BUILDING A BIGGER, BETTER, BRIGHTER CONSOLE

Although Matrix has been providing touchscreen consoles to the fitness industry for years, we thought the dawning of a new decade was the right time for a leap forward in the technology.
How could we develop an exercise-friendly experience that mirrored familiar app-based smartphone interfaces and continued to get better with free software updates?

LISTENING & LEARNING

We started by visiting our customers at fitness facilities to find out what they liked and what they didn’t like about existing touchscreen consoles.

Enhancing the Experience

Though flashy touchscreen consoles definitely grabbed the attention of members, less than 50% of the fitness industry had adopted the technology. This was largely because the experience was not always what users wanted it to be. They felt like they had to learn how to use a new interface every time they exercised, so many resorted to simply pressing go and starting a basic workout. In this sense, they were getting no more out of the experience than they would with a traditional LED console.

Solving for Stability, Sweat & Service

Existing touchscreen consoles lacked adequate stabilization and sweat proofing, causing visibility issues and moisture damage to both exterior controls and interior hardware. Additionally, service technicians found it difficult for one person to install touchscreen consoles, commenting that they needed three or four hands to get the job done. Finally, the consoles were difficult to service without removing them from the cardio equipment and disassembling them, and this led to significant downtime.

Streamlining the Aesthetic

Our customers also noted that existing touchscreen consoles did a poor job of cleanly incorporating set-top boxes, which are common in the United States for offering cable TV. Fitness facilities would often have to place their set-top boxes on the ground, adding clutter to the aisles between the equipment and marring the aesthetic of the facility with uncontained cables.

OUR INNOVATIONS

Obviously, there was ample room for improvement when it came to touchscreen consoles. With the invaluable feedback of our customers in mind, our technology team got to work.
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Designing for Bodies in Motion

We wanted our touchscreen consoles to be at the right height, distance and angle to give people of all heights an engaging exercise experience no matter how hard they worked out, so we brought in people of all sizes and put our new consoles to the test. Based on our findings, we adjusted the IR sensor and the angle of the console so the screen would come to life as soon as the user stepped on the equipment. In addition to minimizing glare, this provided a more natural and pleasing viewing angle. We even added a wireless charging pad with rubber bumpers to hold personal devices safely and securely, keeping the user’s smartphone in view and easy to access during the exercise experience.
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Refining the Interface

When it came to buttons on the console, we prioritized those used most by placing them on the side of the screen so the user can make quick changes. For consistency, we made sure the physical buttons on the frame and the touchscreen buttons operated in the same way. We also created an updated home screen inspired by design elements from popular streaming services so facilities could showcase exclusive workout programs. We even added pinned a sidebar menu, so users could always access what they needed without navigating away from the screen they were on, and a Go button so they could start a workout immediately. Finally, we made it easy to connect smartphones, wireless headphones, wireless heart rate monitors or even Apple Watch for a precise, personalized workout.

MORE THAN A TOUCH ABOVE THE REST

Now available in Touch XL (56 cm / 22") and Touch (41 cm / 16") sizes, our new consoles are a hit with the commercial fitness industry. They offer a feature-rich experience on a dazzling high-definition screen, with the stability, serviceability and flexibility needed to serve the unique needs of your people and your facility. Wherever fitness enthusiasts find our Touch Consoles, we’re proud to offer them an exercise experience that’s more than a touch above the rest.
Image of Touch Consoles