If you're a gym junkie – and there are plenty out there – having a watch, wristband or glove capable of accurately tracking your session is invaluable. The latest take on workout tracking from PureCarbon promises live rep counting and weight tracking, thanks to sensors embedded in the palm of a glove.
The secret to the Delta Gloves lies in something PureCarbon calls SoftSense, which incorporates pressure sensor circuits embedded in the fingers and palm of the gloves. They allow for live weight tracking, detecting how much is being lifted and sharing it with a Bluetooth-connected smartphone. Along with the palm sensors, the "puck" attached on the back of the hand is able to count reps, making it easier to look back at your workout later on.
Although it's small, that little puck packs in a dual-core processor, neural network, an accelerometer and gyroscope. It's also home to the hardware necessary for Bluetooth tracking and smartphone connectivity.
Depending on the mode selected, the glove is able to use haptic notifications when the wearer has completed a set, and when their rest period has ended. The free smartphone app is also able give workout guidance through a set of headphones, counting reps and giving tips on good form (body position/shape) for the current exercise.
Users are able to track their past workouts using the free iOS and Android app, but there's no mention of any social media sharing capability – something less-focused trackers like the Fitbit Flex and Garmin VivoFit offer through their apps.
Keen gym-goers will know lifting weights is a sweaty, sticky business. PureCarbon says the tracking puck can be removed, making it easy to wash the gloves with the rest of your gym gear, and the material used is designed to stay cool and dry, with breathable mesh between the fingers.
At the moment, PureCarbon is seeking funding on Indiegogo, where the Delta Gloves have raised just under 20 percent of the $50,000 goal. A pledge of $99 is enough to reserve a set of the gloves, which are set to retail for $199 should they make it to market.
That would make them slightly more expensive than fitness trackers like the Samsung Gear Fit which, although more of a smartwatch than a focused workout device, offers inbuilt heart rate tracking. You could also enlist the services of a decent personal trainer for a few sessions with that money, although we know which option early-adopters would prefer.
Check the Delta Gloves out in the video below.
Source: PureCarbon