Holographic headset creates the perfect training experience for runners
September 2020
News
Runners know that getting the most from each run requires training with a partner who is slightly faster than you and pushes you to keep up. Unfortunately, in today’s world – and with longer-term social distancing requirements – finding the right partner and coordinating regular times and locations for runs can be difficult. But a couple of recent graduates from Lakeside High School in Seattle, Bill Gates’ alma mater, have used augmented reality to create an innovative solution to this problem. It’s called the Ghost Pacer.
The Ghost Pacer is a newly developed set of augmented reality glasses designed specifically for runners. With a patented optical system, it weighs just 90 grams and has the processing power to create a realistic avatar in 3D space. It works by projecting a holographic avatar that users can race against outdoors. Integration with the fitness app Strava allows users to race against avatars that replicate their friends’ paths and speeds from previous workouts, letting athletes train together virtually, even if they can’t physically run together.
“Nothing is a perfect substitute for running with another person,” says CEO AbdurRahman (AR) Bhatti, a former all-state cross-country runner himself. “But racing against a holographic avatar that you can train with anywhere at any time is the next best thing.”
AR originally came up with the idea while training solo for an upcoming cross-country season and being frustrated that he couldn’t hit his target times along his training routes. He realised that training was way more effective while running with others. Since aligning schedules with other people proved nearly impossible, he came up with the idea of the Ghost Pacer – a partner you can run with anywhere and at any time.
For the past three years Bhatti and Jensen Turner, the company’s CTO, have worked with a team of experts in technology and fitness, alongside a dedicated team of their high-school classmates to create Ghost Pacer. “This is a fitness product that implements mixed reality in order to add a competitive boost to each workout,” concludes Bhatti. “We like to think of the Ghost Pacer as being built for runners, by runners.”
www.ghostpacer.com
Further reading:
Helping mines get results from water improvements
News
South African mines operate under constrained, water-scarce conditions where every investment must be justified. Xylem’s Chetan Mistry explains how the right water technology partner helps mines prioritise high-value water systems across the mining lifecycle.
Read more...
From solar to water, onsite plants are the next big industrial resilience shift
News
South African industrial operators who secured their energy supply with onsite solar generation now face the same imperative with water. Robert Erasmus of Sanitech argues that onsite water treatment is the next essential pillar of business continuity.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Pushing engineering to the limit
Technews Publishing
News
Among the many things robots can do, it’s a lot of fun to follow how fast they are. They go from the Boston Dynamics cheetah, which first reached a record-breaking speed of 45,5 km/h, to the robot Charlie
...
Read more...
Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric's Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme for energy and industrial tech startups.
Read more...
VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026
VEGA Controls SA
News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.
Read more...
Sustainable solutions for sugar
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
News
BMG received a Special Commendation Exhibition Stand Award at the South African Sugar Technologists’ Association Congress, where it showcased an integrated turnkey drive solution designed to simplify the upgrading of ageing crushing-mill drive systems.
Read more...
Measure, Manage, Maintain: The operating model behind SA’s water resilience
Siemens South Africa
News
South Africa’s growing water crisis is putting pressure on infrastructure, municipalities and the economy. Siemens highlights how digital technologies, smarter operations and safe water reuse could help shift the country from crisis response towards a more resilient and sustainable water future.
Read more...
VEGA brings measurement expertise beyond mining to Electra Mining Africa 2026
VEGA Controls SA
News
VEGA used its Electra Mining Africa 2026 stand to demonstrate that its level and pressure measurement instruments extend well beyond mining, covering water, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and oil and gas applications across the continent.
Read more...
Schneider Electric concludes Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit Middle East and Africa, held in Abu Dhabi with more than 2500 attendees, explored the convergence of energy, AI and industrial software, launched an Industrial AI study and announced the NEST Accelerator Programme.
Read more...
RX Africa and Messe Muenchen India join forces to strengthen business platforms in Africa
RX Africa
News
Messe Muenchen India has announced a strategic partnership with RX Africa to strengthen the scale, reach and market impact of its premier co-located trade fairs, analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa, ahead of their 2027 editions.
Read more...
printer friendly version