A few years ago, when the Apple share price was caught in an uncharacteristic fall, a beleaguered Tim Cook said, “If you zoom out into the future, and you look back, and ask the question, ‘What was Apple’s greatest contribution to mankind?’ it will be about health.” Cook’s response may have seemed odd at the time, but it’s easier now to understand what he was thinking.
The rise of connected fitness, facilitated by devices like the Apple Watch, Peloton, and Zwift, has reshaped how we approach exercise. Studies show that people exercise more effectively when they share their activities with others, which has contributed to the success of apps like Strava. However, post pandemic, many people prefer to avoid going to the gym. SMC has recently worked on several prime properties that feature exceptional exercise spaces, encouraging longer and more frequent workouts. ImersU, for instance, produce wraparound videos that enable users to experience outdoor activities from the comfort of home – from rowing on the Thames to running on the beach.
It’s not just about fitness equipment anymore either. There’s a growing emphasis on diet, sleep, and even healthy lighting, especially for the elderly and developing children. With the phasing out of tungsten bulbs and 12V downlights, designers are now specifying truly healthy ‘full spectrum’ alternatives. These new lighting options, which emit much lower levels of harmful blue light, can be integrated into scene-setting systems like Lutron. Such systems provide the circadian rhythm of light that our bodies need—energising in the morning and calming in the late evening.
