“I don’t have enough time to exercise.” It’s an excuse most of us, including myself, have used too many times. And, frankly, it’s a lame excuse that’s not viable anymore with all the quick workouts that have been designed for those of us who don’t have the time.
Studies show that quick, intense workouts offer similar benefits of 50-minute workouts at a moderate pace. In fact, the “7-Minute Workout” is one of the most popular skills for Amazon Echo. Once you enable this skill, Echo acts as your personal trainer taking you through a quick, effective workout. It’ll do all the counting for you, give you breaks, and eventually track your statistics.
Now Jibo is looking to get into the personal trainer game with its own 7-Minute Workout skill. A Jibo developer dubbed “The Web Pro” is using Jibo’s software development kit (SDK) to build this skill, so it’s just a prototype at this point, but it looks pretty cool.
Watch the video at the top of this page to check out the skill in the SDK.
Notice how Jibo stretches before the workout begins, looking away and grunting as it stretches. This type of animation is what Jibo hopes will connect with its users and separate itself from the likes of Amazon Echo, Google Home and others.
The Web Pro says the skill will eventually add animations “for each step (push-ups, lunges, step-ups, etc) which replaces the little badge next to the timer. The animation will show the correct method of performing that particular exercise step so new users can understand immediately what to do.”
Jibo’s 7-Minute Workout simulation is voice-controlled, of course, and allows you to skip exercises and take breaks. It will be fun to keep an eye on where this skill goes when Jibo ships.
The Web Pro also developed a Kitchen Assistant skill using Jibo’s SDK. Watch the video below to see Jibo the kitchen assistant in action, and here’s exactly what that skill can do:
“He’ll work as a grocery list, letting you easily add and remove items from your shopping list, one or multiple at a time, even scanning items in and out (if this feature actually works in the SDK). He’ll send you the list to your phone when you ask and clear it when you come home.
“He’s a quick measurement converter so a “Hey Jibo, how many teaspoons are in a cup?” will always be just a question away.
“And, the best part, he’s a chef. He’ll have categorized recipes so you can easily start cooking without having to search the internet. Each recipe is custom-tailored to Jibo and he’ll walk you through the ingredients and steps in making the recipe, guiding you all the way with his instructions and visually using photos. He’ll even set timers so you don’t have to so you can do other things while the oven is doing it’s thing. His recipe book will start with categories like desserts and appetizers, but will quickly grow to include entrees, soups, specialty items, and much more.”
