Trace is an Advancement in Action Sports
A major trend in sports with the development of wearable devices is using them to monitor and track performance. Unfortunately for some, most of the wearable and accompanying apps developed have been focused on running and other cardio areas, but a device called Trace is bringing it to action sports in a yet unseen way. Trace provides skiers, snowboarders, surfers and others in action or extreme sports with real-time data to help them monitor, improve, and collect video of their activities. Simply put, Trace geotags and records your skiing, snowboarding or surfing activity, then organizes the data gathered so you can compare your own stats with your past stats as well as those of other Trace users and your friends. That is a gross oversimplification of what this waterproof, puck-shaped device that is small enough to hold in your hand and sticks directly to your board can do, however.
Trace works on its own with no phone needed, though it has a partner app available for Android and iOS devices, meaning mobile tech support of a highly sophisticated kind will be necessary if you should ever find your Trace device or phone in need of a fix. The question of why not simply using a phone for at least the video aspect is a simple one, as its inertial sensors are ten times more accurate for movement tracking than the latest phone on the market. For as intensive a battery-drainer as a similar program would be on a phone (few of which could handle everything it does at once), Trace has a ten-hour battery life, meaning it outlasts most mobile phones as well. Stats tracked in real-time include speeds (average, maximum, and sustained), total distance, vertical height, air time, and much more. It includes GPS mapping, specifics such as roll and pitch, and even calories burned.
For video, TraceCam syncs with all Bluetooth-enabled video devices such as GoPro and allows you to instantaneously relive your session through professional-quality highlight videos. That means you will want exceptional computer support handy for any mobile or wearable video device to which you may want to link your Trace. It not only takes the video, however, but its ability to detect runs and waves allows it to automatically cut boring elements out of the footage. With the stats it keeps while you use it, it also serves as a training video, allowing you the chance to see what has changed and make improvements. For group competitions, Trace can collect long-term data to get detailed information making it safer for participants. With all of this, it is easy to see how Trace is an unprecedented advancement in action sports.
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