Acclivate is a wearable and companion app that helps runners understand how their body responds to heat during training. As training and racing conditions get hotter, many runners still rely on generic acclimatisation advice and personal judgement to decide how hard to push, when to slow down, or whether they are adapting safely.
By translating physiological heat-strain data into clear, actionable guidance, Acclivate supports runners in making more informed decisions before, during, and after their runs. This helps reduce uncertainty around heat, safety, comfort, performance, and recovery.
Why it matters?
Acclivate matters because running in heat is becoming a more common challenge, yet many runners still rely on guesswork to understand how their body is coping. Heat can affect pace, effort, recovery, comfort, and safety, but these changes are not always easy for runners to recognise in the moment.
Acclivate is designed for a broad range of runners, from beginners who want more confidence in warm conditions to experienced runners preparing for races or hot-weather events. The product supports users who may not be following structured heat training, but still want to improve their heat awareness, safety, comfort, and performance.
Rather than only showing raw data such as heart rate or temperature, Acclivate translates physiological responses into clearer feedback that runners can understand and act on. This helps users recognise when they may need to slow down, recover, adjust the timing of a run, or build up their exposure to warmer conditions more gradually.
By helping runners understand how heat affects them before, during, and after a run, Acclivate helps them move from guesswork to informed action. It supports safer, more confident running in warm conditions while helping users make better decisions that suit their own body, training goals, and environment.
Development
Device
The wearable was developed to capture key physiological signals during running while remaining compact, comfortable, and unobtrusive. Its form was designed to sit securely on the body during movement, using skin-safe materials and a lightweight enclosure suitable for sweat, heat, and active use.
Prototypes were built to explore sensor placement, attachment, haptic feedback, internal packaging, and how the device could be worn without disrupting a runner’s natural routine.
App
The companion app translates physiological data into clear heat-strain feedback, helping runners understand how their body is responding before, during, and after a run.
It was designed around simplicity and actionability, reducing complex data into meaningful summaries such as strain, heat zones, recovery guidance, and adaptation progress. The aim was to support runners in making safer, more informed decisions without overwhelming them with raw data.
User Testing
Throughout the project, feedback from runners and active individuals shaped the development of Acclivate. Physical and digital prototypes were used to test wearability, comfort, haptic feedback, and how clearly users understood their heat-strain data.
User testing helped refine the device placement, app flow, feedback structure, and the way Acclivate communicates safety, recovery, and performance in warm conditions.
A New Kind of Running Insight
Acclivate creates a clearer connection between runners and how their body responds to heat. It replaces guesswork with guidance, helping users make decisions around pacing, intensity, recovery, and when to adjust or stop a session.
By making heat strain visible and easier to understand, Acclivate supports safer, more confident running in warm conditions while helping users make decisions they can trust.
