It’s such a pleasant surprise when a company grows beyond its initial scope and embraces change and innovation. These days, Gatorade is going through an entire process to reposition itself as a company that aims to help athletes improve their recovery.
The company’s insight comes from the very natural and common process of sweating – that is where all change begins.
In fact, Gatorade aims for technology that measures your sweat. This new project is coming together at the Sports Science Institute in Bradenton, Florida.
Gatorade hopes the new technology – in the form of a sweat patch – will become available to consumers by next year and help athletes track hydration and nutrients they’ve lost through sweat during training. Therefore, they will be able to recharge more effectively, perform better and give extra energy on the field.
“We needed a vision for the Gatorade of the future. Users attach the three-inch-long patch to their forearm, and built-in sensors measure how much they sweat and how much sodium they lose during their workout. That info is relayed to Gatorade’s GX app, which then offers advice on how to refuel – said Xavi Cortadellas, Gatorade’s head of innovation and design, about the patch’s concept.
For starters, the patch can inform athletes about how much Gatorade they need in order to recharge. The company’s plan is to do more than that – anticipate a suite of educational tools and customized measurements for athletes. These tools could provide a solid ground for developing exercise and nutritional plans, as well as recovering programmes.
Gatorade has tested the concept with top sports teams like the Boston Celtics or Kansas City Chiefs. “Sports science is complex, and athletes want it simplified and want more actionable input,” Cortadella said. “We want to be the translators of this complexity to everyday athletes.”
In the near future, the company will focus more on software than on hardware, so that other companies’ wearables can benefit from it, too.
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