A 30-something woman has just begun her day somewhere in a complex of apartments in Hyderabad. She is struggling to find time for herself because of the mounting pile of tasks and errands. Yet the lifesize interactive fitness screen in the hallway is a simple fix to this.
The “mirror,” a small gym created with artificial intelligence, offers on-demand, customized fitness sessions as well as cardio, yoga, and even boxing activities.
The business Portl, established by friends Vishal Chandapeta, Armaan Khandari, and Indraneel Gupta, is the maker of this personalized small workout model.
The trio, who are all from Hyderabad and have backgrounds in technology, each brought a unique set of skills to this innovative fitness firm. They claim that the objective is to install the AI-powered 3D screen in every Indian home in order to promote overall health.
“We wanted to increase access to fitness.”
How frequently do you skip a workout because you don’t know how to do it properly or skip the gym because it’s too far away?
These were typical worries that anyone looking to begin their fitness journey encountered, as Indraneel and Vishal highlighted. They were working on a startup at the time that developed applications for other companies in the fitness and wellness industry.
They were able to launch Portl from this vantage point. The original concept was to develop a smart device that would include everything a person needed to exercise and offer consumers advice on wellness and lifestyle choices while they were at home.
The pair thought there was no better time to start than now given the closure of their prior business during the height of the pandemic and the readiness of this creative idea to take flight.
We knew what people were seeking for because a large portion of our consumers came from the worldwide fitness business. A growing number of people were beginning to work out at home and were looking for qualified trainers to assist them, especially with the arrival of the pandemic. The stars were in alignment, says Indraneel.
Portl was eventually introduced in Hyderabad in 2021 because of this original concept. Armaan, Indraneel’s close school friend, joined the pair.
How is the AI mirror implemented?
The original goal of the trio was to tailor training program to each person’s requirements.
“Although there were virtual exercise programs, they had a problem in that there weren’t enough competent, qualified trainers. According to Indraneel, the lack of human touch also meant that workouts and activities were not specifically designed with the person’s ailments in mind, which effectively meant that individuals were exercising without understanding if it was healthy for their body type or not.
Individuals frequently quite midway through a workout because they were not seeing results, he claims.
This drove the trio to make an effort to develop a tool and software that would guarantee each user received a strictly controlled program while also performing baseline health tests.
As contrast to a one-size-fits-all regimen, the AI mirror enables consumers to access skilled trainers and have a customized workout. Suitable workouts that won’t worsen the user’s preexisting illnesses, if any, will be made available thanks to the integration of AI and the health information that users enter.
The trio brainstormed together over the course of the ensuing months about the software and applications they desired the smart device to have. But, figuring out how to integrate the hardware and software was a significant challenge.
They assert, however, that the collective expertise they brought to the table was quite helpful.
“We built a team with leading fitness authorities because we each have significant experience in the field. The information was prepared. Indraneel says, “All we had to do was integrate it into the system, and within a year, we had a prototype ready.
The Portl mirror is a sophisticated addition to the living room that takes up 2.5 feet of floor area and has biosensors. They give the trainer information about the user’s stability and strength, giving them a feel of their physical capabilities and limitations.
“It helps us define the starting point of the individual’s journey,” says Indraneel, adding that this is an important component. Those who exercise alone and at an arbitrary beginning point depend on their own abilities to carry out the exercise correctly, frequently harming themselves in the process.
To prevent this, the smart mirror has a feedback feature that uses sensors to identify the user’s posture, bending angles, etc. and communicate the proper technique to perform the exercise.
A pocket-sized bio sensing device that can monitor your ECG, blood sugar, temperature, blood pressure, and more is included in the Portl studio’s comprehensive set-up. The platform also has a Buddy Workout function that enables users to exercise in groups or practice yoga as a family.
Like a personal trainer would, another sensor gives the user feedback on their technique.
“In addition, there are live classes and 1:1 interaction where users may speak with their coaches about their exercises and diet as well as exchange stories with other platform users. This fosters a sense of community, claims Vishal.
He continues by saying that they hope to provide a function in the future that will let the trainer appear in the workout mirror. When Portal brought their invention to the Shark Tank India Season 2 sets in January of this year, they reached new heights. They were awarded Rs 1.5 crore for 2.5% equity.
It enabled us to reach a wide viewing audience.
The firm is already busy producing the smart device to fill the more than 1000 orders they have already received, the bulk of which, according to the startup, are a result of the publicity they gained from Shark Tank.
Indraneel describes the encounter as “interesting” for a variety of reasons in his account. “In addition to giving us the chance to present the product to the “sharks,” we also received a large national viewing audience., and,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Now, Portal has a network of 20 elite trainers and professionals, which, according to the team, would be difficult for fitness fanatics to access in any other way. Along with bodybuilding, karate, and other activities, the platform claims 15 distinct training patterns and even pain management for seniors.
The firm has made ripples not just in India but also internationally, shipping to the US, Canada, the Middle East, Singapore, and the UK.
