[zsiec]

Great article! The process of using hardware to count calisthenics is certainly not trivial. Thank you for sharing your data and process.

Recently my consulting firm was tasked with detecting the calisthenics exercises (push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups) involved in the Navy SEAL physical screening test. After much research, we were able to use the accelerometer and gyroscope on the iPhone in tandem to achieve this. I was surprised at the level of success we were able to attain. You inspire me to write up a bit about how we were able to make this work.

If you are interested in this app, feel free to check it out here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/sealready/id520161454

[camtarn]

Looks like a fun app, but the description makes my head hurt:

"This is a paradigm shift in fitness apps utilizing the best features in mobile technology moving one step closer to wearable computing to determine the physical conditioning level of athletes who want to test their mettle to see if they have what it takes physically to just get their foot in the door as a potential candidate to become a Navy SEAL, EOD, Diver, Special Warfare Combatant Crewmember, or AIR Rescue Swimmer? SEALReady guides you through a simulated physical screening test and lets you know how you stack up. It’s an intense mini triathlon without the bike but throws in a 500 yard swim using only a side, combat swimmer, or breast stroke, a minimum number of calisthenics, but you want more to score, and a timed GPS run."

Something like this might be clearer - it outlines what the app is actually for in the first couple of lines, and misses out all the empty buzzwords (paradigm shift? really?):

"Do you have what it takes to become a potential Navy SEAL, EOD, Diver, Special Warfare Combatant Crewmember, or AIR Rescue Swimmer? Check your physical conditioning level and test your mettle with SEALReady. SEALReady guides you through a simulated physical screening test - a 500 yard swim, calisthenics, and a timed run - and lets you know how you stack up."

A good copywriter could probably get that even snappier.

Oh, also, having your customer review be made from the same account name as your HN account doesn't make it look very convincing ;)

[aculver]

Yeah, I also work for the consulting company that developed this app and I couldn't agree more. I do feel compelled to say for our own sake that we do, in fact, advise our clients on things like App Store descriptions and app icons, but we don't always succeed. :-)

[camtarn]

Hah, yes, I'm very familiar with that problem - my first ever commercial site got all its reasonably tight copy replaced by rambling lists of features and buzzwords from my boss's "marketing guy who really knows what he's doing"... :P

[zsiec]

Thanks for the feedback. I'll forward your wording suggestion on to the customer.