Every year, while the rest of us might be drawing up lists of our resolutions, the technology industry begins gearing up for one of its biggest annual events in early January: the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Here is SportTechie’s pick of the sports technology products that launched at CES 2018.
Gametime Scoreboard
A portable electronic scoreboard and audio player that aims to augment any pickup game with scoring, a game clock, and music. The Gametime Scoreboard connects to iOS devices through an app, allowing the time, score, and period to be set remotely. The device is available through the Gametime Scoreboard website, retailing for $599.99.
QUS Smart Shirt
This product, available as either a shirt or a sports bra, claims to be the first fully washable smart textile available to consumers. Integrated textile sensors measure heart rate and respiration, and a device that attaches to the shirt also tracks GPS and movement. The smart shirt and bras could be pre-ordered through the project’s KickStarter page with a minimum pledge of €198 ($226). QUS plans to deliver its first products in April 2019.
InBody Band 2
InBody’s wrist-worn wearable can measure heart rate and track sleep and activity. It also aims to estimate body composition—fat, muscle mass, and body fat percentage—through a short routine that involves a user moving their arms away from their body and holding their fingers against electrodes on the device. The Band 2 is available through the InBody website, currently retailing at $119.
ICAROS Home
Mixing together a home fitness machine with virtual reality, ICAROS hopes to give users the experience of flying through imaginary worlds, while in reality training their upper bodies, core stability, balance and reflexes. Users lie prone on the machine, wearing a VR headset, and navigate around by moving their body weight. The Home system can be ordered through the ICAROS website, priced at €2,380 ($2,720).
Play Impossible Gameball
Play Impossible’s ball includes sensors that can track metrics on its movement, including speed, spin, and height. The inflatable Gameball can sync that information to mobile devices through the Play Impossible Android and iOS apps, and hopes to augment and promote physical play for children through the use of technology. The Gameball is available, in green or purple, through the Play Impossible website for $99.
SOLOS
SOLOS makes smart glasses for runners and cyclists that feature a heads up display. The glasses can sync to sensors for speed, heart rate, power, and cadence, and display those numbers in the user’s field of view. They can also connect with mobile devices to make phone calls, provide navigation directions, and download training plans. The glasses can be purchased through the SOLOS website, priced at $499.
Reflexion Edge
This 69-inch wide screen consists of 2,600 LEDs and has a capacitive surface to recognize touch. It is designed to test and improve cognitive performance such as reaction time, decision making, and hand-eye coordination. Standing in front of the Edge, a user can run five different types of test, each of which involves some form of reacting to light patterns by touching the screen. Sales inquiries for the Edge can be submitted through the Reflexion Interactive website.
Healbe GoBe2
The GoBe2 wristband aims to measure both the calories a user burns and those they consume. It can measure how high and low frequency electrical signals pass through a user’s tissues, and use that to determine changes in fluid volume—when glucose from food is stored, or released and burned as fuel, that changes the available water. The GoBe2 is available on the Healbe website, currently retailing at $169.
Runtopia Reach
These shoes aim to track data about a user’s running form, including metrics on impact and whether a foot is rolling in or out as it strikes the ground. Runtopia Reach shoes also come spring-loaded, aiming to soften impact forces and transfer the energy of landing back into forward motion. The Reach’s pre-order stage, due for delivery this month, has now closed on Runtopia’s Indiegogo page., but according to that page, each pair is likely to cost $120.
This content is part of the CES Sports Zone Innovation Showcase. If your sports technology will impact the world of professional athletes, sports leagues, owners, coaching staff, and fans, you can’t afford to miss CES Sports Zone. Learn more here.