asensei Announces (APP)ERTURE: 3D Computer Vision For Connected Coaching Form-Tracking

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- asensei, the company offering the easiest way to add form tracking and real-time coaching to sport and fitness products, has announced the addition of (APP)ERTURE to the asensei.ai software development kit (SDK). An industry first, (APP)ERTURE enables development of form-tracking, rep-counting, real-time cues and other Connected Coaching solutions that work with both computer vision and connected apparel.

Starting today, asensei is providing all SDK customers with a true 3D computer vision solution that works with smartphone cameras, or the inexpensive cameras found in Connected Fitness products. A novel patented approach to blending computer vision with anatomically correct skeleton data gives accurate 3D motion capture that includes distance of body parts from the camera based on bone lengths, not pixels.

"Quite simply, using a smartphone, or an inexpensive camera on a TV or Connected Fitness product, we can motion capture someone's practice and see around them in 3D in real-time," says asensei CEO Steven Webster. "This allows us to recognize what they're doing, how well they're doing it, and give them real-time feedback from our Connected Coaching SDK. The best part is that integration of (APP)ERTURE into your product takes hours, not the investment of months or years that form-tracking capabilities in products like Tonal, Tempo, Freeletics, Mirror and Peloton required."

asensei has a patented approach to training posture and movement, based on biomechanics, kinematics and kinesiology with a proprietary movement description language that is compatible with both smart apparel and computer vision-based motion capture.

"We can teach asensei new postures and movements in hours, not days and weeks." says Blake Whitcomb, VP of Sales and Partnerships. "Our partners can now engage us to add new techniques to our ever-growing library, or they can build upon our existing foundational movement library in modalities including strength training with bodyweight, kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, yoga, pilates, rowing, TRX and boxing."

The (APP)ERTURE SDK translates data from a camera into a proprietary format that is fully compatible with data from smart (app)arel, solving some key challenges that other computer vision solutions do not:

• Understanding the rotation of bones ("is the palm facing up or down?") which is critical to accurate recognition and coaching.
• Understanding the direction someone is facing ("did they turn to the left, or turn to the right?") which is critical to coaching movements that don't rely on "always facing the mirror in the prescribed direction" to work correctly, or coaching sequences of movements such as a yoga flow.
• Ability to quickly add knowledge of new movements and techniques to the technique library, that recognize and coach athletes of different skill levels, with skill-appropriate corrections, regressions and progressions of exercises.
• Forward compatibility with connected apparel requiring no additional development.

"With a flurry of announcements including Tempo Move, Mirror by Lululemon Smart Weights, Freeletics Staedium and Peloton Guide, we've been inundated with customers who want to know how they can keep up with this pace of innovation," says Webster. "With (APP)ERTURE and (APP)AREL and an ever-growing library of techniques and exercises across fitness modalities, we expect our customers to be the ones raising the bar for Connected Fitness."

Find out more at www.asensei.ai

Customers wishing to add form-tracking to their own products reach out to [email protected]. Camera and computer vision providers wishing to integrate with asensei Connected Coaching reach out to [email protected]

Media contact: [email protected]

About asensei

Founded in 2014, asensei is democratizing access to world class instruction by offering the easiest way to add technique coaching to any sport, fitness or physical therapy product. For apparel and equipment providers, connected fitness or brick and mortar facilities, asensei strengthens engagement, locks in loyalty and improves retention by turning solo practice into instructional learning, weaving connected coaching into clothing and showing customers measurable progress along their learning path. The asensei.ai technology platform offers everything a brand needs to bring Connected Coaching™ to their customers.

asensei: Practice. Perfected.

SOURCE asensei