Jumping rope "hasn't changed much since it was invented," said Adam Clark Estes at Gizmodo. But a Kickstarter campaign for a "Smart Rope" aims to bring this humble piece of workout equipment into the 21st century. Like most high-tech fitness gadgets, this "LED-laced, sensor-laden jump rope" can track your activity — jumps, in this case — and sync with a smartphone app to help you "analyze your stats." But you don't have to wait until after your gym session to gauge your workout's quality, since the Smart Rope has embedded LEDs that display your stats — including pace, time and calories — "in front of your very eyes while you're working out," creating the illusion of LED stats floating in midair. For now, the Smart Rope is still raising funds, but early backers can reserve one, starting at $60.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Amazon launches 1st Kuiper internet satellitesSpeed Read The battle of billionaires continues in space
-
Test flight of orbital rocket from Europe explodesSpeed Read Isar Aerospace conducted the first test flight of the Spectrum orbital rocket, which crashed after takeoff
-
Apple pledges $500B in US spending over 4 yearsSpeed Read This is a win for Trump, who has pushed to move manufacturing back to the US
-
Microsoft unveils quantum computing breakthroughSpeed Read Researchers say this advance could lead to faster and more powerful computers
-
TikTok's fate uncertain as weekend deadline loomsSpeed Read The popular app is set to be banned in the U.S. starting Sunday
-
Appeals court kills FCC net neutrality ruleSpeed Read A U.S. appeals court blocked Biden's effort to restore net-neutrality rules
-
Judge rejects Elon Musk's $56B pay package againSpeed Read Judge Kathaleen McCormick upheld her rejection of the Tesla CEO's unprecedented compensation deal
-
DOJ seeks breakup of Google, ChromeSpeed Read The Justice Department aims to force Google to sell off Chrome and make other changes to rectify its illegal search monopoly
