Iron Sporting Goods, Fitness and Recreation Equipment Design · 2025
Above Smart Treadmill
by Soyoung An
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Sporting Goods, Fitness and Recreation Equipment Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Above
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 21,021
- Verification code A7031C0918 · Verify this award
About Above Smart Treadmill
Above is a smart treadmill designed for home fitness. Above combines a smart mirror with an artificial intelligence coach that adapts to different walking patterns and body shapes. Cameras and sensors measure body size, gait, weight, heart rate and body mass index. The coach uses the collected data to analyze gait and to suggest personal exercise programs. Foot-shaped lights on the track guide stride and speed. A side arm and a sliding toolbox support strength training with posture feedback in real time. Virtual routes and shared maps allow social workouts.
Above Smart Treadmill by Soyoung An represents a thoughtful contribution to the evolving discourse surrounding wellness technology and its integration within contemporary domestic environments, a design that appears to reconcile the often competing demands of functional performance, technological sophistication, and aesthetic refinement within residential contexts where exercise equipment has historically presented challenges of visual integration and spatial economy. The composition demonstrates careful attention to proportion and material expression, achieving a presence that suggests both capability and restraint through its tripartite formal organization of horizontal deck, vertical tower, and ergonomic handrail structure unified by consistent material vocabulary and edge treatment that favors approachability over aggressive mechanical expression. The chromatic strategy of compressed neutral range punctuated by minimal accent color suggests awareness of how fitness equipment must coexist within varied interior palettes while maintaining distinct identity, the warm grays and taupes providing gentle grounding while the cool whites and ivories suggest cleanliness and technological precision without clinical sterility. Particularly accomplished passages include the integration of the circular interface displaying concentric rings in subtle yellow-green and blue-green that provide both functional feedback mechanism and formal counterpoint to the predominantly orthogonal and rectilinear geometries, and the continuous tubular handrail loops that describe graceful elliptical paths through space while maintaining ergonomic accessibility and structural integrity. The compositional relationship between the equipment and its environmental context merits consideration, as the work appears to explore how objects designed for physical exertion might participate in broader spatial narratives of contemplation and wellness, evidenced through the juxtaposition of the precise manufactured forms against the organic presence of potted greenery and the ethereal forest imagery suggesting conceptual connection between indoor exercise and outdoor natural experience. The design seems to engage with traditions of Scandinavian modernism visible in its material honesty, restrained ornamentation, emphasis on human scale and proportion, and integration of technology within unobtrusive refined forms, while also participating in contemporary discourse around biophilic design principles that seek to introduce natural elements and references within built environments. One observes technical facility in the resolution of complex ergonomic requirements within simplified formal volumes, the tower housing what one assumes to be motor, electronics, and structural elements within a monolithic expression that maintains visual quietude while the handrail structure provides necessary support and stability through elegant tubular geometry rather than intrusive mechanical bracing. The work invites contemplation of how objects associated with health, discipline, and physical improvement might themselves embody values of balance, accessibility, and integration rather than domination or conspicuous display within the spaces we inhabit, and how industrial design increasingly addresses not merely isolated product function but participation within holistic lifestyle narratives and experiential environments that support human flourishing.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The treadmill integrates a smart mirror and AI coach, catering to diverse walking patterns and body shapes. It employs cameras and sensors to assess body size, gait, weight, heart rate, and BMI. The AI coach utilizes this data to conduct gait analyses and suggest personalized exercise programs. Users can design virtual running routes, accrue credits, and participate in social workouts. Additionally, it supports strength exercises with arm and toolbox aids, providing real-time posture feedback. The accompanying app offers challenges, tips, and community engagement features.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The ABOVE system measures 1965mm x 824mm x 2070mm. The left side of the smart mirror features AI cameras and sensors that analyze motion, temperature, and facial expressions. The side arm aids in strength training. An automatic sliding toolbox on the left houses strength training parts, weight balls, bands, and a foot arch massaging roller. The curl band handles have pressure sensors for posture correction. Motion capture and AI cameras below the mirror analyze walking patterns. The handle includes an AI coach call button for interactive guidance.
- Tags
- Smart Treadmill, Smart Mirror, AI Coach, Walking Pattern, Personalization, Workout, Socialization, AI
- Production Technology
- The ABOVE system is divided into three parts. The first includes a smart mirror and a workout toolbox. Cameras and sensors on the left detect expressions, emergencies, exercise satisfaction, body temperature, and posture. The second part is the smart track, which measures weight and uses pressure sensors to analyze gait. Foot-shaped lights guide the user to the correct stride and speed. AI analyzes this data along with motion capture from sensors and cameras. The third part is a handle with buttons for easy control, managed through AI coach conversations.
- Design Challenge
- In the initial ideation phase, I considered more futuristic designs, such as a transparent front display for an immersive exercise experience. We also envisioned expandable sides for additional tools and a bench for a resting area. However, these focused more on aesthetics rather than solving current issues. Therefore, I prioritized understanding user pain points in walking and running experiences on treadmills. The proposed design remains conceptual, and while it accounts for current technological feasibility, production viability is uncertain. I anticipate discussions on cost and pricing in the production phase, despite the prototype's potential significance.
- Project Duration
- This project started in March 2024 and finished in June 2024 in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- Operation Flow
- Before using the ABOVE system, the AI coach gathers the user's biometric data. Users follow the guide on a smart mirror, standing on a sensor-lit track to measure weight, height, and BMI. The system then conducts a walking analysis to diagnose and correct gait issues, offering training for proper walking and personalized cardio and strength exercise plans for weight management. Users can discuss and customize their workout plans with the AI coach. Additionally, users can engage in virtual walking/running on a community-generated map, share exercise tips, and receive real-time feedback from the AI coach for strength exercises using the Arm and workout box.
- Research
- This project involved desk research, academic papers, and a market review. People have unique body shapes and distinctive gaits due to lifestyle, habits, and genetic or acquired factors. Gait characteristics are critical biometric data, even used in identifying criminals. However, not everyone walks or runs with correct posture. Modern lifestyles often lead to spinal deformities, inward-turning feet, and forward head posture. Incorrect posture during exercise perpetuates physical imbalances, affects foot shape, and hinders muscle development and weight loss. While gait analysis is typically used in rehabilitation at hospitals, there is a growing need for easy home-based exercise solutions to maintain proper gait and body balance.
- Inspiration
- During a brief break from the gym workout, observations were made of treadmill users engaging in walking or running. Notably, each individual exhibited distinct movement patterns and varied body shapes. Some displayed improper posture or unusual gait possibly due to physical imbalances, which remained consistent throughout their exercise sessions. Research reveals that persistent exercise with such imbalances can worsen physical asymmetry over time.
- Image Credits
- #1 : Product designer Soyoung An, 2024
#2 : Product designer Soyoung An, 2024
#3 : Product designer Soyoung An, 2024
#4 : Product designer Soyoung An, 2024
#5 : Product designer Soyoung An, 2024
Video Credits : Product designer Soyoung An, 2024
Colors of Above Smart Treadmill
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