Mobile heart monitoring devices have tended to suffer from inaccuracies due to the nature of being, well, mobile; they've always had trouble dealing with inputs such as high-level noises and abrupt movements. The electrocardiogram, or ECG, necklace unveiled by Belgium-based IMEC at the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Conference in Minneapolis Wednesday boasts long-term monitoring of cardiac performance with astonishing accuracy.
IMEC's mobile heart monitor uses a low-power amplifier and 2.4 GHz network.
(Credit: IMEC)The necklace contains IMEC's proprietary "ultra-low power analog readout ASIC" (application-specific integrated circuit), relying on a low-power commercial radio/microprocessor platform. A heartbeat detection algorithm is embedded in that processor, and a second ultra-low power microcontroller transmits data wirelessly from the necklace to a computer within 10 miles. (If the computer is not within range, a memory module stores this data until it can be transmitted.)
IMEC, which partnered with the Netherlands-based Holst Centre to develop this ECG prototype, says the algorithm copes with baseline wander, electromyography (electrical impulses of muscles), movement, and sound. It achieved "best-in-class" performances, with 99.8 percent sensitivity and 99.7 percent predictivity.
While the ECG necklace could be used for the permanent screening of the elderly, and of people with cardiovascular disorders, healthy athletes might also find the data useful in measuring and analyzing their own hearts under the duress of extreme sport.
I can't help but pay homage to my former colleague and lunchtime running partner Bill Goggins at Wired magazine, who may have benefited greatly from this kind of technology. Just moments after waving jovially for cameras in the San Francisco marathon in 2006, the 43-year-old former deputy editor collapsed at mile 24 and died of apparent heart failure.
Development and further study of this prototype might finally answer the pressing question: could a mobile heart monitor actually save lives?
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Finis)
Finally, gadget-seeking swimmers are getting equal treatment to sportsmen who enjoy dry, electronic-friendly conditions. California-based Finis is out with the Aqua Pulse, a waterproof heart monitor that relies on bone conduction technology to communicate high-fidelity sound via the temple bone to the inner ear.
Monitoring your heart rate is supposed to be the most effective way to train, as you can measure intensity and exertion levels and avoid over-training and under-training. But so far, heart rate monitors have generally been made for wearing on the wrist, connected to a skin sensor normally attached around the chest--a setup that's not really ideal for swimmers.
(Credit:
Finis)
Proposing another of its swimmer-friendly design is Finis, founded by Olympic gold medal swimmer Pablo Morales in 1993. The company has developed products such as snorkels, swimwear, and a series of waterproof MP3 players.
The small Aqua Pulse clips onto the goggle strap and has an integrated infrared sensor that detects the heart rate by measuring light pulses due to capillary blood flow in the skin. An internal computer calculates the heart rate and communicates it audibly at preset intervals (from 20 seconds up to 5 minutes) talking through the bone.
The idea is that by having this information as they move, swimmers can train in their proper "heart-rate zone" more accurately.
Humans normally hear through air conduction, but because there's no air underneath the water, bone conduction provides the clearest sound quality possible, Finis says.
The Aqua Pulse will sell for $139.99 through the Finis Web site in May.
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VitalJacket)
Usually when clothing and technology intersect, it's for purposes of entertainment or communication, even when physical activity is involved. But the "VitalJacket" made by Portuguese company BioDevices wants the combination to focus on your health.
Rather than rely on cumbersome devices that need to be worn on the arm or strapped to the chest, this smart shirt tracks your heart rate and electrocardiogram levels with built-in technologies. The VitalJacket comes in two versions, according to Coolest-Gadgets: one that stores data on a removable SD card that can be transferred to a computer, and another that features "online visualization" through a smartphone.
If you have particularly nosey bosses, however, be careful if they start issuing new uniforms that resemble these.
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Cerevellum)
If Cerevellum sounds like some Latin term from a medical dictionary, it would be entirely appropriate because it's the name of a new heart-monitoring device. But this one isn't attached to your arm or chest--in fact, it's not affixed to the body at all. Try the handlebars on a bike instead.
The Cerevellum doesn't stop there either: While checking your ticker, this gadget also serves as a GPS system and a digital rear-view display similar to those seen increasingly in cars. According to ProductDose, this all-in-one device has a 3.5-inch screen and 32MB of space to store your fitness data, as well as a 4-hour battery for those who ride that long (unlike us).
All this doesn't come cheap at $299, but we suppose there's some consolidation savings because you won't have to buy three or four separate products for these various functions. Besides, we applaud anything that obviates the need for those nerdsome helmet mirrors.
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Polar)
There are scads of devices designed to monitor performance while running on the track or treadmill, ranging from MP3 players to running shoes. But digital health equipment pioneer Polar has made it a mission to come up with an electronic fitness aid for cyclists as well.
The CS600 is like an on-board computer with its own software, which Gadgetell says was developed with the help of six teams from last year's Tour de France, "evaluating your heart's performance, bike speed, altitude and cadence." But be warned: Good health often comes at a price, and in this case it's $700.
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