Run to the Rhythm with the New Smart B-Trainer™ from Sony

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics announced today the new Smart B-Trainer™, an all-in-one training device and application that features intelligent music playback based on heart rate¹ monitoring, various training plans, and real time voice coaching². Developed for avid runners, the Smart B-Trainer™ comes in a non-slip, neckband-style housing to provide maximum freedom of exercise movements.

This sports companion integrates Sony's latest audio advancements with sensor and software technologies to provide a holistic exercise experience. It consists of the SSE-BTR1 headphone-integrated device that is packed with six types of sensors – heart rate, acceleration, GPS, compass, gyro and barometer – and measures, as well as records, eleven  types of running logs – heart rate, burned calories, distance, time, speed, pace, cadence, steps, stride, running route and elevation.

Based on a preset user profile and heart rate goal, the Smart B-Trainer™ measures your heart rate and automatically selects music for efficient training. Music tempo analysis is carried out by Sony's 12 Tone Analysis technology, which extracts a variety of metadata through signal and statistical processing to analyze music waveforms. When your heart rate is higher than your targeted speed, a song with slower tempo will be automatically selected to guide you to slow down, and vice versa when your heart rate is lower than the targeted speed. Additionally, runners can also adjust the tempo of the song to match running moods and styles³.

 

 

­­­Smart B-Trainer™ for Running⁴ is an app that enables you to manage running logs on your smartphone by tracking graphs of past records to give a clearer picture of your training progress. After you finish a workout, you can transfer the running log to the app to view the results and easily visualize your performance through graphs and comparisons with past accumulated records, best records, and trends. An awareness of detailed results typically leads to a more effective, sustainable progress and training. It also provides a versatile selection of training plans, be it to get in shape, build strength, or even to prepare for a marathon. After making your selection, send the plan to the Smart B-Trainer™ via Bluetooth® to begin training immediately.

There are two sets of training plans to choose from – Basic and Premium. The Basic Plan offers a range of options, enabling you to manually set running goals for the day (time, distance, burned calories, pace, etc.), or select from theme-based trainings, such as "Fat burning training" or "to Endurance training".

The Premium Training Plan offers a selection of training plans for a variety of levels, from walking to full marathon. Designed by professional coaches and other experts, the content is arranged in such a way that you can experience professional coaching, all from just voice instructions from the device.  In addition, new training menus, which will be added later this year, will have a voice of a professional running coach supervising you during training, warming up, and cooling down sessions. He will even share post-workout pointers, which can be checked on the app to track progress and design your next exercise regime.   

Premium Training Plan in collaboration with MY ASICS
Smart B-Trainer™ can work in coordination with the MY ASICS Training Plan developed by True Sport Performance brand ASICS. Training plans created in MY ASICS can be experienced in real-time on the Smart B-Trainer™, and you can store and manage your running logs. Simply enter the necessary details in MY ASICS, such as your current level, gender, age, and training frequency to set six different periods, including Speed Training Period and Full Run Period. You will then be able to see the training regime required to achieve your target.

"We are excited for runners to sync the new Smart B-Trainer with the MY ASICS Training Plan," said Greg Macias, Director of Marketing at ASICS America Corporation. "This customized experience is an extremely valuable training tool for runners of all ages and ability levels to set, manage and reach their goals. We are confident that runners using the MY ASICS Training Plan will see it as a game-changer for their training as it was expertly-developed at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in Kobe, Japan, utilizing data from thousands of runners in order to create training plans that cater to each unique runner's needs." 

The built-in memory of 16GB⁵ stores up to approximately 3,900 songs⁶, so you won't have to worry about running out of songs to listen to while exercising. The Smart B-Trainer™ has waterproof performance equivalent to IPX5/IPX8⁷, so you can run without the worry of rain, weather or perspiration. Additionally, it can be used as a Bluetooth^® headset to answer phone calls hands-free.

The Smart B-Trainer™ will be available in the United States Fall 2015. For more information on the Smart B-Trainer™, please click here .

**Applications are free of charge, but additional charges apply for a separate package for usage with a smart phone.

¹ Pulse measurement is the generally recommended method of determining your heart rate, which is a rough indicator of intensity of exercise. This device uses a built-in sensor to measure the pulse from your ear. Results of those measurements are used to monitor the amount of exercise done or for "heart rate training". "Pulses" here expresses "heart rate" to make it easier for users to understand. Heart Rate Training is a type of training that uses the heart rate. You can see how hard you are exercising by looking at your heart rate during exercise. It is possible to achieve effective yet safe training results by managing and controlling the intensity of training based on your heart rate.
² Music playback linked to heart rate and audio advice from professional coaches are supported in some exercise plans only.
³ Supported in the Basic Training Plan where you can set time and distance.
⁴ The Smart B-Trainer™ for Running app is available on Google Play and the App Store from June 2015. Display and features are slightly different for Android version and iOS versions. Only Android version app can be used without SSE-BTR1. An update for iOS version app is planned later in the year so that it can be used without the device.
⁵ This is the total capacity available including space for maintaining and managing measurement data, music, and audio data.
⁶ When only music is transferred to the built-in memory (calculated as 1 song = 4 minutes, 128kbps).
⁷ JIS waterproof protection class IPX8 (protection class against water immersion) shows that according to Sony testing conditions, a swimming earpiece was attached and submerged in 2.0 meter deep water for 30 minutes without damaging the product. JIS waterproof protection class IPX5 (protection class against a stream of water) shows that in conditions where a nozzle with an inner diameter of 6.3 mm was used to spray water from an approximate distance of 3 meters at 12.5 l/minute for more than 3 minutes, the main unit functioned normally even when sprayed directly with water from all directions. Liquids covered under waterproof protection are fresh water, tap water, sweat, and pool water. When using underwater, Bluetooth and some measurement functions (heart rate, barometer, GPS, etc.) will not function properly.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150805/255814
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150805/255816
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150805/255817 
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150805/255818
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140206/LA60150LOGO

 

SOURCE Sony Electronics