Proprietary Pedometer Function
In late 2011 Bluehouse Group (BHG) approached Empower to become their mobile app development specialist, and take one of their existing clients, Vermont Education Health Initiative (VEHI), mobile. BHG had already designed and developed VEHI’s web product tomypath.com and now it was time to create an app.
Working closely with artists from BHG and management at VEHI, Empower embarked on a process to convert detailed user interface concepts into tangible, touchable elements within an Apple iOS app that helped their users collect their daily exercise progress through the app.
Before Apple introduced a mobile device with the ability to count steps through a motion chip, Empower used the built-in gyroscope and accelerometer of Apple devices to develop their own step-counting algorithm. Through calculus and some in-depth study of the data collected, we were able to develop a reliable algorithm that could be used on both the iPhone and iPad. Even today, the counts produced by the algorithm we designed are still comparable to what Apple devices provide.
Data Analysis
Weight Capture
One of the more intricate user interface elements designed was a scale to capture a user’s weight. The scale endlessly scrolls left or right, mapping pixels to actual pounds updating the numerical value as it scrolls. If the red ticker stops on somewhere other than on a vertical tick, the scale centers on the closet tick to automatically.
As Apple as evolved and flattened their user interface, we’ve had to evolve the internals of the app to keep up with all OS and form factor changes while continuing to showcase its charm. There are subtle drop shadows and screen glare overlays that must continue to layout and render properly regardless of whatever iOS device it is running on. Images are chosen on the fly to ensure perfect resolution while keeping business logic clean and concise.
Geolocation Capture
The app has supported offline first since day one, so exercise progress can be collected whether or not there is an active internet connection. Also, it supports geolocation capture through Google Maps so a user’s exercise route can be collected and viewed at a later date. It also integrates with Apple Watch and syncs a user’s complete fitness log between device and the web app at tomypath.com.
PATH Companion is one of the apps that looks simple on the outside but actually has quite a lot of functionality built in.
