SR Reveal: NIKE+ FuelBand

Nike have been teasing us for several weeks with their #MakeItCount Twitter campaign and earlier today, they have finally removed the lid on their latest (and possibly greatest?) revolutionary sports product. Meet the NIKE+ FuelBand.

Unveiled in New York by Nike President and CEO Mark Parker, this creation from Nike bridges the divide between the physical and virtual world. Designed to wear around your wrist, the FuelBand tracks and measures every movement you make throughout the day – motivating you to accomplish fitness goals.

The FuelBand utilizes four separate metrics (Calories, Steps, Time and NikeFuel) to measure your fitness levels and rate of progress each and every day. How exactly is this measured? Well, Nike have incorporated a three-axis accelerometer to track your movements and your progress is then displayed via a LED dot matrix display on the front of the band. The LED dot display is comprised of 20 LED lights which start with a red LED and eventually progress to green as you near the completion of your goal.

The main incentive with this product is the unique NikeFuel system – one of the metrics – which is a reward system of sorts. Essentially: the more active you are, the more NikeFuel you garner. That is the simplest way of putting it, but in its marketing context, it is a normalized score system designed to award equal points for the same activity for every person. So regardless of what activity you do, you can still yield the same amount of points as someone exerting the same effort as you in a completely different activity.

Now, this is where this NikeFuel system is really commended and praised. Nike have created the FuelBand to measure your oxygen intake/output and convert it into a recognizable ‘currency’ of sorts – which is their innovative NikeFuel metric. Smart, right? This alone separates the FuelBand from adidas’ MiCoach.

So when you awake from your slumber, you simply set a goal of how active you desire to be and how much NikeFuel you wish to achieve. This can be done via the Nike+ website, through a uniquely designed built-in USB within the wristband or wirelessly (the easiest option, right?) via Bluetooth to the free iPhone app. Then it’s just a case of doing something active to light up the LED dots and once all 20 are lit, it will inform you that you have achieved your goal for that day. You can also view and record your progress via any of the above mediums.

Nike’s CEO, Mark Palmer, had the following to say on the FuelBand:

“Nike has always been about inspiring athletes, and the NIKE+ FuelBand will help motivate them in a simple, fun and intuitive way.”

We for one are applauding Nike on this revolutionary product. To tell the truth, we’re finding it had to contain our excitement. Imagine the competitiveness between your friends as you compare your NikeFuel counts; picture the motivation a single wristband possesses and more so, look at how snazzy it looks! Boy, would we love to get our hands on this.

To sum this up, the FuelBand - which looks like something you would expect to see in ‘Back to the Future’ – uses four different measurements to track your progress as you aim to achieve your goal for the day; established in the intuitive NikeFuel metric which acts as an award system. Your progress is displayed via the LED matrix display on the front of the user-friendly wristband. This is testament to Nike’s mantra that everyone can be an athlete and with motivation being the key idea and driving force behind this, expect it to fly off the shelves! Did we also mention that it doubles up as a watch?

There you have it: the NIKE+ FuelBand from Nike. Expect every Nike athlete to sport this wicked creation over the coming weeks and keep in mind that Nike have it geared up for its public release on February 22nd at the cost of $149. What do you think of this latest innovative product from the American powerhouse?