Living in the suburbs of Chicago, I have a lot of commuting men and women in my life. Many of them have early departures and return home late in the evenings. Many have also reported that they were negatively affected -at the workplace and at home - by their commutes.
ANNABEL HUBER
Industrial Designer + Ceramicist
RING FIT ADVENTURE
Reverse Engineering | Good, Better, Best - Spring 2021
Ring-Fit Adventure is a popular and approachable Nintendo Switch fitness game that became widely sought after during Covid-19. The excercise game provided a fun and approachable way for people to be active while staying indoors.
However, the Ring-Fit only targets a few specific muscle groups and is limited by its form, meaning it can only be used in particular ways. The live feedback and coaching is also quite rudimentary, which can hinder the user's fitness journey and even cause injury if a major form issue is not corrected.
How can I maintain the same approachability of the Ring-Fit while creating a more rounded and wholistic fitness tool that encourages growth and proper form?
Initial Ideation
I aimed to stay within the Nintendo Switch / Ring-Fit aesthetic and brand language. I also wanted to keep the product approachable and digestable for users. By adding a balance board - reminiscent of the Wii Balance board - I introduced more opportunity for more intense strength training and the ability to provide more statistics and feedback to the user.
The Good, The Better, And the Best
Incremental changes between each tier adds value, adds cost, and tech.
The hope was that with each version, the gamer-cise experience would become more and more well-rounded and thorough.
GOOD
A simple addition of a series of resistance bands increases the Ring Fit Package to include some more specific strength training possibilities that the original Ring would not have targeted.
A continuation of the brand CMF onto the added ring grips gives a bit more of a pop of personality.
BEST
The Ring Fit "Best" configuration includes resistance bands that are multi-use and allow for more dynamic movements. This allows strength training in more target and specialized areas, while still being immersed in the game. The Fit Board, similar to the Wii Fit configuration, allows a stable standing board for users to centralize themselves. This board has the ability to give live feedback on form and stature, which can prevent injury. It also can record data and track improvement in order to give live tips and progress updates.
Research Walk-Through