Could this $347 high-tech mat make yoga classes obsolete?
Sure, you’ve been meaning to give yoga a try — but who wants to travel across town just to bend and stretch in a room filled with sweaty strangers?
Thanks to the SmartMat, you may soon be able do child’s pose in the quiet of your own home — and still get insightful tips from a trainer in the process.
The tech-enhanced yoga mat has already netted more than $180,000 on crowd-funding site Indiegogo and uses sensors to take your measurements, track your movements and even correct your positioning — all in real time.
Using visual or audio cues via a synced app on your iOS or Android device, the SmartMat corrects your poses by offering suggestions on how to better place your hands and feet so your body stays in alignment.
For those who are new to yoga, the SmartMat comes preprogrammed with a variety of workouts suitable for a range of experience levels. The mat also features three modes: for private use in the home; to assist while attending a group class; and “Zen mode,” which turns off real-time corrections but provides analysis upon completion.
Of course, a mat of this caliber isn’t one you can simply pick up at your local sporting shop for $20. Current requests are processed through the SmartMat Pre Order Special, which comes in at a mind-bending $347 — down from an expected retail price of $447. The mats are expected to ship in September 2015.