Push Snowboarding

Hi all,
Some of you may already know about the Push Snowboarding project [http://pushsnowboarding.com], which uses the Nokia N8 and other sensors on your body and board to measure the speed, airtime, altitude and rush of your ride.

We recently returned from the Burton European Open in Laax where Burton team riders Tor Lundström, Kim Rune Hansen, Joachim Krogstie and Terje Haakonsen tested out the Push Snowboarding kit. It was awesome - check out the video!

Now that we’ve developed the technology, we’re asking snowboarders like you to help shape the future of the project. Our hope is that by working together we can enhance the sport in ways that matter to riders. Whether it leads to new ways of teaching snowboarding technique, or visualisations of your run, we’re after ideas and input from the people who know the sport the best - snowboarders!

The plan is to exhibit some of the best ideas at the Burton US Open in March. What would you like to see developed or created? Leave your suggestions below and we’ll share them on our blog where developers will see them and possibly make them.

Feel free to ask any questions about the project - whether you’d like more information about the sensors, the data we collected at the BEO, or how you can get involved.

Look forward to hearing your awesome ideas!

Thanks,

Abby @ Nokia Push

What’s that set up cost.
Could be a good inclusion in my headcam hire business.

Does it measure in Km/h?
What is “Rush”? It’s seems like a fabricated measurement of expected adrenaline.

An inclusion I’d like is “chatter” - how much the board is vibrating in different conditions, it would be a good way to find an individuals ideal board.

Here is the working link: http://www.pushsnowboarding.com/

I found the Rush tech.

What is ‘galvanic skin response’ measuring?

Does it have to run on a Nokia N8. If so I raise concern that it is a push to sell more Nokia phones, can’t Nokia just build a dedicated device to collect and show the data or can you use it without being on a phone plan?

I think the whole project is much better than running a GPS unit.

Sounds like a good idea but you’d be better off making a separate device for something like this. I for sure am not downgrading from an iPhone to a nokia for this and I simply can’t afford to buy a separate phone for such a small benefit… I’m sure there are many others in the same boat.

A small watch type device with this stuff for <100 would sell in the extreme sports market.

tjswish - 11 February 2011 12:19 AM

I for sure am not downgrading from an iPhone to a nokia for this

Dude! I think you may have up and down mixed up there.

Having said that, the project looks good, but it probably shouldn’t just be available to Nokia’s. A dediated device would probably make a killing, but an app for any device, smartphone or otherwise, would probably be even better. I know the GPS in the N8 is pretty awesome, but surely most smartphones have a decent enough program of their own?

Many GPS devices don’t work great in a ski resort environment. Even the expensive ones give dodgy results - I think it mostly has to do with calculating speed, since your moving vertically as well as horizontal.

I know more than 2 people last year that had their dedicated GPS units tell them they exceeded 130km/h, sure they were going fast but really? Not that fast! not in Thredbo, not when they are skiing around punters and not when they are wearing pants and a jacket.

That speed is more of GS Olympic athletes wearing race suits.

I’m hard pushed to break 80km/h on my early morning run. I have done 100km/h and it’s straight out terrifying, because you need very icy conditions.

That’s fair enough. Although, I think most smart phones have accelerometers in them, so they can use that instead of the actual GPS Module inside.

Good point though. I once had a GPS tell me I was doing 30km/h at a red traffic light. It the proceeded to tell me that the only way home was through this one particular dead end

I haven’t used one since.

spaz - 10 February 2011 08:51 PM

What’s that set up cost.
Could be a good inclusion in my headcam hire business.

Does it measure in Km/h?

Hi spaz,

Glad to hear you’re liking the project! Re: set up costs, it’s still experimental at the moment, but we’re continually developing and miniaturizing the kit. And yes, it measures speed in Km/h.

spaz - 10 February 2011 08:59 PM

Does it have to run on a Nokia N8. If so I raise concern that it is a push to sell more Nokia phones, can’t Nokia just build a dedicated device to collect and show the data or can you use it without being on a phone plan?

Currently, as Push Snowboarding is a Nokia project, it only runs on the N8. But the way it’s been built in Qt has expandability in mind.

spaz - 10 February 2011 08:51 PM

What is “Rush”? It’s seems like a fabricated measurement of expected adrenaline.

To explain a little more about “Rush”, as you found it uses GSR, or Galvanic Skin Response, which works by measuring changes in the chemicals in your skin. Check the R&D video explaining how the sensors work:

Thanks for your questions and ideas!

@Brandy @spaz

We originally tested GPS using windspeed (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yQtzCy1cR0), and after extensive testing in the mountains, Nokia’s GPS proved to be most robust for capturing speed. We’re always testing and further developing the algorithms to ensure the GPS readings are accurate as possible.

I do have faith in algorithms, the iPhone3 was terrible at measuring speed at first, now it’s accurate and consistant dependant on the program running.

Great to get a reply PushSnow