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 semi- to fully-automatic timing system for racing events generates the starting signal(s) of the race, which are synchronized with race timing through Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmissions to cellular-connected devices, such as smartphones. Race results are immediately uploaded by the connected devices to a database, which can be cloud-based, using a racing software app. If necessary, BLE range is extendable through at least one custom relay. Sound and visual starting cues are generated by the starting device and/or with optional amplification by Bluetooth-connected peripherals. The starting device incorporates a transmitter comprising a custom Bluetooth-enabled chip and/or custom printed circuit board. The starting device also has a reset button which triggers a pre-programmed response, including time clock reset, for false starts.

Disclosed are computer-implemented techniques for providing immediate feedback to rowers for training and other activities to improve competitiveness of rowing crews. The techniques include a computing device receiving from a set of stroke unit devices, data that represent changes in acceleration of users' seats corresponding to users' strokes, receiving reference stroke data corresponding to a reference user's stroke, and generating from the received data from the set of stroke unit devices and the received reference strokes data, feedback data that correspond to relative stroke timing differences of each of the users, relative to the reference stroke, and transmitting the generated feedback data to user devices according to a feedback mechanism. Various feedback mechanisms are disclosed including visual, audio and tactical feedback mechanisms.

A race timing system according to aspects of the invention includes a tracking device (or “TAG”) that is disposed in a vicinity of, and that moves with, a participant in a race taking place on a racecourse. The tracking device, which can be for example an active RFID tag worn, carried, dragged or pushed along (collectively, “carried”) by the participant, transmits a first identification signal unique to that participant and/or to the tracking device itself. An ad hoc (or itinerant) checkpoint is disposed in a vicinity of the racecourse during a portion (but not the entirety) of the race. The itinerant checkpoint transmits, e.g., to a central event timing server (i) the location of the itinerant checkpoint at or around the time of its receipt of the first identification signal from the tracking device, and (ii) a second identification signal unique to the participant and/or tracking device—which second identification signal may be the same as the first identification signal.

Systems, devices, and methods are described for providing, among other things, a neck and spine strengthening device. The strengthening device includes a spinal resistance assembly configured to apply a resist force or to resist rotation about at least a first axis, and a head affixing assembly configured to secure to a head of a user during use. The strengthening device is instrumented with sensors and an embedded computing system configured to securely exchange exercise performance and configuration data with local client devices, and to monitor and record exercise activity and exercise performance data.

Disclosed are computer-implemented techniques for providing immediate feedback to rowers for training and other activities to improve competitiveness of rowing crews. The techniques include a computing device receiving from a set of stroke unit devices, data that represent changes in acceleration of users' seats corresponding to users' strokes, receiving reference stroke data corresponding to a reference user's stroke, and generating from the received data from the set of stroke unit devices and the received reference strokes data, feedback data that correspond to relative stroke timing differences of each of the users, relative to the reference stroke, and transmitting the generated feedback data to user devices according to a feedback mechanism. Various feedback mechanisms are disclosed including visual, audio and tactical feedback mechanisms.

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.

Systems, devices, and methods are described for providing, among other things, a neck and spine strengthening device. In an embodiment, the neck strengthening device includes a spinal resistance assembly including at least one resistance component configured to apply a resist force or to resist rotation about a first axis. In an embodiment, the spinal resistance assembly permits lateral neck rotation of a user about the first axis while substantially limiting flexional and extensional movement. In an embodiment, the neck strengthening device includes a device securing assembly configured to physically anchor the device to an anchoring structure. In an embodiment, the neck strengthening device includes a head affixing assembly configured to secure to a head of a user during use. In an embodiment, the strengthening device is instrumented with sensors and an embedded computing system to securely exchange exercise performance and configuration data with local client devices and monitor and record exercise activity and exercise performance data to remote, internet connected serves.

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.