Computerized Surfing – Not Just for the Web

Chances are you’re doing it right now, you’re surfing the Web. That is after all what we think of when we say computerized surfing, but now there is a very different type of “high-tech” surfing that actually puts you in the water and takes you away from the Web.

Spanish company Pukas is working with technology partner Tecnalia on a board designed to give professional wave riders an edge.

Enter the Tecnalia Sufsens board, a computerized surfboard that is loaded with a gyroscope, accelerometer, GPS, strain gauges and pressure sensors that can measure everything from the rider’s speed to the how much wave he or she is catching. Back on dry land you can download the data to a PC for analysis.

Sensors Watch Your Every Move

Post-game for many pro and collegiate teams often involve watching video and analyzing every move. But what if coaches and players could analyze more specific moves. Did an athlete’s foot falter? Did the player put enough force behind a throw? What about follow-through? That’s not always evident on video, but with sensors in clothing video could be supplemented or even replaced with data and possibly even 3D modeling of each play. A company called 24eight, Advanced Technology Innovation, is creating clothing with sensors for just that purpose. Continue reading Sensors Watch Your Every Move

Indoor Bike Lock Solutions

For cramped apartment dwellers, those who live in dorms while away at college, regular commuter or just don’t who don’t trust their roommates, locking up a bike inside can be a problem. Roommates probably won’t want the bike locked to the kitchen table, and office managers may frown on a bike tethered to a desk. But if you can’t keep an eye on your bike you need not worry that out of sight mean out for a joyride.

Rodd Industrial Design in the UK has created two new locking solutions. The first is Armlock, which is great for multi-occupancy houses and apartments where a bike can be stashed in a common hallway. It is fixed and wall mounted, where the frame is placed in the lock, which is then engaged. When not in use the Armlock can be folded back to the wall.

For a less semi-permanent solution there is the Lupin, a flexible sleeve that slides in the door frame near the hinges. A plastic block makes it impossible for the device to slide all the way through and thus provides an anchor. The other end features loops that a bike lock can pass through, making for a handy place to lock a bike. This can turn a utility closet into a handy bike storage locker. Instead of lock and load, this is lock and go.

[Via Dexigner: New Solutions to Residential Bicycle Theft Unveiled]

Race Radio Ban Could Result in Boycott

Two-way radio technology has become a major part of sports, but some governing bodies are looking to ban their use. This is most notable in professional cycling where a number of teams have threatened to boycott this falls Tour of Beijing cycling race unless the International Cycling Union (UCI) withdraws its ban on the radios.

Race organizers have tried to institute bans in major classics, such as last year’s Tour de France, but Beijing could be the real showdown as it is the only event in professional cycling that the UCI actually governs and promotes directly. As expected the teams are not taking this lightly. The professional cycling association, known as AIGCP (Association International des Groupes Cyclistes Professionels) could pull out of the Chinese event. Continue reading Race Radio Ban Could Result in Boycott

Hands On: Injinji Performance Midweight Toesock

We should call this one a Feet On review. Injinji makes socks with five toes. It’s a little strange at first to have each toe wrapped in sock, but it feels good. I put them on when I had a day of outdoor activity planned and wanted to test them out. It worked out quite well.

The socks are made with a flat-knit weave that eliminates bunching and sagging. The weave, or knit, has loft and stretch so the socks feel almost padded, though not to the point where they’d cause any problems with your feet in their shoes. Each toe is knit seamlessly to eliminate skin-on-skin friction. Lycra in the fabric helps each sock retain its shape and mold to the contours of your foot. Continue reading Hands On: Injinji Performance Midweight Toesock

Run With Ryn Shoes

The rocker shoe craze isn’t going anywhere. Korean company Ryn is among the newer introductions to the American Market. Ho Hyung Lee, who worked at a sneaker factory in Pusan, Korea, developed Ryn footwear. When he had to leave his job for an emergency knee operation, he decided to develop a pair of shoes that would help him recover, and aid others plagued by joint pain and those who want to tone up.

 

Continue reading Run With Ryn Shoes

Cane-do Bike from Bamboo

We’ve noted other “green” bikes, including those made from renewable materials including bamboo, but recently Vijay Sharma showed that he has a cane-do spirit for making bikes from the quick growing grass (which bamboo technically is rather than a wood).

What makes these bikes stand out is that Sharma has created his bikes using the skills his father, a carpenter, taught him. The result is that Sharma has turned this into a not-so-small business making the Bambikes. Sharma also notes that bamboo is comparable to steel in terms of strength, something the people in North-East India know quite well as the material is used to build houses. Bamboo is also known to be shock-absorbent and flexible, while still retaining rigid – qualities that are essential for bicycles. Continue reading Cane-do Bike from Bamboo

H2O Audio Introduces iPod Headphones That Aren’t Wet

Swimmers and triathletes don’t obviously spend a lot of time in the water, and H20 has just announced its latest generation of its Interval Headphones System, the Interval 4G. These high-performance headphones are waterproof and sweatproof and designed to get wet and wild, and are submersible to 12ft/3.6m underwater. Designed to work with the 4th generation iPod Shuffle, these headphones feature the latest Surge 2G headphone technology and attach directly to the goggles – while also being compatible with an Interval hat or visor for use out of the pool.

Whether you’re swimming, cycling or running, these headphones promise to deliver excellent audio quality along with unmatched comfort and fit.

The latest waterproof technology delivers improved bass quality, while sound-isolating, watertight earplugs provide warm sound and dynamic bass response powered by Surge 2G’s waterproof 8mm neodymium drivers. The headphones are available now for $99.99 (MSRP).

H2O Audio Official Website

 

When There’s a Chill in the Air, Hot Pack

Team Saxo Bank-SunGard just approved a wind shell from Sportful that many cyclists can appreciate. The jacket is lightweight and compresses into a pack that fits in the palm of your hand so you can easily tote it along on your ride in case of rain, wind, or chill. The jacket is designed to provide front wind protection, breathability, and a moderate degree of water protection, but in the absolute minimal package. Continue reading When There’s a Chill in the Air, Hot Pack

Rangefinder That Will Help Keep You Out of the Rough

Whether you’re hitting the links, or just want to stay the course, the Bushnell Hybrid Laser-GPS Rangefinder offers the best of both technologies. It features single hand vertical operation of the durable, rainproof device. It offers 5 power magnification with a range of 5-1000 Yards/Meters, and comes pre-loaded with more than 16,000 North American golf courses.

Best of all is there is no membership or download fees, while the Hybrid Laser-GPS Rangefinder offers auto hole advance, auto course recognition and is completely legal for tournament play. This makes it ready to use right out of the box without the requirement of additional software or hardware. So if spring has finally sprung for you, and you’re looking for some assistance as you get in nine-holes, this device will lead the way.

Bushnell Golf Official Website

Nike Tees Off With New Golf Balls

Can Nike do for golf balls what it did for athletic shoes? No doubt that is what the company is looking to it, as it unveiled its new 20XI premium golf ball franchise. And yes, there even a “swoosh” adorned on the side, but from the outside these new balls otherwise look just like every other golf ball.

What makes these balls stand out is what out is that these feature innovative golf ball technology that will reportedly dramatically enhance the performance of golfers around the world and, at the same time, propel golf ball manufacturing into an entirely new level of innovation. Those are big claims, but again this is coming a company that has delivered on its past bold statements.

The Nike 20XI golf ball features a combination of proprietary technology that has actually never before been seen in the golf industry, and more importantly is the result of four years of collaborative research and development between Nike Golf’s golf ball engineers and a team of material and science experts at DuPont. Together they went to the core of creating a golf ball, as in the actual core and opted to bounce out the old conventional rubber core with a radically new resin material. Rubber has been the traditional core for years, so the switch to resin is quite a big deal. Continue reading Nike Tees Off With New Golf Balls

Organix Integration of Mind, Body and Racquet

This week there was something truly “epic” in the world of tennis technology, or rather it sounded epic as it came from Epic Sports International, global licensee for Boris Becker Tennis and Volkl Tennis. The company has announced the release of its Organix racquet technology.

Does this involve some sort of “unobtainium” or other super space-age composites? Actually it is nothing so complex  nor does it involve heading to another planet to obtain the material. Instead it is base cellulose as a base material, but has been utilized with carbon nano tubes, making for racquet that provides improved sensation and power for all levels of tennis players. The Organix technology is now available in five racquet types, which were developed by Volkl, along with Munich-based Frauhofer Institute. The result is that three technologies are incorporated into the racquets, and include the Bio Sensor Handle System, Organix and Optispot. Bio Sensor Handle System offers dynamic dampening to minimize shuddering by 15 percent, while the Organix is used for enhancing vibrant power by 30 percent and it is a combination of organic cellulose substances and DNX carbon nano tubes. Finally, the Optispot offers players the capability to strike 40 percent additional balls in the sweet spot.

“Organix is the next generation technology platform which gives Völkl customers a comprehensive, highly technical and superior performing racquet to fully connect the players’ mind, body and racquet,” said Brian Dillman, vice president and general manager of Epic Sports International. “We look forward to another year of fast growth and high-level consumer visibility with Völkl on track to be the fastest-growing tennis brand worldwide.”

We’ll leave that to the court – the tennis court to decide.

Volkl Official Website

Oh Danny(Shane) Boy Membership Program Launched

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we thought it would be worth noting that if absolutely, positivity feel the need to wear green today, at least do it with some style. And if you’re going to wear green while riding, you can put on the green and do so by being a bit green in the process too.

DannyShane, the maker of eco-conscious cycling apparel, announced this week the launch of Club DannyShane, an exclusive membership program for cycling enthusiasts. Club DannyShane founding members receive a DannyShane Targa Limited Edition Jersey (available only to Club DannyShane members), a Club DannyShane bracelet, exclusive discounts, new product previews and invitations to special events and a member ride in Austin, Texas later this year. The cost for Club DannyShane membership for 2011 is $125.

“We are excited to launch this new program, offering our clients exclusive founding membership into Club DannyShane,” said Shane Hunt, president of DannyShane. “We know that cycling goes far beyond the gear and apparel. It’s part of a lifestyle, and we look forward to connecting and riding with our members.”

We should mention that all DannyShane cycling jerseys are infused with bamboo white ash (44 to 50 percent bamboo white ash)  in every weave of the fabric, and this natural fiber provides natural moisture-wicking capabilities that promise not to irritate skin or rinse out like chemicals. The bamboo further captures odor naturally, provides natural UV protection, and even offers ultra soft comfort that dries quickly.

DannyShane Official Website