ST Motion Sensors, Microcontrollers Propel Category-Creating Sports Watches from Swimovate

Miniature motion-sensing and data-processing chips from STMicroelectronics form the brain and senses of a brand new swimming computer from Swimovate, a world leader in developing innovative electronic training products for sports.

The latest model in the award-winning range of Swimovate’s sports watches, the PoolMateLive is a fully automatic training aid for professional and recreational swimmers. This intelligent water-proof watch helps users concentrate and enjoy the exercise, while providing all the information about their swim and storing the data for later analysis.

ST’s miniature MEMS accelerometer inside the watch senses the motions of the swimmer’s arm in the pool to provide accurate inputs to calculate stroke and lap count, speed, distance, calories and efficiency. The STM32L microcontroller makes sure everything functions reliably on minimal energy use.

“When dealing with wearable technology, size and power consumption are extremely important. At just 3mm x 3mm each, the ST chips are among the smallest while ensuring an accuracy rate of over 99.75% and battery life of 12 months for the new PoolMate watch,” said Lisa Irlam, Swimovate CEO.

“This breakthrough training aid can make a big difference to many swimmers worldwide in improving their fitness and technique,” said Benedetto Vigna, executive vice president and general manager Analog, MEMS and Sensors Group, STMicroelectronics. “Swimovate’s decision to rely on ST’s sensors and control chips confirms our enabling role in the development of innovative, people-friendly applications in healthcare and wellness.”