This document is a white paper written a few years ago on where wearable technology would need to move to in order to provide high levels of value to athletes and general consumers alike. The world of wearables is a challenging area and there is a need for standards in communications, sensor interoperability, and an approach to analytics and insights that is framed as collaborative intelligence (man and machine) vs dumb tool, smart person (man vs machine) as we operate today. The document states "Confidential" in the lower right corner on several pages, but is not confidential information. This is open information used to spread ideas and hopefully progress.

1. CONFIDENTIAL
PROJECT:
VALHALLA
Design Considerations for
Wearable Technology
in Human Performance

2. CONFIDENTIAL
Introduction
Red
Bull
High
Performance
is
deeply
passionate
about
making
people
beDer.
Over
600
elite
athletes
are
part
of
the
Red
Bull
family.
All
are
top
5
in
the
world
in
what
they
do.
As
we
conKnue
our
journey
of
human
exploraKon
with
these
elite
athletes,
we
look
to
technology
as
a
tool
for
addiKonal
insight.
In
March
2013,
Red
Bull
High
Performance
kicked
off
Project:
Valhalla.
The
vision
of
this
project
is
a
robust,
flexible,
and
modular
system
of
high
quality
data
capture
and
analysis
enabling
further
understanding
of
human
potenKal.
To
accomplish
this
vision,
we
seek
to
collaborate
with
extraordinary
groups
of
individuals
doing
extraordinary
things
in
the
sensing
and
wearables
fields,
as
well
as
analysis
automaKon.

3. CONFIDENTIAL
WEARABLES
TODAY
-­‐
DIVERSIFIED
The Problem
The
world
of
“wearables”
has
become
very
segmented,
applicaKon
specific,
and
in
some
cases
highly
saturated.
Our
team
believes
that
most
current
“soluKons”
are
scaDered
and
inefficient.

4. CONFIDENTIAL
This
problem
will
only
get
worse…

5. CONFIDENTIAL
Example of Multi-Device Overload
Cadence,
Bike
Power,
Posture,
Aerodynamics
Heart
rate
(HR)
RespiraKon
Rate
VenKlaKon
(VE)
Volume
of
Oxygen
ConsumpKon
(VO2)
–
Metabolic
Cart
(Met
Cart)
Gives
insight
into
Fuel
Source
Cycling
efficiency/economy
Lactate/Glucose
EEG
-­‐
portable
headset
EKG
-­‐
Physioflow
EMG
pants
Heart
rate
strap
-­‐
Sunnto
TMS
TDCS
Glucose
monitoring
-­‐
Dexcom
Metabolic
Cart
-­‐
Parvomedics
Blood
chemistries
-­‐
iSTAT
Force
pedals
-­‐
Garmin
Vector
Head
NIRS
-­‐
Coviden
Somanotec
PNS
Muscle
NIRS
–
Moxy
This
list
shows
the
amount
of
different
devices
and
sensors
being
placed
on
athletes
for
one
training
camp.
It
is
meant
only
to
showcase
the
vast
amount
of
equipment
ofen
needed
to
gain
insight
into
performance.
This
parKcular
camp
is
light
on
dynamics/moKon/etc
and
many
of
these
can
not
be
combined
into
one
unit
nor
can
they
be
made
small.
They
can,
however,
have
beDer
syncing
funcKonality.

6. CONFIDENTIAL
The SYSTEM Solution
Through
feedback
from
athletes,
coaches,
and
sport
scienKsts
-­‐
Red
Bull
High
Performance
has
outlined
what
we
believe
to
be
an
efficient
system.
Modular
Mounting
Sensors Applications
USE
With
thousands
of
applicaKons
and
use
cases
for
wearables
and
sensing
-­‐
soluKons
that
take
a
unified
approach
of
high
quality
data
capture
within
a
“SYSTEM”
soluKon
will
be
in
a
beDer
posiKon
for
long
term
growth
and
sustainability.
A
SYSTEM
(or
plagorm)
approach
to
the
soluKon
would
include
a
variety
of
swappable
sensors,
on
a
modular
mounKng
plagorm,
enabling
high
quality
data
capture
across
mulKple
applicaKons.
Look
at
GoPro
and
their
success.
Why?
It’s
a
system
for
use
in
mulKple
applicaKons
supported
by
a
modular
plagorm.
Modular,
Flexible,
Scalable

7. CONFIDENTIAL
Data
Timing
• Real
Time
• Post
Processed
Test
Environments
• Air
• Land
• Water/Underwater
Test
SituaFons
• Dynamic
• Controlled
Insights
• Full
Body
• Localized
• Equipment
Application Categories
Data
Types
• MoFon
Tracking
• Telemetry
• Biometrics
• Physiology

8. CONFIDENTIAL
Mounting - Body
Mounts
• Straps
• Clips
• Bands
• Adhesives
• DIY
• Etc…

9. CONFIDENTIAL
Mounting - Equipment
There
is
an
important
interacKon
between
and
athlete
and
their
equipment.
The
greater
the
ability
to
gather
and
correlate
data
the
greater
the
insight.

10. CONFIDENTIAL
Sensors
Sensor
Performance
High
quality
data
is
the
most
important
to
Red
Bull.
Insight
into
elite
athletes
requires
high
confidence
intervals.
Having
quality
data
will
enable
adopKon
of
tech
by
professionals
and
general
consumers
alike.
Mesh
and
Syncing
The
ability
to
Ke
mulKple
sensors
(even
if
measuring
different
things)
into
the
same
network
is
desired.
Stand
alone
and
networked
use
enables
the
most
flexibility.
Being
able
to
send
a
BLE
ping
or
TTL
pulse
or
other
for
mulK
sensor
synchronizaKon
enables
quality
correlaKve
analysis
and
insights.
Being
able
to
emit
a
syncing
ping
from
the
sensor
to
a
camera
device
(even
if
wireless)
would
allow
syncing
video
to
sensor
moKon.
Data
Logging
Data
logging
should
happen
locally
and
streaming.
If
data
logging
happens
locally
when
mulKple
sensors
are
used,
ensuring
they
are
all
started
at
the
same
Kme
or
synced,
including
a
method
of
knowing
what
sensor
was
where
is
valuable.
Smart
Algorithms
We
realize
that
dynamics
sensors
(accelerometers,
gyros,
etc)
need
algorithms
for
certain
paDerns
to
provide
meaningful
output.
Enabling
the
average/advanced
user
to
visually
bound
the
paDerns
in
the
data
would
enable
crowd
sourced
creaKon
of
libraries
of
analyzed
data
giving
intelligence
to
the
sensor
data
that
gets
beDer
over
Kme.

11. CONFIDENTIAL
-­‐5000
0
5000
10000
15000
1
77
153
229
305
381
457
533
609
685
761
837
913
989
1065
1141
1217
1293
1369
1445
1521
1597
accelerometer
x
(mg)
accelerometer
y
(mg)
accelerometer
z
(mg)
TransiKon
Air
Flexible, Scalable, Modular
-> Smart Algorithms?
Allow
“advanced”
users
to
visually
create
algorithms
by
noKng
what
the
data
means.
This
user
data
could
be
sent
to
a
cloud
server,
allowing
collecKve
intelligence
to
build
out
an
algorithm
library
Ked
to
the
sensor
type
and
acKvity.
This
could
also
be
done
automaKcally
if
sensors
are
used
for
specific
acKviKes.
Sensors
send
data
back
home
–
machine
learning
enables
advancement
–
moKon
databases
can
be
created
and
curated,
possibly
moneKzed.

12. CONFIDENTIAL
-­‐5000
0
5000
10000
15000
1
77
153
229
305
381
457
533
609
685
761
837
913
989
1065
1141
1217
1293
1369
1445
1521
1597
accelerometer
x
(mg)
accelerometer
y
(mg)
accelerometer
z
(mg)
TransiKon
Air
In
this
example
–
if
the
athlete
(Coco)
or
coach
could
review
the
data
later
or
real
Kme
and
idenKfy
the
paDern
that
showed
how
many
Kmes
the
athlete
went
up
the
wall
then
this
could
easily
support
a
feedback
counter
that
incremented
each
Kme
the
paDern
was
seen.
As
a
second
step,
a
more
advanced
user
or
coach
could
idenKfy
the
height
so
the
app
would
read
out
force,
and
so
on.
Pupng
the
power
of
creaKon
in
user
hands…
then
scale
or
automate
the
process
to
the
crowd.
Smart Algorithms

13. CONFIDENTIAL
Device Examples
iFIT
–
good
idea
for
wrist
and
for
clip
device,
but
fails
making
two
devices
vs
one
sensor
setup
that
could
fit
into
each
mount.
AddiKonally
this
is
too
applicaKon
specific.

14. CONFIDENTIAL
Sony
has
a
rubberized
band
with
removable
sensor.
It’s
sKll
applicaKon
specific.
Modular
and
upgradable,
but
not
flexible
and
scalable.
Device Examples

15. CONFIDENTIAL
Misfit
–
really
interesKng
design,
many
mounKng
opKons,
but
not
as
much
usability
as
one
would
desire.
Device Examples

16. CONFIDENTIAL
Jaybird
Reign
–
first
modular
design
we
have
seen
to
incorporate
a
removable
sensor
that
has
an
opKcal
sensor
in
it
as
well
for
heart
rate
and
blood
oxygenaKon
measurements.
Device Examples

17. CONFIDENTIAL
Being
able
to
take
a
sensor
from
a
watch
mount
and
aDach
it
to
equipment
is
desired.
Device Examples

18. CONFIDENTIAL
Trace
–
only
surf,
skate,
snow.
Too
social.
Modular,
but
not
flexible
and
scalable.
Device Examples

19. CONFIDENTIAL
The
Google/Motorola
PROJECT
ARA
is
a
brilliant
example
of
scalable,
modular,
flexible.
Device Examples

20. CONFIDENTIAL
Athlete
Equipment
Environment
Application Examples

21. CONFIDENTIAL
Application Examples
This
list
shows
some
of
the
places
we
want
to
have
beOer
sensing
capabiliFes.
Gym
TesFng
Endurance
Surfing
Snow
(Skiing,
Snowboarding)
Moto
BC
One
Air
Awareness
BMX
MTB
Wingsuits
Skate
eSports
Cliff
Diving

22. CONFIDENTIAL
Media Implications
Sensors
that
can
communicate
real
Kme
over
standard
protocol
will
be
valuable
in
media
applicaKons
such
as
overlays.
Sensors
may
not
need
the
ability
to
do
this
locally,
but
if
they
are
able
to
communicate
to
a
local
ground
staKon,
or
plug
into
a
transmiDer,
this
would
enable
real
Kme
overlays
for
acKon
sports,
live
events,
concerts,
and
more.
Do
standards
need
to
be
set?
Who
will
do
this?

23. CONFIDENTIAL
The Future
We
realize
that
this
type
of
system
will
take
years
to
build
out
and
perfect.
Our
vision
is
that
someone,
from
the
start,
builds
a
good
scalable,
modular,
and
flexible
foundaKon
to
build
out
a
world
class
sensing
company
that
not
only
caters
to
the
professionals
and
researchers,
but
can
also
cater
to
the
general
consumer.
The
beauty
of
a
modular
system
is
that
it
enables
higher
quality
sensors
(higher
cost)
to
be
installed
for
professionals
and
lower
quality
sensor
(lower
cost)
to
be
installed
for
general
consumers.
To
think
even
further
ahead,
the
gym
of
the
future
will
allow
our
athletes
to
scan/enter
biometrics
with
automated
ability
to
get
user
informaKon
then
add
to
that
profile.
Athletes
put
on
the
appropriate
sensor
(heart
rate
monitor,
IMU,
etc).
The
sensor
will
dump
data
to
the
local
database
automaKcally
and
update
personal
informaKon
to
a
profile
that
feeds
into
a
visualizer.
Algorithms
adapt
to
body
type.
Algorithms
learn
and
adapt
to
mechanics
and
physics
of
people
through
predicKve
modeling
and
collecKve
intelligence.
This
also
enables
coaches
to
track
athlete
progress
from
afar
or
share
with
training
partners,
etc.
In
the
future,
small
smart
sensing
devices
will
monitor
mulKple
things
without
the
need
for
many
applicaKon
specific
devices,
bulky
units,
wires
and
more.