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Sport Watches and Computers
| Applications | |
|---|---|
| Title | Sport Watches and Computers |
| Author(s) | Rui Barradas Pereira. |
| Level | Basic |
| Year of Publication | 2011 |
The GNSS enabled sports watches are devices initially targeted for athletes. Nowadays, it has become very important for runners or cyclists to precisely monitor their activities in terms of training features, such as track speed or distance, but also for health monitoring indications, like heart rate. These health monitoring competences targeted the market of this product not only for athletes, but also to a broad spectrum of users, like persons who need a physical training program to recover from surgeries or diseases[1].
Product Description
A GNSS enabled watch is a simple device and in its essence is a stop watch combined with a handheld unit. Basically, these GNSS-based speed and distance systems are composed of two components, a GPS receiver and a watch[1].
Currently more complex products have features such as heart rate monitor, odometer, pace calculation or performance indicators.
Usually, the GNSS watches do not provide location information, because they are marketed as awareness equipments for speed, bearing and distance solely. Although, some watches can provide navigation features such as position, landmarks or waypoints which can provide lead the user back to the initial position[2].
In general the user interfaces used in these watches are very simple and some models own a touch screen allowing an easy use of the device.
These devices owns a USB interface to connect with a computer, in order to recharge the watch, but also to upload the collected data onto a proper application able to manage the monitored logs. Once the information is transferred, it is possible to access the heart rate readings, distances covered, current pace, average lap pace, average run pace, calories burned, among other details, providing an integrated training and monitoring platform.
Some models offer the possibility of integrate the collected information with tools like Google Earth in order to let the user to observe the routes accomplished, afterwords.
These products are considered as non-critical products.
The accuracy required by these applications is low. The current accuracy provided by civilian GPS is enough for these applications. Availability, however, can be reduced by heavy foliage and deep canyons depending of the environment where is used.
Product Characterization
The GNSS watches receiver can be worn on the arm or clipped to a belt and resembles a typical digital watch.
Some of the features available in specific models are the possibility of competing with the recorded best results or even against other runners through means of downloading data from other users into the watch.
Another common motivation of these products include the location monitor of children, which is covered in the Personal Trackers article.
Product Examples
There are currently at least four manufacturers of GPS watches[2]:
- Garmin GPS watches Garmin currently owns a line of eight different GPS watches.
- Timex GPS watches
- Polar GPS watches
- Suunto GPS watches
Casio used to have one, but it's currently discontinued.
Notes