5 Head-Mounted Wearable Devices for Athletes

Technology is moving closer and closer to our bodies as the wearable device market and quantified self movement gain momentum. On Eye Tracking Update, we’ve recently highlighted various forms of wearables, including some of the upcoming HMDs, gaze-activated dresses, and even a sensor worn in your mouth.  In this article, we take a look at some of the innovative wearable technologies being developed help athletes monitor their health and improve performance:

 

Instabeat

Meeting the design challenges that come with the need to be waterproof, unobtrusive, and accurate, Instabeat has created a wearable device to enable swimmers to monitor their heart rate in real time while training. The heart monitoring device clips on any swim goggles and gives live feedback on heart rate to help swimmers assess whether they are in their target range while in the water. Website

 

LifeBEAM SMART Helmet

Cycling is another sport that can benefit from innovative wearable sensors. LifeBEAM has created SMART, a helmet with integrated heart rate sensor that connects to display devices like smartphone, sport watches, and cycling computers to transmit real time heart rate data. Website

 

Reebock Checklight

Traumatic brain injury is a serious condition that is all too common among athletes in high-contact sports. Health sensor company MC10 partnered with Reebock to develop the Checklight, a mesh cap worn underneath a helmet which detects the severity of a blow to the head. An indicator light on the back displays a color based on the velocity of the impact and will enable athletes to be checked and treated right away for potentially detrimental head injuries. Website

 

Valencell PerformTek

Portable music players, for many athletes, are must-have equipment to help ease grueling workouts. This being the case, what better place to put a biometric sensor than in the earbuds you already wear during your physical activities?  The PerformTek biometric sensor transmits feedback on metabolic rate and cardiovascular fitness to your smartphone without interrupting your music enjoyment. Website

 

Spree

As fitness sensors go, it doesn’t get much more head-mounted than a headband. The Spree fitness monitor is a silicone headband tracks your body temperature, heart rate, distance, speed, time and calories burned. Information on your performance is displayed on a smartphone via their custom fitness tracking app. Website

 

With all of these and other wearable devices providing biometric feedback, it will be interesting to see if it actually results in an improvement in athletic performance or if athletes are just racing to sport techy gadgets.  What do you think?

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