Technical - Partner Event
AI Seminar – Karen Willsey
When
Feb. 5, 2021 - Feb. 5, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM MST
Where
Online
Online
Abstract: In 2016, Karen rolled out of bed with a groan. Realizing that the aging process was only going to get stronger, she set out to find a solution for her aches and pains. Crossfit left her sore for days and yoga caused her to pull more muscles more than stretch them. She decided to embrace her passion for technology and develop her own stretching app, one that would methodically get your body moving without the pain of traditional exercise. Working alongside a local physiotherapist, Karen figured out how to move every joint in every direction, providing lubrication to connective tissue and improving overall blood circulation. After two and a half years of trial and error, WeStretch was released to the Apple Store and Google Play. Since WeStretch is a stretching app with an animated virtual trainer, it was designed using Unity software alongside various algorithms to generate unique and customized stretching routines using artificial intelligence. In the time it has been on the market, WeStretch has been able to release updates that methodically work on targeting specific problem areas of the body, helping athletes improve their sport with customized warmups and cool downs, and it has routines that will help anyone improve their overall functional strength without equipment or going to the gym. (To see why functional strength is important, try going from standing to sitting to lying down three times in a row!) As a fun addition, WeStretch has added the “Alberta Tour” which has Ada, your virtual trainer, stretching in front of some of the iconic landmarks of Alberta, such as the Three Sisters Mountain or Pinto McBean. Ultimately, Karen’s lessons with app creation are to just get started, fail fast then fail faster, and don’t be scared to embrace change.
Presenter Bio: Karen Willsey is a U of A alumni, graduating with a Bachelor of Science, specializing in comp-sci in 1994. She was also a competitive gymnast on the U of A team, passing the Elite Canada exam and competing across Canada and the United States for the university. Karen has been married to her husband, Kevin, for 27 years and they have six children together, four of which have studied at the U of A, and two under the age of 15. Growing up with an entrepreneurial background, Karen went from managing convenience stores to designing custom software for her father’s trucking company, to managing and owning residential and commercial real estate. Designing apps is her new passion and WeStretch is just her starting point.
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