Date of Award

6-2024

Degree Name

MS in Electrical Engineering

Department/Program

Electrical Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Vladimir Prodanov

Advisor Department

Electrical Engineering

Advisor College

College of Engineering

Abstract

Cardiovascular workouts offer numerous health benefits, yet beginners often find it challenging to initiate them. Existing wearable technologies, although providing valuable feedback such as heart rate zones, often disrupt the workout flow and distract users due to the need for interaction with the wearable display. In response, we propose an alternative feedback mechanism: cadence, measured in steps per minute. This feedback mechanism uses multiplicative control to produce the correct cadence for the user’s target heart rate (HR). To model the HR and cadence relationship, a first-order system was used. The prototype implementation of this system was completed in Arduino, using a force sensitive resistor (FSR) to measure the user’s cadence and a POLAR HR strap to measure the user’s HR. The cadence is updated every 10 seconds to allow the user to sync to the cadence metronome provided by earbuds. This proposed system has shown promising experimental results for both moderate-intensity and high-intensity workouts, skipping the transition zone between them. This allows the user to avoid awkward workout intensities between a fast walk and a jog.

Available for download on Wednesday, June 04, 2025

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