Sparrow: A User-Aware Music Exercise System

According to recent (2008) data collected by the Centers for Disease Control in the United States, only Colorado maintained an adult obesity prevalence below 20%. Childhood obesity follows a similarly disturbing trend, and hundreds of federal and state programs have been enacted to combat this growing epidemic.

Furthermore, due to population trends, the demographic of older and aging adults is larger than ever, and they are simultaneously one of the fastest increasing groups for purchasing gym memberships. The impact of the project may be especially profound for this demographic, as rhythmic auditory stimulation has been clinically proven as a viable rehabilitation technique for the elderly and individuals with neurologic trauma.

Concisely, this project targets three areas of potentially significant impact: first, the system aims to enhance the experience of various forms of aerobic exercise for individuals who are currently physically inactive, improving their overall health and well-being; second, continue to motivate already active individuals to maintain a healthy lifestyle; finally, provide a system to assist older adults in the pursuit of sustained mobility with age.