PREMIUM LED CONSOLE

THE GLOW OF NEW POSSIBILITIES

Sometimes, opportunities to innovate appear in unexpected places. That’s how it happened with our Premium LED Console. When an update to our collection of cardio equipment gave us a chance to explore all an LED console could — and should — be, we grabbed ahold of the possibility.

How could we create a more engaging display with little more than bright dots and a few buttons?

INVESTIGATING THE LED PARADOX

We quickly discovered that LED technology in the fitness industry had stagnated for more than 10 years. Around that time, touchscreen interfaces came into our lives via smartphones and tablets, and soon after, touchscreen consoles entered fitness spaces. Yet over 50% of the consoles purchased by fitness facilities were still LED consoles because they were affordable, they were easy to use, and they provided clear feedback. In short, they just worked. However, we thought they could work even better.

A New World of Light & Color

Our research and development department exceeded all expectations with an incredible 8,000-pixel design. More importantly, they discovered that in the last 10 years, multicolor LEDs had advanced significantly, shining brighter and lasting longer. This allowed them to add a colorful new dimension to our console that conveys information intuitively and draws the eye like nothing else. Additionally, the level of detail on the display meant we could enhance the look and feel of our exclusive Sprint 8 HIIT program.

Control at Their Fingertips

After getting real user feedback on the different versions of our new interface, we were able to simplify the design considerably. Dials, which had been tried before in fitness environments and failed, were quickly eliminated from the design. A simple, ATM-style button configuration came out on top. This intuitive design was universally recognized by facility owners and end users alike, and the proximity of the buttons mirrored familiar touchscreen interfaces.

While we refined the hardware through our cross-cultural development process, we were also busy crafting a user interface for a fitness-specific experience. The big concerns were self-evident — how could we best use the space on the 8,000 pixel display? What kind and size of font worked best? What kind of colors and graphics could we use? Little by little, we edged our way toward an interface that combined the engagement of a touchscreen with the simplicity of an LED console.

A NEW KIND OF LED CONSOLE

Our Premium LED Console gives fitness enthusiasts the streamlined experience of a traditional LED with a colorful, pixel-rich design that clearly displays everything they want to know about their workout. It works with all of our new cardio series, connects to Apple Watch and wireless heart rate tracking devices and works with select products from the Matrix Connected Solutions portfolio. In the end, our Premium LED Console isn’t just proof of what an LED console can be, but a testament to what imagination can do.

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