Friendship Heart Rate Monitor
GIRLS ON THE RUN
From a young age our society teaches girls that their value is directly correlated to their looks. The messaging is everywhere from the Bratz dolls to the recent Disney princess makeover. It is reenforced in the media and by our social structure.
THE PROBLEM: How can I help girls connect with their bodies independently of their physical appearance?
THE SOLUTION: Use physical fitness to provide an understanding how the body works and what it is capable of.
The idea stems from my years teaching group fitness. I often taught heart rate training to adults who were new to group fitness. Their response was always better mind body awareness that directly lead to an increased admiration for their own body and it's capabilities. The problem with heart rate training is it is complicated. How could I simplify it so that it is something fun and easy for a child can understand.
The bracelet went through a few rounds of prototyping including transitioning it from an Uno to a Flora and replacing the finger sensor with a more durable heart rate sensor.
The neopixel changes color with my heart rate.