SportZone: Interactive Fitness for Kids

The SportZone, an interactive system designed by Veqtor, promotes the concept of active play and is an advanced fitness gaming solution for kids, teenagers, and adults.

The SportZone is an exciting interactive fitness solution that provides kids with an organized team sport and can be used by players of all ages. It is an electronically controlled court that constantly challenges players with new levels of performance, and provides them with the experience of a real crowd ambience.

Created by Veqtor as part of the company's GymKids range of interactive products, the SportZone offers a variety of field games, including basketball, indoor soccer, Fireball and Tizzball. Tizzball, a ball game played by two teams of five to eight players in which the goal teleports around the electronic court each time a player scores, challenges the teams to keep realigning their strategies throughout the game. The interactive court can also optionally support games like American football, lacrosse, and field and roller hockey.

The SportZone can be used in sports halls, activity rooms, or squash courts. The basic set-up includes a four-digit scoreboard, wiring, a game controller, and electronic goals with hit sensors and LED. The optional equipment for the interactive court includes steel structure and netting in different sizes to make it easy to incorporate the electronic court into a new play facility. The system requires minimum floorspace, as each station can be positioned on the wall so that it does not get in the way of other activities.

The SportZone is powered by Circuit Coach, a control system that allows users to run a number of programmable games, activities and exercises, to compete against other players, and to get instant feedback, both via audio and on the scoreboard. The ability to both hear the feedback and see it makes the games accessible to children with visual and hearing impairment. The system keeps track of time and performance of every player during the game, and each of its stations offers a different set of exercises and activitie. These include jumping, running, throwing, lunging, and others. The Circuit Coach allows circuit training, with players moving from one unit to another and each unit keeping track of a different type of exercise or activity.

Each of the system's stations can be used by either two players or two teams at a time, as each station has a two-player scoreboard. The SportZone requires minimal staff training as Veqtor products work with a "touch and go" technology.

SportZone activities also include the Basketball Trainer and the Football Trainer, each designed to improve accuracy and coordination and to increase strength and stamina. Traverse Climb is another fun activity that kids (and adults) can engage in. Players must follow the route along illuminated touch targets within a timed period to score points. The game provides a fun, challenging workout for users aged 6 to 60.

The Target Trainer is another option available to teachers and trainers using the SportZone. It is not only a fun gaming system, but also a tool to improve balance, coordination and strength. The system, consisting of an impact reaction training wall, allows players to use it individually, in pairs, or in groups of up to four. They can use a wide range of projectiles, from footballs and basketballs to tennis balls and soft baseballs. The Target Trainer can be used from a seated position and is particularly useful to people with limited motor skills.

To see how the Target Trainer works, watch the video.