Welcome to Part 2 of our ‘Technically Fit’ series: all about gadgets. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out Part 1, our top app picks!
The HAPIfork (above)
Stop the scoff! Eating too fast has been proven to lead to poor digestion and even overeating, but the HAPIfork is an electronic fork designed to monitor and track your eating habits.
As you eat, your info is uploaded via USB or Bluetooth to your online dashboard, keeping track of how long it took you to eat your meal, the amount of ‘fork servings’ taken and intervals between bites. It even lights up and vibrates if you’re eating too fast.
The HAPIfork is available in a range of colours, costs around $110 and ships to Australia.
Finis Neptune
If you’re a swimming fan but miss your music during your morning laps, the Finis Neptune is the gadget for you.
A waterproof MP3 player without ear buds, the Neptune uses ‘bone conduction’ transmission that sends perfect audio through the swimmer’s cheekbones directly into the inner ear.
The three-piece set has two side speakers and a high-contrast OLED screen that shows the song, artist and play status. The screen attaches snuggly to your goggle straps to prevent interfering with your swimming technique.
The device costs about $175 and is sold through specialist swimming stores around the country (see the Finis website for details).
O-Synce Screeneye X
If pounding the pavement is more your style, this hi-tech visor does more than just shade your face.
Using a light-collection film, the heads-up display on the Screeneye X works even in poorly lit conditions, keeping the wearer up to date on time and ambient temperature.
The device also pairs with ANT + sensors, such as foot pods (which attach to your running shoes), heart rate monitors and multi-sport monitors, to display speed, distance, heart rate and calories burned.
Data collected by the given sensor is sent wirelessly to the visor’s computer and is displayed in the field of vision. This means you can access your performance stats without ever flipping a wrist or checking an app and interrupting the flow of your workout.
One of these will cost you around $280 shipped to Australia.
Sensoria – Wearable Fitness
The T-shirts and bras are made in Italy, machine washable and created with 100 percent textile cardiac electrodes, which send constant heart rate data to your favourite fitness app.
The socks are made of high-tech running-friendly fabric and come with a snap-on magnetic electronic anklet that uses the Sensoria app to monitor stress and strain on your ankles as you walk, run or jog, as well as tracking your steps, speed, calories burned, altitude and distance.
What makes this technology amazing is that the socks can help prevent injuries and alert the wearer to poor habits. It monitors cadence, foot-landing technique and weight distribution as you move, not only helping you to exercise correctly but also assisting in preventing exercise-related injuries.
Prices start from around $55 plus shipping.
Withings Aura
This is the one to watch. Good sleep and good health go hand in hand, but according to a recent survey, between 20 percent and 35 percent of Aussies lack adequate sleep.
Thanks to a soft sensor mat placed under your mattress and a strange looking LED alarm clock that sits by your bed, this genius invention sends all the data back to the app to keep track of your breathing, temperature, movement and heart rate while you sleep.
The LED alarm uses a combination of light and sound to help trigger melatonin (the sleep hormone), promote restful sleep and wake you up gently – this machine was made for sweet dreams!
Due to hit US shelves for $299 soon, let’s hope we see it on our shores by the second half of 2014.
Fitbit Zip
This is a fitness tracker for beginners. If you’re thinking about buying a fitness tracker but don’t want to dish the big dollars (some can cost up to $500), the Fitbit Zip is the one for you.
It tracks your steps, distance and calories burned, while syncing those stats to your smartphone. The Fitbit Zip also encourages you to set goals and challenge your friends.
It works with Android and Apple products, comes in four colours and is available from the 12WBT Shop for $79.95 (or $72 if you’re a 12WBT Member).
