Bummed that your favorite jogging partner just moved to another city? With Jogging over a Distance, a new mobile wearable system that allows joggers to socialize & motivate each other through the use of spatially distributed audio, you can connect with your jogging partner anytime and anywhere.

How the System Works:
In the first prototype while each partner jogs, their pace is recorded and the data is used to spatially position the audio of the conversation in a 2D sound environment. What this means is that when you chat with your partner, you are aware whether the other person is going faster, slower or running at the same pace — or in front, behind or next to you respectively.

In the current prototype, the audio is spatially positioned in response to your heart rate (exertion intensity). If your heart rate is faster, your partner's voice sounds like it is coming from behind you; if slower, your partner's voice appears to come from in front. Heart rate data is collected wireless from a chest belt.

In both prototypes, joggers can chat, motivate each other to keep pace, or simply listen to the environment noises of the other location.

What I like about this project is that it takes the Nike+ system one step further by virtually linking two joggers over a geographically distance locations. Nike+ system uses a change in music to motivate you or to alter your pace—but nothing can motivate you more than an actual jogging partner.

The current system as it is designed, in my opinion, is not very wearable. I would like to see the entire system integrated nice into a wearable headpiece (or headphones) that can easily be plugged into a shirt that houses the rest of the electronics.

Below is a sketch of the first prototype system consisting of a miniature computer, a Bluetooth GPS device, a wireless modem, a mobile phone & a headset. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a sketch of the second prototype.

Project is developed by Floyd Mueller.

The following is a nice overview of how the system works.