Touche
A product-service system innovation that enhances technical training for fencers by utilizing biometric technology. The system consists of a smart glove and AI-driven app, enabling athletes to track technique, receive real-time coaching, and reflect on performance through personalized analytics.
Politecnico di Milano
Prof. Venanzio Arquilla
Prof. Villani Emmanuele
Prof. Innocenzo Rifino
Prof. Emanuele Magini
Prof. Federico Reghenzani
Tools
Figma | Autodesk Fusion 360 |
Adobe Creative Suite
Project Context
As a fencer myself, I embraced this project as an opportunity to combine my passion for sports with my interest in wearable technology. Fencing is a sport of precision, speed, and technique, but as its popularity grows, athletes face a shortage of personalized performance-enhencing tools.
Research
At the start of the project, I conducted desk research, competitive analysis, and user research to gain a comprehensive understanding of the fencing landscape. I interviewed five fencers along with a national-level coach. The synthesis of these insights revealed four pain points.
Limited Availability of Fencing Coaches
“I feel like the only time I get the coach’s attention during practice is during my private lesson. There are too many of us, so it’s not possible for our coach to give each of us 100% of his attention.”
Lack of Detailed Performance Analysis
“With my fencers, I generally utilize videos to analyze their fencing and prepare them for the upcoming competition; but I don’t have time to do it with everyone regularly.”
Absence of Real-Time Feedback
“In the fencing bout, at least I know how effective I am because it shows on the scoreboard. Unfortunately, the technical drills lack this kind of feedback.”
Personalization to Meet Unique Needs
“Each of us has a unique style: fencing
is really a sport for everyone. However, that creates some challenges with coaches not being able to cater to our specific needs.”
User-Centered Definition
After gathering insights from interviews, I created a user persona to represent a typical fencer’s needs, goals, and challenges. I also mapped the user’s training journey to understand their experiences step-by-step and identify where frustrations occur.
Ideation
How might we optimize technical training for competitive fencers with biometric technology to deliver real-time feedback and enhance training effectiveness?
In ideation, I explored different forms and chose a glove for its natural fit with fencing, as gloves are already standard in the sport. Early development sketches explored sensor placement for optimal hand and wrist motion capture, with a detachable core for easy cleaning and charging.
Technology & Development
I carefully selected advanced technologies to meet the sport’s unique demands. The glove uses graphene-infused textile for durability and flexibility, while an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors track precise hand and wrist movements. I designed a detachable core for easy charging and cleaning, ensuring it wouldn’t interfere with fencing performance.
User Flow
To ensure the system seamlessly fits into fencers' training routines, I mapped out the user flow highlighting key interaction points. Before training, the app recommends instructional videos to prepare the athlete. During practice, the smart glove provides real-time feedback on technique through motion sensors and AI analysis. After training, the app delivers personalized performance insights based on the captured data.
Learnings
Working across physical and digital layers taught me how to build cohesive experiences that respond to real user needs. Working on Touche helped me build confidence in conducting user research and translating those insights into actionable design decisions. If I had more time, I would have expanded the digital experience to showcase all interactions the user would have with the app.