Sony announced today the new Smart B-Trainer, an all-in-one training device and application that features intelligent music playback based on heart rate monitoring, various training plans, and real time voice coaching.
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 styles.
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ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂSmart B-Trainer for Running 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.”ÂÂÂ
The built-in memory of 16GB stores up to approximately 3,900 songs, 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/IPX8, 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.
