Jul 16
If you’re a company like Nike, what happens when you slap together two of your most innovative shoe technologies? Well, in this case, you get the Free Flyknit.
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Jul 16
Quantum Leap
Posted in: Today's Chili
The sneaker pimps at Adidas have engineered one of the greatest advancements in athletic-shoe technology since the mid-’80s — when Peter Moore mixed a dash of air with a generous helping of Jordan.
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Jul 03
Most running novices plot their early runs in terms of distance. "I used to be able to run X distance in high school; I’m going to run that same distance today." Then they spend the next two weeks hobbling around like a broken grandpa. There’s a better way.
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Jul 02
Selfloops bridges sport gadget divide on Android with combo ANT+ adapter and battery pack
Posted in: Today's Chili
If you take your smartphone-assisted exercise seriously, you’ll probably want both ANT+ sensor support and a power pack to offset the increased battery drain that follows. It’s a good thing that Selfloops is tackling both needs at once with its new Android ANT+ Accessory, then. The USB add-on isn’t tiny, but it can grab data like cadence and heart rate from a nearby ANT+ device while keeping a phone topped up through its 2,000mAh battery. The peripheral is also one of the few to bring ANT+ to Android 2.3 — if you’re still using an older handset, you’ve found an ideal fitness companion. Just be prepared to wait for it. While Selfloops is currently taking pre-orders for the $115 Android ANT+ Accessory, it’s not starting shipments until October.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals
Source: Selfloops
Jun 24
Adidas has another new running shoe, this one even more divergent than its Boost shoe
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Jun 10
Remember that Tom Selleck sci-fi flick called Runaway? Despite being terribly cheesy, those insect-like robots in that movie always gave me the creeps. Never mind that it was none other than KISS’ Gene Simmons who was the mastermind behind the robobugs.
While this robotic insect isn’t deadly, you’ll have a really hard time catching and swatting it if it ever were to go rogue.
Created by Duncan W. Haldane, Kevin C. Peterson, Fernando L. Garcia Bermudez, and Ronald S. Fearing of the UC Berkeley Biomimetic Millisystems Lab, the VelociRoACH is claimed to be the fastest legged robot relative to its body size. It’s capable of running at a zippy 2.7 meters-per-second. Yikes. Just wait till about 10 seconds into the video below to see it scurrying along in real time.
The robot was built with a new dynamic tuning system which keeps it stable at high speeds, using an aerodynamic rotational damper which is designed to operate with less rotational energy while still maintaining crazy fast forward momentum. The robot is also equipped with a mechanism which lets it crawl over obstacles about twice its height with ease.
I’m not sure what the real-world applications from the VelociRoACH are, but I sure wouldn’t want these running around my house.
May 14
Sure, your pet hamster’s amazing leg strength may someday power a house, but can it beat you in a race? A pair of Chicago-based artists might be able to help you solve this mystery. The duo recently hooked up a homemade tachometer to a hamster’s exercise wheel and mapped the data to a treadmill’s motor. The fur ball’s RPMs are transferred in real time, which gives it the ability to control its bipedal competitor’s running speeds. The team cautions that no animals were harmed during this experiment, however a human ego may have been bruised after trying to keep up with a tireless rodent.
Source: Daniel Jay Bertner (Blog)
May 13
Most app developers have few incentives to build their own hardware, let alone the resources. With 25 million mobile users, Runtastic has both — so it only makes sense that the company is bringing a slate of complementary exercise gear to the US for the first time. The initial catalog won’t shock cyclists and runners who have ever toyed with tracking their progress, but it’s certainly complete. Along with Runtastic’s take on a GPS watch ($150), there’s also an app-friendly heart rate monitor ($70), a speed sensor ($60), an armband and a bike mount. While the peripherals only truly make sense for Runtastic loyalists, they’re available today through Amazon — and they might seal the deal for athletes who want a harmonious blend of hardware and software.
Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Wearables
Source: Runtastic
May 07
Although more than a few runners track their progress through apps like RunKeeper, it’s doubtful that many of them like reaching for their smartphones just to check their pace. Thanks to an updated RunKeeper app, they’ll only have to look at the Pebble smartwatch on their wrist. Both Android and iOS users can now glance at the Bluetooth timepiece for vital stats, such as pacing, or start and stop their runs. Only a handful of us will have the needed combination of app and wristwear to justify the update at the source links, but don’t despair if you’re not part of the Pebble flock. RunKeeper’s staff say they “look forward” to supporting wearable technology as a whole, which should let many more athletes keep their eyes on the path ahead, and their hands out of their pockets.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wearables, Mobile
Source: App Store, Google Play
Apr 25
During any form of physical exertion, most people don’t think about breath until they’re gasping for it. The most advanced exercisers among us are conscious of trying to breathe lower, into their bellies. But there’s an even better way, and making this simple switch will get more oxygen into your blood, faster. More »
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