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Show HN: Former R&D manager for Xbox Kinect sensors, this is my new project

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Re: Show HN: Former R&D manager for Xbox Kinect sensors, this is my new project

#31

Post by mmachlin »

bialecki wrote: post #25

Quick thoughts from an active runner (70-80 miles/wk): - Figuring out when my shoes wear down is not, IMO, a big problem. I can look at the soles and tell or I know after about 500 miles it's time to switch it up. - That said, it is incredibly important to switch shoes (or replace soles) when they wear down. I've been fortunate to not run into too many injuries, but I've been hobbled more than once by not taking the…

Thanks for your feedback.

If you're running a 70+ hours a week we would consider you more then an active runner :).

As I mentioned in a different reply, this is our MVP. I invite you to follow our progress and as we move into the future version of the device you'll see much more value from our pod.

Re: Show HN: Former R&D manager for Xbox Kinect sensors, this is my new project

#32

Post by antr »

bialecki wrote: post #25

Quick thoughts from an active runner (70-80 miles/wk): - Figuring out when my shoes wear down is not, IMO, a big problem. I can look at the soles and tell or I know after about 500 miles it's time to switch it up. - That said, it is incredibly important to switch shoes (or replace soles) when they wear down. I've been fortunate to not run into too many injuries, but I've been hobbled more than once by not taking the…

amateur runner/triathlete here:

- i do agree that this is not a real problem. i do exactly as you say, i check my soles every now and then, and if i see any deterioration, the shoes go straight to the bin. i wouldn't be a user of this product, having said that;

- your idea of "email (me) every X months with a 20% of coupon for the SAME PAIR" i think is a great idea. i tend to buy 2/3 pairs of the same running shoe every time. if instead i could establish a rule that after x distance i get sent a new pair that would be another thing off my to-do list. there is definitely a subscription model here somewhere.

Re: Show HN: Former R&D manager for Xbox Kinect sensors, this is my new project

#33

Post by jewelia »

I run 20-30 miles/wk, and have a very different take on this than bialecki -- I find when to rotate my shoes really problematic. Explanation: I log every single workout and know exactly how many miles I run per week, but the issue is that I actively rotate between 2-3 pairs of shoes (one of my previous running coaches once told me that you should never run in the same pair of shoes back to back, and rotating has worked very well to help me avoid injury). In 2012, I ran around 1000 miles, but I honestly have very little idea what the distribution of the miles was between my shoes (keeping in mind that I might wear one pair for a 10 mile distance run, and another for a 3 mile track workout). Looking at the wear on the soles generally helps, but this method is crude at most.

Thus, for the runner who has one pair of shoes and logs their workouts, I agree that this device has little if no use. For someone like me, I would appreciate a solution where I could attach this to each pair and "set and forget it". A $15 or below price point is an attractive solution, especially if these devices have a long life (multi-year).

Re: Show HN: Former R&D manager for Xbox Kinect sensors, this is my new project

#35

Post by pedalpete »

bialecki wrote: post #25

Quick thoughts from an active runner (70-80 miles/wk): - Figuring out when my shoes wear down is not, IMO, a big problem. I can look at the soles and tell or I know after about 500 miles it's time to switch it up. - That said, it is incredibly important to switch shoes (or replace soles) when they wear down. I've been fortunate to not run into too many injuries, but I've been hobbled more than once by not taking the…

Though I completely agree with you, the problem these guys are trying to solve is when does the mid-sole break down, which can happen before your shoes look worn.

The bigger problem is that depending on the shoes and milage and runner, I believe the destruction of the shoe will vary.

Having said that, I too don't think there is a market here, but think your idea of a discount on my next pair of shoes is a great idea.

Re: Show HN: Former R&D manager for Xbox Kinect sensors, this is my new project

#37

Post by nanidin »

keenerd wrote: post #4
mmachlin wrote: post #2

Hi guys. This is my new startup. I'm happy to answer any questions that you may have about it.

In your calibration tests against GPS, what sort of error do you see after 500 miles of accelerometer data?

After training on three five mile data sets, I was able to get very accurate speed/distance estimates for subsequent runs (say 99%+).

The method? 1st derivative of accelerometer data to determine cadence. Then correlate cadence with actual speed with a simple linear regression when GPS data was available.

This was more intended for dead reckoning on a wrist mounted device, though. We had a 3 axis accelerometer and a 3 axis magnetometer.

Re: Show HN: Former R&D manager for Xbox Kinect sensors, this is my new project

#38

Post by nathannecro »

mmachlin wrote: post #10
nathannecro wrote: post #8

Interesting product. Observation: Am I wrong in thinking that both amateur and serious runners keep a general idea of how far they've run (just like in the video, "Hi I'm Meir and I run 80 miles a week"). If that's the case, then he'll need to replace his shoes every 5 weeks (given a 400 mile limit). Even if he's got races or marathons or friendly runs between then, he's still got about 200 miles of wiggle room. For…

Thanks for the feedback. Regarding your observations, while you are right, I don't run 80 miles a week all year long, me as others use few pairs of running shoes, gym, track, field, race, walk, etc...that makes it very hard keeping records for all. Regarding your question, the fifth death case in the US is wrong treatment, over 100K people a year. Speaking with emergency rooms and paramedics led us believe this is an…

The question become data security though. If doctors, medics, or law enforcement officers randomly plug in devices from an unknown source into their network, that's a serious breach in security. I can't imagine that that would change even if they know about your product.
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