Everything is considered hi-tech these days when it comes to the latest “touch” gadgets on the market. The latest touch gadget is not for people sitting at their desks or while sitting in traffic. This new gadget is for people on the go. This new hi- tech gadget that has athletes’ attention is called a miCoach System, by Samsung and the Adidas corporation. The miCoach System uses sensitive capacitive sensors to measure an athlete’s heart rate, speed, distance and endurance levels.
Similar to a mile tracker for conscientious walkers, this new capacitive sensorsgadget utilizes an acceleration sensor to measure an athlete’s performance.
Created for the athlete in mind, instead of watching one’s performance monitored on an elliptical machine or treadmill at the gym, the miCoach is made up of a couple different components that one wears on their body as a complete set.
A Cell Phone, An MP3 Player and a Website- Heart Monitor in One
The set includes a heart rate belt, a stride sensor that attaches to an athlete’s shoe and a mobile phone with a web based training tool. Together, each component helps to accurately calculate an athlete’s performance, monitor your speed and success and helps you organize upcoming workouts. The inner workings include capacitive sensors that work in part of a 3-axis accelerometer that is able to measure acceleration, motion and inclination. The phone is attached to an armband, but communicates via a headphone to update the user on the progress. The miCoach will tell the user if they need to speed up or slow down depending on the information that was programmed into the system. The website included in the workout tool comes with more that 220 training programs, and fitness plans for weight loss, marathons and target speeds.
The added bonus of the new miCoach is that the phone part of the system is a quality phone with a camera, Bluetooth and obviously web and MP3 capabilities.
For the busy person who always takes their phone with them while they workout anyways, it’s a match made in heaven. Sleek, thin and lightweight- the phone/miCoach system was built for the workout in mind. This idea is the first of its kind, but it does have competition going up against Nike and Apple ipod.
Now athletes can run to the top of the hill while listening to their favorite song, take a picture when they get to the top and call their mother all while tracking their personal best.