On the Green With Robotic Putter Helper

In the future there could be robotic caddies that help golfers choose the right clubs, keep track of important data and eventually take over the world – if not at least the golf course (yes, I worry a lot about robots taking over the world). Now however, there is a new robotic device that will potentially aid golfers on the greens. Katherine Kuchenbecker at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia is leading the way with a new project that could help players improve their putt.

To achieve this goal, the team devised a 1.5-meter long training frame with a practice hole. Players take aim and practice with a wired putter that measures the swing and actually corrects deviation to the swing, encouraging better form. The wires actually pull the club, and the golfer can feel the forces, which in turn force him/her to swing correctly. It certainly has promised to get golfers not only in the swing of things, but to get into a better swing in the process.

[Via NewScientist.com: Wire robot yanks your golf game into shape]

Safety First! Product Recalls by the CPSC

Occasionally we highlight product recalls from manufacturers due to defects in design or incorrect material specifications that can lead to injury or death. Often these recalls circulate around the internet for a while and the end user of the defective item might never find out about the deficiency in the product until it is too late. A manufacturer does not have to wait to be notified by the government agency in charge of overseeing consumer safety with regards to a defective products and can imitated a recall on their own; but they always partner with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) during the recall.

The CPSC has one purpose – for over 30 years they have been “protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction.” This is a fairly simple mission, but it can be difficult to get the word out about a defective product especially if the number of items that were manufactured is small. For example, one recall that was just announced was from C.O. Lynch was only for 5,200 units sold as Itasca Fusion Hiker boots  by Big 5 Sports from March 2011 and June 2011. This is a small window of time and a small number of units – this certainly will not make the evening news.

As with a lot of things in life, you have to seek out the information it will not magically appear for you. The CPSC does make searching and reporting of defective products easier for consumers. For about five months now, the website SaferProducts.gov has been up and running providing consumers with a searchable database of all products under the jurisdiction of the CPSC. Continue reading Safety First! Product Recalls by the CPSC

Golf is Rad? Really!

‘Golf’ and ‘rad’ are two words that I would never imagine being used in the same statement. Though there are plenty of young players on the course, golf still conjures up images of Ted Knight and the pompous golfer he played in Caddy Shack. The golf ball manufacturer, PunkRockz, has made it their mission to change the way golf is viewed.

Even the company notes that “golf is rad,” and asks, “so why does it have to be so serious and stiff.” We agree, that golf should be about relaxing and having fun, which is why we like what PunkRockz has to offer in the way of innovative and yet entertaining golf products.

Based in Madison, Wisconsin, PunkRockz is a company comprised of skaters, surfers and snowboarders who also love to play golf. Their products are inspired by music, art, fashion and action sports; and this ‘attitude’ is reflected in their marketing and current golf ball, ‘The Skull‘. Continue reading Golf is Rad? Really!

FX Offers New Way to Trek by Bike

There are bikes that are ideal for off-road adventures, and bikes that will get you going fast on the road. For everyone else Trek Bicycles has revamped its line of bestselling fitness riding-targeted FX bikes. These are aimed at commuters as well as modern fitness riders, and are built around the concept of the “the fastest way to fit.”

The team behind the FX line looked at the needs of urban commuters and causal suburban riders alike and assessed what was needed for those who don’t always tone Lycra yet mostly stick to the road. The result is a bike that borrows from Trek’s road heritage and technology, combined with an emphasis on comfort and all around practicality. The FX line features road bike compact double cranks, and a tapered E2 headtube on key models to provide lively ride quality while the refined rack and rim lock mounts make the bike even more practical for city and suburban riding. Continue reading FX Offers New Way to Trek by Bike

Boingo Brings Wi-Fi To NIC

Visitors to the Pettit National Ice Center, which features an indoor speed skating oval, and is also homet o the National Speed Skating Museum and Hall of Fame, will now have access to Wi-Fi from Boingo Wiless. This will be helpful to the 500,000 annual visitors who attend the speed skating and figure skating events, as well as those attending the training schools and other activities at the Milwaukee center.

“We’ve increasingly received requests for Wi-Fi Internet from our athletes and visitors alike,” said Randy Dean, executive director for The Pettit Center. “This goes beyond family, friends and spectators watching and waiting for athletes practicing and competing. All here have an expectation to access the Internet to stay productive, informed and entertained.”

The Wi-Fi network will cover all indoor spaces, including the 400-meter indoor speed skating oval and two international-sized ice hockey rinks, as well as rental facilities and the Hall of Fame Room. Internet access at the arena is included for monthly subscribers to Boingo’s unlimited plan for the Americas, or visitors can purchase access for $1.99 per hour.

Boingo Wireless Official Website
Pettit National Ice Center Official Website

Fitness Journal: Fix it, Don’t Trash it

When did we become such a throwaway society? For most people, once a cell phone, computer, appliance or even a bicycle frame breaks, they are just chuck it into the trash instead of taking the time to fix the item. For many products it remains cheaper to buy a new one than it is to try to repair the broken one. This fact is especially true with electronics, but bike frames are a bit different. Depending on the type of break and material, a frame can be repaired and often for a fraction of the cost of a new frame – even carbon fiber.

Over the years, we’ve come across a number of companies that either offer the service of frame repair as their only business, while some frame builders offer the service on the side.

We’ve combined a list of a few companies that will let you fix it instead of trashing it:

Continue reading Fitness Journal: Fix it, Don’t Trash it

DeLorme to Introduce Award-Winning inReach Two-Way Satellite Communicator

If a product wins a Best of Show honor for a product that isn’t even out yet you know it is probably something special. DeLorme, maker of GPS and satellite communication technologies has been honored with an Outside Magazine Gear of the Show award and GearJunkie.com Best of Show award for the new inReach two-way satellite communicator.

From the early reports this device is the next best thing to Captain Kirk’s communicator and it utilizes a number of unique advantages compared to other satellite communicators. This device relies on the market-leading Iridium satellite network, so inReach can deliver two-way text messaging with full-pole-to-pole global coverage and message delivery confirmation. It also provides remote tracking.

When paired with either an Android smartphone or a DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w handheld GPS, the inReach lets users send and receive 160-character messages to and from family and friends. Messages can also be posted to Facebook and Twitter. In case of emergency, inReach users can send messages describing their situation so that responders can come prepared. Continue reading DeLorme to Introduce Award-Winning inReach Two-Way Satellite Communicator

GORE RideOn Cable System Goes on a Diet

W.L. Gore & Associates, the makers of GORE-TEX, have recently announced a lighter version of their RideOn cable system. With the upcoming release of the Gore RideOn Ultralight Sealed Shift Cable System, cyclists will enjoy  a 42 percent reduction in housing weight and shifting friction reduced by 20 percent. Along with the diet, the new RideOn cable system will feature 100 percent non-ferrous housing (no rusty housing); improved flexibity to aid in cable routing; full length, lubricated housing; and a new GRUB seal which is designed to be more compatible with new derailleurs.

The original RideOn Cable System was introduced back in 1993, and even though it was expensive, became a favorite for mountain bikers. I personally used RideOn cables in the mid-90’s when racing in the mud and muck of the East Coast, but to squeeze our meager racing budget, we only used it with the rear derailleur. We saved the cable and casing that was intended for the front derailleur for use later in the season with the rear derailleur. Gore stopped producing the RideOn Cable System  in 2003, but resumed after relentless requests from cyclists.

Continue reading GORE RideOn Cable System Goes on a Diet

Made in America: Kontrol Wheels

Skateboarding was born in America, but the sad truth (at least for purists) is that many of the parts are now made overseas. Fortunately there are still a few companies out there that are producing products to let boarders grind it and show some American made pride.

Based in San Diego, California, Kontrol Wheels is still producing skateboard wheels in America. The company was founded by Dan Eager in 2004, after he and few other engineers came up with a new technology to mold urethane wheels.

This new urethane-molding process not only eliminated much of the physical labor, but also created a superior skateboard wheel. It even reduced the amount of waste that came with conventional manufacturing.

Video after the jump

Continue reading Made in America: Kontrol Wheels

Motorola’s Rugged New DEFY+

Some mobile phones are built with more ruggedized features than others, but phone manufacturers often focus on drop and impact yet ignore some main culprits threatening a phone’s integrity: moisture, dirt and screen integrity. These are the main targets for the newly unveiled Motorola DEFY+, an Android-based phone that stands up to environment.

The DEFY+ runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), Google’s latest version of the mobile operating system. The new operating system is optimized to work smarter, faster, and offers better battery life so you can go longer without plugging in.

The features we like are the water resistant, dust proof and scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass properties of the phone. We’ve  tested Corning’s Gorilla Glass, and compared to the display glass used on most phones, this new glass stands up to threats such as keys, rocks and other sharp objects. It takes quite a bit of pressure before the glass shows any signs of distress. So you can put this in your pocket and not worry if the phone’s display dances with other gear you have stored alongside it. Continue reading Motorola’s Rugged New DEFY+

Terminus Bike Could be Terminal to the Bank Account

Having spent time in the factories “where dreams are made” – namely the Colnago factory in Italy – I’ve seen some expensive bikes. This reporter can also say that he’s seen some beautiful bikes. The M55 Terminus is certainly the former if not exactly the latter.

It isn’t just the name that evokes the metal interior of the Terminator either, and in all honesty this is probably what a T-80 in the guise of Arnuld would ride if the Terminator went mountain biking. Fortunately for us – and bad for Sarah Connor – the Terminator’s activities are limited (“He’ll find her! That’s what he does! That’s ALL he does!). This $35,000 bike is also heavy enough (heavy duty enough too), at 65 pounds to support a cyborg. And it is actually built like one too. The CNC-milled aluminum frame includes an electric motor powered by lithium-ion cells that give it a range of 62-miles – a bit limited we think were it to be used to actually hunt Ms. Connor.

Other advanced features aren’t exactly space age but they still impress, and include Syncros 26-inch rims, MXR air shocks at the rear, Fohloff twist gear shifters and Formula One braking technology. The good news for anyone worried about this machine potentially being used by our robot masters is that it will be limited to five very limited runs of 55 piece each.

The bike isn’t the product of the machines, but is coming a Hungarian developer, who has been financed by private investors and a $400, 000 grant from the New Hungary Development Plan. Isn’t that always how these sinister plans begin? But at $35,000 who besides a mad scientist or Terminator from the future (who could predict the stock market and bet on football) could possibly afford one!

M55 Terminus Official Website
[Via Wired: Hit the Hills and Highways on Hungary’s $35,00 Hybrid Hyberbike]

KineticShift Rides Stage 2 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge and Comes Back with Spectator Info!

(Video by Mike Prendergast) For a higher resolution video click here

From August 22nd through August 28th, one of the biggest professional cycling races in the United States will commence in Colorado Springs. This is one of the largest U.S. stage races in recent years, drawing international stars like Cadel Evans and the Schleck brothers to do battle on our soil, with our heroes including Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie and Colorado favorite, Tom Danielson. KineticShift.com will be there; and actually we have already been there and had a chance to pre-ride Stage 2, the ‘Queen Stage’ of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC).

At 131 miles and with two 12,000-foot mountain passes, Stage 2 of the UPCC will arguably be the hardest day of racing for the pros due to the altitude, length and unpredictable Colorado weather. Experience it here from a rider’s view as we climb, descend and film our way through the Queen Stage… returning with some interviews and insight for you!

This week’s coverage:

The Riding of Stage 2 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge – Part 1: Gunnison to Buena Vista
The Riding of Stage 2 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge – Part 2: Buena Vista to Aspen
Watching the Queen Stage – Spectator Information for Gunnison to Buena Vista
Watching the Queen Stage – Spectator Information for after Buena Vista to Aspen
Inspired by the USA Pro Cycling Challenge to Climb Some Colorado Mountain Passes?
USA Pro Cycling Challenge: Strider World Cup Answers the Challenge

 

Continue reading KineticShift Rides Stage 2 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge and Comes Back with Spectator Info!

New “Impact Indicator” Being Added to Football Helmets for 2011 Season

Football season officially kicks off in a few weeks, and players in the United States and Canada will be taking to the field with the Impact Indicator as part of this season’s newest additions to the protective equipment. Fittingly it was developed by Battle Sports Science USA, as a way to measure the G-force and duration of hits (impact) sustained by an athlete’s head during play or activity in sports. It uses highly sophisticated technology and proprietary software, embedded in a helmet chinstrap, to signal the possibility of a head injury. This revolutionary new product will alert parents, referees, players and coaches to get a player off the ice or field for a medical assessment – maximizing treatment, recovery and possibly preventing subsequent brain injury.

In addition to making its way to the gridiron the Impact Indicator is being introduced as a safety device for use in the sports of hockey as well. Now players can keep their head in the game and protect it too!

Battle Sports Science USA Official Website