Working out has just become automated and it is great news for fitness enthusiasts. NordicTrack has come up with voice-controlled iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells. You do not have to stop and change the weights while working out. It will do it for you.
The iSelect system comprises two dumbbells with a series of 5-lb (2.3-kg) square weights which are incrementally added onto them. Each dumbbell can hold a total of 50 lb. (22.7 kg).
When the user wants to add more weight, they start by placing the dumbbells in a system-specific tray that is paired to a third-party Amazon-Alexa-enabled smart speaker or another device. They then speak a command such as “Alexa, set weights to 35 pounds.” A motorized system in the tray responds by adding or removing weights accordingly. All of this happens in just a matter of seconds.
Besides requesting specific total weight loads, users can also ask to have the load increased or decreased by a certain amount, or they can ask for a user-specific weight load that has been preset for a given dumbbell exercise (i.e: “Alexa, set weight for bicep curls”). The system enables such presets to be programmed in for 15 different exercises.
Users can also physically control the motorized weight-swapping mechanism through a weight-adjustment dial on the tray. A digital readout above that dial shows how much weight is being chosen.
The NordicTrack iSelect Adjustable Dumbbells system can be bought through Amazon and will cost US$429. That price also includes a 30-day family membership in parent company iFit’s online training session platform, which is not required to use the dumbbells. Prospective buyers should know that the membership will proceed to auto-renew at $39 per month unless stopped.