Austrian Company Develops Smart Apparel Device with Fitness and GPS Monitors

LEBRING, Austria-A European company develops textiles with built-in fitness monitors and GPS tracking. The technology features textiles woven into the washable fabric for a variety of active applications.

In a report by SportTechie, QUS shareholder Maximilian Seidel explains that the company’s innovation comes from collaboration with athletes involved in physically-demanding events like marathons in the desert. By developing built-in, washable sensors, athletes could potentially have an alternative to the traditional heart-rate monitor strap used in conjunction with many current fitness devices. “[Marathoners] want to get rid of the chest strap because they all say it is uncomfortable, they don’t like it,” Seidel tells SportTechie.

In addition to athletes, the report notes that the technology is a possible tool for other fields including medical and health fields as well as high-stress occupations like law enforcement and the military. Since the system uses a removable pod that houses GPS and data, the company also notes it’s suitable for “any team or individual sport.”

While studies are still underway, QUS is testing the technology against more standardized systems like ECG monitors to verify accuracy. The company is also using respiration as a parameter for metering intensity instead of heart rate, which Siedel contends is not as accurate.

The company debuted the technology at last year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and plans to return to the 2019 installment in January. An active Kickstarter count on the QUS page also calls for interested parties to contribute as the company finalizes serial production.

To read the full interview, visit https://www.sporttechie.com/qus-washable-smart-textile-tracks-gps-and-heart-respiratory-rates/.