Krack Up

KrackSkate culture is one that we truly could say has many “old school” elements, but a new start-up dubbed Krack is looking to change things. The wearables company is looking to bring fitness tracking to the board culture. This isn’t as easy as it sounds as skateboarding is a technical sport that involves many quick and precise movements.

Krack’s new system includes tiny sensors that attach to the bottom of a skateboard, and these feature a gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer to collect data, while an algorithms is able to make sense of it. The big question of course is why? The answer is that this could allow skaters to track progress – and possibly allow it to be used to show off their skills even if someone didn’t witness the skater in motion. It could also be used to enhance the skateboarding community through social media.

Krack Official Website

Tweets Keep the Sharks Away

sharkShark attacks are rather rare, but when they do occur they can be deadly. Now researchers in Australia have developed a system that could use social media to not only warn when a shark attack is imminent but actually monitor the movement of sharks near beaches.

It could be the next best thing to having the sharks sign up on Twitter to announce their presence. Since that would be difficult – as sharks don’t have mobile phones or the thumbs to type out tweets – the researchers have attached transmitters to more than 320 sharks, including great whites. When the sharks get close to the beaches the sensors trigger an alert, which is picked up on a computer.

From this a short message on Surf Life Saving Western Australia’s (SLSWA) Twitter feed is posted giving details on the approximate location of the shark, as well as its size and breed. This might just make it safe to go back into the water.

[Via Sky News: Australia: Sharks Use Twitter To Warn Swimmers]

Weekend Reading List (11.16.2013):

Social Olympics

Olympics

From Sport Techie: Reviewing the New Olympic Athletes’ Hub App for Sochi 2014
On November 3, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) launched a new Olympic Athletes’ Hub app in order to connect fans with Olympic athletes like never before. With a searchable directory of all athletes and their various social network feeds, fans can find their favorite stars on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Another unique feature within the app is the ability for verified athletes to text each other or the IOC from within the framework of the app. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (11.16.2013):

Weekend Reading List (03.23.2013): Social Madness, Breathe Right, Drink Up, Under Wear It

Social Madness

From Sports Techie: March Madness Bracket Based on Each Team’s Social Media Prowess
There are many ways to fill out a bracket. Some die-hard college basketball fans have watched as many games as they can during the season and are confident in filling out their bracket based on their own knowledge. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (03.23.2013): Social Madness, Breathe Right, Drink Up, Under Wear It

Weekend Reading List (9.22.2012): Helmets and Weather, Running Time Trial, Fatbook

Helmets and Weather

From The Weather Channel: Extreme Weather Connected to Helmet Safety
Concussions.

For most sports fans, the first image associated with that jarring word is a football player lying motionless on a field. It’s a harsh reality that the violent sport has an epidemic they need to conquer, for the safety of its players.

Recent research suggests there’s a correlation between extreme weather and the likelihood of head injuries.

Continue reading Weekend Reading List (9.22.2012): Helmets and Weather, Running Time Trial, Fatbook

Weekend Reading List (8.11.2012): Olympic Recap – Fist Pumping, Olympic Tech, World’s Fair Worthy

 Pump it Up

(Photo: Bob Willingham / FRPS )

From Discovery New: Fist-pumping celebrations by Olympians linked to primates
Fist pumps, hands in the air and jumping up and down, seen at every event at the Olympics, turn out to be the same across all cultures and likely have their roots in non-human primate displays.

When Olympic athletes such as Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglas and Usain Bolt celebrate their wins, they are displaying a declaration of success that could date back to the earliest human societies and beyond, according to a new study that has been accepted for publication in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (8.11.2012): Olympic Recap – Fist Pumping, Olympic Tech, World’s Fair Worthy

Weekend Reading List (8.4.2012): Olympic Recap – Social Media, MTB Course Goes Public, BMW Brings Tech, Athletes Tank

Anti-Social Media at Olympics

From SportsTechie: Social Media Ban During the ‘Socialympics’?
Social media is a large part of London 2012, but if you’re a spectator make sure you don’t post your pictures or videos on any social media sites. The organizers of the XXX Olympiad have seen fit to ban visitors from posting pictures and video that are taken at events and “exploited” on social media sites. These draconian measures are a bit confusing considering most of the technological measures enacted have been to grant more access, not to restrict it. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (8.4.2012): Olympic Recap – Social Media, MTB Course Goes Public, BMW Brings Tech, Athletes Tank

Weekend Reading List (7.28.2012) – Olympic Special: Let the Games Begin!

A View to a Thrill

From GearPatrol: Viewfinder: 10 Videos To Get You Fired Up for the Olympics
As London becomes the stage for the 2012 Olympic games, it’s hard to grasp just how much has happened. New arenas have been built, unfathomable amounts of technology have been put into place and scores of athletes have arrived, each ready to unleash every last ounce of honed-to-perfection competitive energy. As countries beam with pride — ours is cranked to 11 — it’s difficult not to get fired up. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (7.28.2012) – Olympic Special: Let the Games Begin!

Weekend Reading List (4.14.12): Running With (Just) GPS, Tech From Paris-Roubaix, Social CrossFit

Lonely Runner Indeed

httpv://youtu.be/kWO7SBjmzYs

From YouTube: [CrazyNav] TwoNav, When orientation becomes a game 

Challenge yourself! Find your way, alone, with nothing else but your GPS.

 

Continue reading Weekend Reading List (4.14.12): Running With (Just) GPS, Tech From Paris-Roubaix, Social CrossFit

Weekend Reading List (3.17.12): Pro Cycling Challenge Goes Gran, CDC Butts Out, Fat Cells Burn, MLB Social Swing

USA Pro Cycling Does Texas Gran

From BikeRadar: USA Pro Cycling Challenge partner with Gran Fondo: Texas TMCO

The USA Pro Cycling Challenge, one of the largest professional cycling races in the US, have teamed up with the second-annual Gran Fondo: Texas TMCO to create the KOM (King of the Mountain) Challenge. Continue reading Weekend Reading List (3.17.12): Pro Cycling Challenge Goes Gran, CDC Butts Out, Fat Cells Burn, MLB Social Swing

Sears Pushes Fitness Goals with Site, Merchandise

Sears has a new hardware goal, that’s hard bodies. The department store has spent time beefing up its fitness department, and it also supports the initiative with FitStudio, a website that provides fitness advice, exercises and a social media element to connect individuals with the same fitness goals.

Continue reading Sears Pushes Fitness Goals with Site, Merchandise