Interesting gadgets

Christmas is fast approaching, so it is time to think about presents. I came across a couple of interesting gadgets which could have some useful applications for sports scientists.

The first one is a GPS tracking device which looks small and portable and can be integrated with Google Earth.

The Trackstick records its own location, time, date, speed, heading and altitude at preset intervals. With over 1Mb of memory, it can store months of travel information. The website for more info is here:

http://www.gearthstore.com/products/gps/trackstick/trackstick2/details.html

I don’t know the reliability and the accuracy of the system nor the sampling frequency, however this is something that could be easily tested and maybe it’s a little project I will undertake in the next few months.

The second gadget is an activity monitor (don’t we all love to know how much we move?).

It’s called FITBIT (http://www.fitbit.com)

You can view calories, steps and distance on the Fitbit Tracker software. Interesting concept with simple small technology and what looks like a user-friendly software. Again, I am not aware of reliability and accuracy and validity data, but, if it works, it is a promising tool at least to determine general energy expenditure and activity patterns, maybe useful in athletes that are injured and cannot train intensively to be able to adjust the diet and avoid gaining some excess weight.

I have no conflict of interest and no relationship with the above mentioned companies/products.