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GPS-enabled
Fitness Gear
Harpreet Rooprai
Sub Editor
harpreet.rooprai@GISdevelopment.net
Abstract
Consumer market for GPS-enabled products and services is booming at a pace unimagined few years ago. As the manufacturers realize the potential of this trend, the shelves are flooded with gadgets that integrate this technology into our daily lives. In TechWatch we bring you a compilation of such lifestyle applications and products.
One such application is in the field of fitness, sports and health monitoring. Listed in forgoing paragraphs are some of the available GPS devices designed for the purpose of keeping a track of your fitness regime or act as a personal trainer while you have a go at your favourite sport. All these devices are either capable of displaying the results on their own in-built screen or can be integrated with your cell phone.
Timex Bodylink System
The Timex Bodylink system (www.timex.com) offers athletes and fitness enthusiasts the unprecedented ability to track, store and analyze several key indicators of personal performance.
Using the very latest in digital technology, the Bodylink system is a network of up to four devices worn on the body that act together as a single information and sport monitoring system. The Timex IRONMAN Triathlon Bodylink performance monitor is the essential element to the Bodylink system by providing real-time workout data. It teams with the Timex Digital Heart Rate sensor and the Timex Speed + Distance sensor to simultaneously provide comprehensive performance feedback.
Casio GPR-100 GPS watch
Casio (www.casio.com) released the GPR-100, a small, lightweight wrist-worn device that uses GPS technology to display real-time data on distance, speed, and pace. This is a new avatar of their earlier and the first GPS-cum-watch venture ProTrek, launched in 1999. GPR-100 boasts of an ultra compact GPS receiving antenna, a compact, high-performance GPS module, and embedded wafer level package (EWLP) technology. It also features automatic time adjustment using satellite data and the device displays the exact time anywhere in the world.
Runners who break records in long-distance races are able to adjust their speed at just the right time while maintaining their own pace and hence more and more players are relying on devices that measure run data using GPS technology.
NAVMAN Sport Tool range
Sport Tool range by NAVMAN is designed to give athletes all the necessary ultra-precise information: speed, distance, lap times, etc. – easily visible on an integrated display.
This Sport Tool uses GPS technology to provide accurate readings and real-time information on speed and distance travelled. This lightweight device is strapped to your arm, has 16 hours rechargeable battery life and is water resistant. This 300 series device comes in different models and are suited for most of the sports applications, be it walking, running, cycling, skating or skiing. More information on the product can be obtained from sports and lifestyle page of www.navman.com
Garmin 305 Foot Pod
Although Garmin (www.garmin.com) has many products in its Forerunner and Edge range, which are being used as fitness equipments, all of them do not work when you are training indoors. To tackle this, Garmin introduced 305 Foot Pod, an accessory to the Forerunner 305 that allows athletes to train indoor where a GPS signal is unavailable.
This shoe-mounted device wirelessly communicates with the wrist-worn Forerunner 305 to provide accurate distance and speed while training on treadmills or indoor tracks. Once the accessory is turned on, the Forerunner 305 recognizes its wireless signal and asks if the user wishes to train using the Foot Pod instead of with the Forerunner’s built-in GPS. Once confirmed, the Forerunner 305 deactivates the GPS and Foot Pod begins measuring the workout.
Adeo Fitness Companion
MotionLingo (www.motionlingo.com) has come out with its Adeo Fitness Companion with built-in GPS technology. The device can announce your running speed, the distance travelled, time and other stats at preset intervals. You can use the gadget by itself, or connect it to an MP3 player and listen to music in between exercise updates.
This device connects to GPS satellites to track & record your workouts and audibly reports your distance, pace, speed, elapsed time, elevation and calories burned. It features Multi-sport functionality i.e., it could be used for running, walking, biking, blading, skiing. This talking GPS trainer also lets you chart and evaluate your workouts on your PC or Mac and works with any MP3 player, iPod, or alone.
Trimble AllSport GPS application
Trimble introduced “AllSport” GPS application to extend its Trimble Outdoors family of products and services into the personal fitness management category. Trimbles AllSport GPS application enables fitness enthusiasts to engage in a fitness program that tracks results and maps progress on a cell phone. The latest version of the AllSport GPS application can measure distance, time speed and calories of outdoor activity, pinpoint current location on a street map, topographical map and aerial photos, and store the activity and fitness information on the handset.
The data is then automatically uploaded to the AllSport GPS Website (www.allsportgps.com) for viewing, analysis and sharing. Additionally, the application allows users to track the progress of their fitness routines, export workouts to Google Earth to view in an interactive 3-D presentation.
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