Nike’s CEO envisions future fitness tech, says music could be controlled by your body

Nike CEO Mark Parker has led his company through a major transition; no longer merely a shoe and apparel business, Nike has morphed into a leader in consumer fitness technology with its Nike+ platform and products like FuelBand. Judging by an interview the executive recently gave to Fast Company, it’s clear he has no plans of slowing down. In fact, Parker’s already thinking about what a “next-gen” fitness tracker could look like.

“Just imagine if your body could control or change the music that you’re listening to — if your movement could actually change the cadence of the music, the tempo, or the beat,” he said. Sound, according to Parker, is an area that’s proving “very exciting” to Nike. The company is also researching how it can better utilize visual cues to help enhance your workout. “Color is one: if your heart rate was converted into color, or your movement was converted into color.” Nike’s immediate goals include delivering smarter hardware and a more personalized experience for individual users. Ideally it won’t be alone in the latter; Nike hopes its Nike+ accelerator, a joint effort with TechStars that enlists young startups, will help shed a light on new areas where its technology can reinvent traditional fitness.