Hi,

I'm a student and I have to design a new GPS system for runners for school. I was wondering if somebody could help me with it because I'm not a runner.
I was wondering what other functions the gps system may or should have.
Also ideas on how to use the gps system are welcome.

Thank you

Hi Janneke

Check out the websites for Garmin Forerunner or Polar to get an idea of what other stuff they offer. It does go beyond just the gps, although that's the main part.

Things that I find useful / important are -
- You can program in workouts & courses that help you do, say, a number of fast reps with some recovery time
- On mine you can race against a "training buddy" - the watch display shows a little man either behind you or ahead depending on whether you are faster than last time (although apparently he gets annoying because he keeps beating you )
- You can download your exact time & distance to your computer and see where you were fast or slow
- Stores months worth of data so you can track your progress
- You can see on a map or Google Earth exactly where you ran
- Long battery life & fast recharge time, ideally it can recharge from your computer
- Doesn't lose the signal when you're running under trees / bridges
- Finds the satellites quickly (mine can be annoying here)

Hope that helps!

Thanks a lot !!!

No problem

Many also have heart rate monitors, which a lot of people find useful. And they show you an estimate of how much uphill and downhill you ran.

Sounds good Jannekemaan! Perhaps you could give a little more info about your project? Are you at university? college? school?

How far do you have to go into the design process? i.e. do you have to state what it can do and what it will look like? or explaining how it will work etc?

I'll try give you some more advice a bit later on when I'm back at home - but I designed a running 'training system' last year for my final degree project (studying product design), though it was mainly a system focusing on injury prevention, but perhaps some of my research could be of use, if not I'm always happy to offer my opinion/knowledge.

Good luck!

Hi,

I'm a student Product development. I'm in my third year at the highschool of Antwerp.

For tis exercise we only need to think of a concept more than the the technical stuff. So at the end of this project I need to know a little bit of how should it work, how will it be used, etc... We don't need to make it production ready. :-)

right now I'm working on the concept stage of the design process.

Greets