A training aid for a swimmer includes a housing. The housing is sealed so that the housing is water tight. A coupler is coupled to the housing and is configured to couple to a swimmer's goggles to couple the housing to the goggles. A power module, a microprocessor, and a sensor are coupled to and positioned in the housing. An indicator is coupled to the housing. The microprocessor is operationally coupled to the power module. The sensor and the indicator are operationally coupled to the microprocessor. The sensor is configured to detect motion of the housing so that the microprocessor is positioned to determine a speed of the swimmer and to compare performance values of the swimmer relative to target values. The microprocessor is positioned to selectively signal the indicator to notify the swimmer of a difference between the performance values and the target values.

A method of managing an exercise routine of a person, involves providing at least one earbud, the at least one earbud capable of playing an audio file to the person wearing the at least one earbud, the at least one earbud comprising sensors for monitoring physiological data of the person, and based on the physiological data of the person, the at least one earbud providing audio feedback of target exercise parameters, rates, or both target exercise parameters and rates, to help the person optimize physical activity of the person. An apparatus includes a signal processor connected to the at least one earbud, wherein said apparatus is configured to perform the method.

An exercise device includes an ear piece insertable within the ear canal along an ear canal axis, a plurality of light emitters located about a periphery of the ear piece and spaced apart at 120 intervals for emitting light signals perpendicular to the ear canal axis into different areas of tissue surrounding the ear canal, a plurality of light detectors located about the periphery of the ear piece for detecting reflected light signals from the different areas of tissue surrounding the ear canal, an audio speaker, an audio player for sending audio signals to the audio speaker, and a vital sign monitor for determining at least one of heart rate, blood oxygen level, and body temperature from signals of the emitters and detectors.

To provide a device for measuring a time of passage that is capable of sensing passage of the torso more accurately than a photoelectric cell while maintaining the ease of use of a photoelectric cell, passage of a runner is sensed by causing the upper portion of the body of the runner to be broadly illuminated by infrared light, visible light, and/or other such electromagnetic waves, and by detecting light reflected from large part(s) of the body of the runner.

A swimming timer including a fluid container, a fluid channel, a fluid sensor, a control circuit board and a display device. The fluid channel is connected to the fluid container and the fluid sensor, and the control circuit board is wired with the fluid sensor and the display device. The fluid container is installed and mounted on a side-wall of a swimming lane. When a swimmer starts, turns and stops, the fluid container will be touched and compressed forcing the fluid inside to flow into the fluid channel. The fluid sensor detects the fluid flow and generates electronic signals accordingly for the control circuit board and the built-in timing and stopwatch program to use as the input commands of start, lap and stop to compute the swimming time and the number of swimming laps. The display device is to show the results for the swimmer reference.

A noninvasive light sensor for detecting heart beat signals has a circular support member engageable circumferentially with a body part of a person. There are a plurality of light emitters and light detectors located around a circumference of the circular support member for respectively emitting light signals into different areas of tissue surrounding the body part, and receiving reflected light signals from the different areas of tissue surrounding the body part.

A noninvasive light sensor for detecting heart beat signals has a circular support member engageable circumferentially with a body part of a person. There are a plurality of light emitters and light detectors located around a circumference of the circular support member for respectively emitting light signals into different areas of tissue surrounding the body part, and receiving reflected light signals from the different areas of tissue surrounding the body part.

The present teaching relates to methods for synchronizing rowers in rowing. A synchronization timing instruction is generated based on a stroke rate as a stroke cycle with multiple timings for corresponding events to occur and used to facilitate synchronization across multiple rowers on the events in each stroke cycle based on the timings in the instruction. For each of the events and a timing specified in the instruction, an actual timing for the event related to each rower is received from a sensor and used to determine a synchronization status of the rower on the event in comparison with the timing for the event as provided by the instruction. The synchronization status on each event with respect to each rower is signaled to the rower.

Provided is a heart-rate control device capable of adjusting the heart rate of a subject to a desired value between a base heart rate and an active heart rate, such as a heart rate immediately after physical exercise. The heart-rate control device includes a detector for detecting heartbeat information of a subject, an input unit to which information on a target value relating to a heart rate of the subject is to be inputted, a difference extracting unit for determining a difference between the target value and a current value relating to the heart rate of the subject, the current value being calculated from the heartbeat information, a pattern generating unit for generating a stimulus pattern depending on the difference so that the current value approaches the target value, the stimulus pattern being a combination of a sympathetic nerve stimulus for stimulating sympathetic nerves, a parasympathetic nerve stimulus for stimulating parasympathetic nerves, and an initialization stimulus for preventing stimulus saturation of the sympathetic nerves or the parasympathetic nerves, and an output unit for outputting the sympathetic nerve stimulus, the parasympathetic nerve stimulus and the initialization stimulus to the subject in accordance with the stimulus pattern.

The present teaching relates to methods for synchronizing rowers in rowing. A synchronization timing instruction is generated based on a stroke rate as a stroke cycle with multiple timings for corresponding events to occur and used to facilitate synchronization across multiple rowers on the events in each stroke cycle based on the timings in the instruction. For each of the events and a timing specified in the instruction, an actual timing for the event related to each rower is received from a sensor and used to determine a synchronization status of the rower on the event in comparison with the timing for the event as provided by the instruction. The synchronization status on each event with respect to each rower is signaled to the rower.