Popular_Science_Australia_November_2016

(Martin Jones) #1
Even professional
athletes are terrible at
staying hydrated. So BSX
created the wrist-worn
LVL, the first wearable to
measure hydration in real
time. Other wearables
make surface
measurements close to
the skin, but LVL uses
near-infrared light to
peer beneath it and
record changes in blood
colour, which are
indicative of hydration
levels. If the wearer is
dehydrated, it alerts
them with an on-screen
message. Drink up!

Dehydration
Detector

C

BSX
LV L

It’s tough for open-water
swimmers to cut
through waves in a
straight line. OnCourse
Goggles keep them on
track, no surfacing
necessary. To set a route,
a swimmer sights a
way-point and clicks a
button to lock it into an
electronic compass and
shore up the path. Green,
yellow and red LEDs in
the corner of each
eye provide direction.
Green in both means
on course, red in the
right eye means veer
left, and vice versa.


GPS for
Swimmers


B

ONCOURSE
GOGGLES


Two milliseconds is all it takes to injure


the brain in a collision. Giro’s Avance does


more than any other helmet to protect


our gray matter. The helmet utilises Multi-


directional Impact Protection System


(MIPS), a burgeoning head-safety technology.


It allows the wearer’s head to


move inside a helmet like a ball in a socket.


An inner shell holds the head steady while


the outer shell rotates. This movement


deflects the forces that cause the worst


brain injuries. For extra measure, Giro


made the inner shell of premium foam to


protect against successive impacts.


The Safest


Ski Helmet


GIRO
AVANCE MIPS


A

D

AXE ELEMENT HYPERWHIP BASEBALL BAT


Better Grip,


Faster Swing


Round bats with round handles are
as old as baseball. Now there’s
a bat with a handle like an axe. Its
ovular shape provides a better grip,


and the tapered end protects from
injuries when clobbering fastball
after fastball. (Turn the page
to find out what a pro thinks.)


D

B

A

C

44 POPULAR SCIENCE
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