The Korea Herald

피터빈트

ZOIT releases smart fitness bike in China

By 임정요

Published : June 7, 2016 - 15:07

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The fitness software company ZOIT (CEO: Sung-Han Lee) announced on June 3 that it will be entering the Chinese market later this year with the release of a fitness bike that can be linked to smart devices. The fitness bike, developed in joint cooperation with a local health equipment company, is now in its final stages of completion. 


ZOIT made its debut in the simulated content industry back in 2007 with the release of a simulated horseback riding program in which users mount a mechanical horse and “race” across a track or field on screen. The company is also known for its screen golf content, which was developed using the same principles as its signature horseback riding program. The company continues to expand on its key technologies, which involve the combining of hardware control technology with software production technology, to pursue system integration. In order to focus more fully on developing these technologies through related R&D, ZOIT founded an affiliated research center in 2010. 

Following the establishment of its R&D center, ZOIT has continued to explore the key technologies used in its horse riding simulator, resulting in the development of smart fitness services that have been the main business focus of ZOIT for the past two years. In 2014, ZOIT used its fitness services to develop an exercise bike that can be linked to smart devices, and in 2015, successfully produced the Z-BIKE. The Z-BIKE connects to smart devices (e.g. smart phones, smart pads) to enable real-time exercise coaching. The bike can also analyze the user’s heart rate and other physical conditions to adjust the current exercise program.

Through the use of the fitness management mobile application ZOM, Z-BIKE riders can operate a total of ten bicycle fitness programs. The app includes a “progress management” function that shows the total amount of exercise achieved using different formats (graphs) and periods of time (day, month, etc.), as well as a “trainer” function that analyzes exercise capabilities by exercise type and recommends appropriate training programs. All exercise done on the Z-BIKE can be managed through the app. In March, ZOIT signed a strategic alliance with KT’s IoT Home Health for the establishment of a health equipment system that can be linked to an IPTV set-top box.

CEO Sung-Han Lee said of the Z-BIKE, “Our goal is to create a new standard for fitness bikes.” He added, “We will continue to focus on developing IT nexus software that uses smart technology in a variety of health-related areas—such as food and health equipment—that are currently receiving much public attention.”

ZOIT is partially funded by KT and the Gyeonggi Center for Creative Economy & Innovation.

(jshwang@heraldcorp.com)