We are well into the spring season and it’s time to get out of the chair and do more exercise.

I was looking around for my new Wearable Electronic workout gear and came across this very interesting Polar compatible Biker shorts from Nalini, an Italian company specialized in high performance biker outfit.

Shirts and Tops with integrated textile sensors are available from Numetrex and Adidas but biker shorts using a textile sensor is new and a great idea.

Not only does it take away the very annoying chest-straps that rub the skin, Nalini placed the Polar transmitter on the back where it does not interfere with your action. The attachment of the Polar transmitter is done via simple snaps.

The Rododendro bib shorts upper part is made of breathable mesh, reflecting materials on the back and rubberized bottom leg bands are more features of the Rododendro bib shorts.

Nalini Rododendro bib shorts are part of the top line in the Nalini product range, developed based of the experiences from professional bikers. The use of innovative materials, a unique style and high tech heart-rate sensing technology makes these shorts an excellent example of ‘made in Italy’ sports fashion.

Available for example via this link for € 119,95 (around $187.80) excluding a Polar WearLink Transmitter.

The Rododendro bib shorts get the highest marks on our Sports-Tech scale, for it’s overall style and for its innovative use of e-textiles.

Spring has officially arrived although in some areas there is not much of it to see yet. Nevertheless you have to plan ahead for the summer beach or pool season meaning: get in Shape now.

For a starter, running is the most easiest to do which makes you loose some pounds on the way and you can do it almost anywhere. What’s most important next to your motivation is to have the best outfit for running and a system to track your progress.

For the best outfit, the NuMetrex range of heart rate monitoring apparel which won recently the ShapeYou.com Sports, Health & Fitness GearAwards™ 2008 would be my advice.

The NuMetrex Heart Sensing Sports Bra and the Cardio Shirt for Men got the Top Gear medal while the Heart Sensing Racer Tank was awarded the Great Gear medal.

These awards for NuMetrex products is not a big surprise to me. Their fitness apparel with integrated textile sensors offer by far the best wearability comfort for heart rate sensing in sport apparel. Combined with the flexibility of NuMetrex’s system allowing to mix and match almost any existing sensor and wrist monitor makes the NuMetrex range the big winner.

If you are planning to get in shape, I suggest to look at the award winning Top Gear NuMetrex has on offer before you head off to your first run of this season.

Two New Zealand companies have developed a merino shirt that promises to revolutionize the way athletes measure, track and share information about their performance.

South Island-based sportswear innovation company i-RULE and Auckland-based smart-fabric monitoring company Zephyr Technology combined forces to create the Sputnik shirt, named after the world’s first artificial satellite which means “co-traveler”, “traveling companion” or “satellite”.

The shirt incorporates a harness worn around the chest made from fabric sensors woven into it. This smart fabric, in combination with specialized electronics, can measure, transmit and record key athletic performance attributes such as heart rate, respiration rate, skin temperature and posture.

After racing or training, the athlete uncouples the transmitter from the harness, places it in a cradle and uses Sputnik software to upload the collected data to the Facebook website and show off to friends the athletic accomplishments.

The idea sounds great, who does not like sharing the personal achievements but the design and integration of the smart textile sensor does not look that exiting, looks almost as having a chest strap underneath a shirt.

Personally I like more the full and seamless integration Numetrex is offering. Especially for women a chest strap is to my opinion a big NO even a smart textile based strap.

Lets give i-RULE / Zephyr the benefit of doubt at this moment as we will see very soon how the real world product will look like. The Sputnik shirt will be available for general release through i-RULE’s online store in spring 2008.

[source: Scoop Sci-Tech]

You may have heard or seen it, the new NBC TV series Bionic Women. The first season started in September this year with one of the highest viewer ratings for a midweek TV show.

Actress Michelle Ryan is starring the Bionic Woman.

To prepare for her role, Michelle did extensive cardio training including 2 hours a day with a personal trainer and using a NuMetrex Heart rate sensing sport bra.

At least I think she uses a NuMetrex bra to track her performance because Michelle can be seen with the NuMetrex Heart rate sensing sports bra (black model) in action on a photo from the second episode of the Bionic Woman.

The Heart rate sensing bra uses special sensors knitted into the fabric that stretch and move as you do but maintain contact with the skin, sensing the heart rate and transmits it to a heart rate monitor watch.

The transmitter is snapped into a pocket in the front of the bra. The NuMetrex bra uses seamless design to provide excellent comfort, support and freedom of movement.

Just right for the Bionic Women and YOU.

Pick up one of the available three colors: Blue, White or Black for $ 49.95 on NuMetrex online store.

Wearable Electronic takes again center stage for the third consecutive month. In May was the Smart Fabrics, this month the Avantex and coming month the ISPO Sport & Style in Munich / Germany.

Between July 8-10, the 1st Wearable Technologies congress “Where fashion meets technology” will be held in parallel with the sports equipment and fashion trade fair ISPO Sport & Style in the International Congress Centre Munich.

The cutting-edge congress builds a bridge between the high-tech and the fashion industry focusing on decision makers and experts from commerce, production, and science, in particular from the fields of sports, fashion, electronics and consumer electronics.

Wearable Electronic demonstrates how the combination of sports, fashion and lifestyle combined with the latest trends from the electronics industry creates authentic added value for customers and generates additional revenue potential.

The Innovations Hall will host the Wearable Electronic Technology exhibitors on 250 square meters, presenting all facets of this special market. iPod euphoria is as much part of this phenomenon as the analysis of the body’s functions and reactions during sports.

This event shows yet again that Wearable Electronic is becoming a trend that has the potential to shape the electronic as well as the fashion industry of the future.

We will keep you updated on the latest news about Wearable Electronic out of the ISPO Sports & Style and the Wearable Technology Congress in Munich.