allows them contribute to the future without any exaggerated effort, or change on their habits BECAUSE they are conscious of the issues that will emerge if everyone continue with their same habits.

As for the funky prototype we were thinking of bringing this technology to a different scenario, where people are not doing exercise such as an office of a subway station. What we have picture is designing a space where any one can participate without changing their habits. We are inspired in the marketing experience of Contex:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEH4Yum4nN4

And making the contribution tangible. Like a display that shows the user of the machine a life image of the person using the energy on a least developed area. For example, someone using the bike would see in a tv how a kid is reading in a school a book with the energy being produced.
 
With this we intend to give the people a tool to contribute the future without changing their habits or doing an exaggerated effort.

We are inspired in this digital marketing project of Idinteractive:

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

POWER system:

Is not only doing exercise, is any activity: 

In hour System, we have included most of the activities done by a person during their lifespan, from kids to adults. In order to build a consciousness and awareness about energy.
 .

POWERgym: a gym with all the kinetic energy technology that allows the user to produce energy.
POWERpark: A park with outdoor exercising machines to allow people who train in the park to produce energy as well.
POWERday: this would be events organized to create energy together, such as a triathlon of athletes using the POWER kit on their shoes and bikes.  

 A playground that will allow kids to interact with the concept of renewable energies by allowing them to create electricity though play

 

Regarding the Technology facts:

We contacted TGO (The great outdoor), a company that has develop the idea of producing energy with gym machines.  With their help and our team member Electronic Engineer, we calculated an approximately how much energy is produce in each KG lifted 1 meter in one second:

              1Kg*m/s = 9.97 Watts

We would continue with this calculations to know if this could cover for the energy use in a gym or in a park. This information is important for the model of the idea. If anyone knows a more precise number please share it with us. Thanks!

How can it be profitable?

This would lower the coast of electricity and increase the incomes as the extra energy is sell to the local power company. Similar to the model use on now a days for Vehicle to grid (V2G) model. 

 

User Experience map for POWERgym. (powerlift)

PLANET RANK instead of FREE membership.