Swimming

More robotic fish spawned to monitor water quality

By Darren Quick

23:32 November 4, 2009 PST

Although fish numbers are in decline in oceans all around the globe, the same can’t be said for their robotic brethren. Like the “Robotuna” from MIT and the robots developed by a team at the University of Essex, the latest robotic fish from Michigan State University also take inspiration from nature. The aim is to give researchers more precise data on aquatic conditions and provide a deeper understanding of critical water supplies and habitats... and hopefully help improve the outlook for fish of the biological variety. Read More

MIT's robo-fish swims like the real thing

By Michael Mulcahy

00:23 October 9, 2009 PDT

What is it with scientists and robotic animals? Did they not have pets as children? This year alone, we’ve seen robot ferrets, penguins, dogs, locusts, moles and bats. And now, scientists at MIT have come up with a robotic fish. Although we’ve seen mechanical fish before, this one is different in a very significant way – the robofish truly mimics the natural swimming action of real fish, flexing mechanical muscles to propel itself through the water. Read More

Pool-Mate goes stroke for stroke with swimming's best

By Paul Best

19:11 June 9, 2009 PDT

For swimmers and triathletes in training or racing, keeping a tab on laps is tedious, but also it can be easy to lose track at times, especially as you tire. Plus there are frankly better things to think about while you’re working out in the pool. British company Swimovate has come up with a swimming computer, worn like a wristwatch, which takes the mental work out of keeping a lap count. But being a smart bit of tech, the Pool-Mate does a heap more besides. Read More

Bone-Conduction and Infrared FINIS AquaPulse Heart Rate Monitor for swimmers

By Mike Hanlon

18:34 April 21, 2009 PDT

We have already professed our love for the Finis Swimmers Snorkel, eulogized about the antidote to lap-grinding boredom known as the bone-conduction SwiMP3 underwater music player and now we're gonna do it all over again for the USD$140 AquaPulse heart rate monitor, a workout accessory for swimmers wishing to optimize their water-based exercise routine through heart rate training. Are we just raging fanboys? No, we do however rejoice in the logical and practical application of technology to enable new and better ways of doing things, and Finis will again deliver just that (in May). Read More

Underwater exoskeletons mimic dolphins and penguins

By Kyle Sherer

17:45 September 25, 2008 PDT

The University of West Florida’s Institute of Human and Machine Cognition has released designs of biologically inspired aquatic exoskeletons – robotic suits that enhance the user’s strength and provide great advancements in speed, stealth and maneuverability, allowing the wearer them to mimic the efficient swimming styles of penguins, dolphins and turtles. Read More

Flow measurement gives Olympic swimmers the edge

By Kyle Sherer

07:27 August 12, 2008 PDT

One of the secret weapons of the US assault on the pool in Beijing is a high-tech flow measurement technique developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute which aims to help athletes gain that critical few extra milliseconds by providing state-of-the-art analysis of how much energy the swimmers exert and how their body affects the water. Read More

iRobot expands pool cleaning range

By Emily Clark

21:23 May 6, 2008 PDT

iRobot is known to consumers as the creator of all types of home helpers, from the gutter cleaning Looj to the floor scrubbing Scooba. The company has now expanded its iRobot Verro Pool Cleaning Robot line to include two new models, the Verro 100 and 500. Read More

Aquatic audio: Natalie Coughlin Signature Series iSH2 waterproof headset

By Loz Blain

19:04 April 12, 2008 PDT

April 13, 2008 We've written before about H2O Audio's waterproof iPod accessories that let you pump out some good adrenaline tunes while you push through your swimming workout. Now, as America, China and Australia prepare to do battle for aquatic world supremacy in Beijing, the company has teamed with U.S. backstroke world record holder Natalie Coughlin to produce the iSH2 - an integrated waterproof case and headset for the iPod shuffle that works up to 10 feet (3m) under water. Read More

Aquatic Fitness Systems' advanced swim spas

By Emily Clark

21:55 March 10, 2008 PDT

March 11, 2008 Aquatic Fitness Systems has taken a multi-faceted approach to the low impact benefits of training in the water by incorporating walking, running, stretching, rowing and strength training functionality into its line of luxury swim spas. Read More

Extreme swimming pools: the biggest and deepest dips on the planet

By Jude Garvey

21:56 February 27, 2008 PST

February 28, 2008 Looking to beat the heat this summer by installing your own swimming pool? We thought we would give you a taste of what you almost certainly can't have when designing your dream backyard aquatic paradise. Firstly, there's the world's largest pool with an area equivalent to an incredible 6,000 standard-size 26 ft long domestic pools located at the San Alfonso Del Mar resort in Chile, and, going to the other extreme, there's Belgium's amazing 100 foot deep, 660,000 gallon (and heated!) Nemo33 dive pool. Read More

Beijing’s Olympic Aquatic Centre: the eye-catching, eco-friendly Water Cube

By Jude Garvey

23:19 February 5, 2008 PST

February 6, 2008 Construction work on the Beijing National Aquatic Center began in December 2003 in preparation for the 2008 Olympics and four years later, a stunning piece of architecture has been completed. The “Water Cube” is a rectangular-shaped steel building covered by a membrane of brightly lit blue bubbles which is incredible to look at but it is also important on an environmental level. The Water Cube consists of 100,000 sq m of ETFE, (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) a unique transparent plastic which absorbs solar radiation and reduces thermal loss. This is the first time EFTE has been used in China and it is the world’s largest and most complex EFTE building ever constructed. Read More

Convertible flippers eliminate duck waddle

By Loz Blain

21:08 September 19, 2007 PDT

September 20, 2007 We’ve written before about high-tech swim fins designed to be as efficient as possible in the water – but the problem remains that they’re very awkward and restrictive on land. That’s why we can instantly see the value of these convertible fins from Omega Aquatics that fold up out of the way to allow full mobility out of the water and click down with your first kick once you’re in the water. Read More

Asymmetric fishtail flippers promote a more natural kicking motion for swimmers

By Loz Blain

July 24, 2007 The idea of attaching fish-like fins to the body to propel us more efficiently through the water occurred to many early inventors, including Leonardo da Vinci, but it wasn’t until the early 1940s that flippers came into actual use – in this case, for the US Navy’s underwater demolition teams. Since then, they’ve become popular around the world for skin diving, snorkeling and swimming training. Look at the tails of fast fish, however, and you’ll notice that none of them sport a flat-edged tail – and it’s this observation that has driven Italian swim fin specialists Salvas to develop a new asymmetric fin design to get maximal kicking power out of a swimmer while promoting a more natural kicking motion than many standard fins. Read More