CIE Components in Electronics
Swimmers across the globe have a new level of activity tracking at their fingertips following a collaboration between digital technology and product design firm Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP) and leading international swimwear brand Speedo. CDP has created a swim tracking algorithm for a new generation of tracking app, called Speedo On, which can capture a range of key swim metrics via a water-resistant fitness band so that they can be incorporated into personal fitness goals.
The connected Speedo On app is featured on Samsung’s new Gear Fit2 Pro activity tracker. Sophisticated algorithms translate data from the accelerometer and gyroscope in the ergonomic wrist-worn device into measurements of lap count, lap time, stroke type and stroke count. The interactive swim tracking platform acts as a comprehensive training partner, offering analysis of swims and tracking progress against fitness goals. It also includes additional training programmes, tips and tailored advice, developed by some of the world’s best coaches and athletes.
As part of a worldwide team that worked around the clock to produce the app and its accompanying service for swimmers, the CDP team had a tight timescale of just two months for the development of the software in time for the launch of the Gear Fit2 Pro. So it deployed a mixture of analysis techniques – using both classical and machine learning algorithms to identify the relevant swimming characteristics. “One of the key challenges was understanding which stroke was being used as we had to classify the data taking into account wide variations in swim technique,” said Roberto Basile, a software engineer at CDP. “Lap counting was also complex as we were simply using measurements of hand movements – yet needed to differentiate between normal swimming and the movements during a turn.”
The development was completed in time for launch, with the Speedo On swim tracking app pre-installed on the Gear Fit2 Pro. The data is seamlessly transferred on to the Speedo On web-based platform. The app also has a social dimension – enabling users to follow other swimmers, take part in challenges and share achievements. And swimmers can complete time trials and get their SWOLF score – a swim efficiency measure.
“Speedo is committed to inspiring more people to get into the pool to achieve their fitness goals,” said Tim Sharpe, innovation director at Speedo owner Pentland. “The combination of CDP’s unique software skills and Speedo’s swim expertise has provided fitness-focused swimmers with a completely new level of tracking.”
