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Equipment enabling athletes to quantify their performance have already been developed for swimming, ball games and cycling, so it was only a matter of time before more extreme sports got in on the act. The Trace is a device designed for skaters, surfers, skiiers and snowboarders that tracks their progress and shares it with friends.

The Trace is a small round pod that can be attached to a surface such as the underside of a skateboard, the top of a snowboard or the athlete’s helmet. Connecting to the user’s smartphone via Bluetooth, the nine-axis sensors inside the waterproof device detect the activity being performed – not only what sport, but also which trick they’re trying to maneuver and how successful they were at completing it. The device is designed to collect data during a whole session, and users can afterwards load the relevant ActiveReplay app – Surf, Skate, or Snow – to see what’s called a #SESSIONSHEET, which details accuracy, speed and landing quality of each trick attempted. Users can then share this data over social networks and also see how they compare to others in the ActiveReplay community. The video below explains more about the device:

Trace recently reached its funding target of USD 150,000 through its Kickstarter campaign, where backers could pre-order the full kit for USD 149. Customers can expect to get their hands on the first batch in January 2014. It seems that most sports will eventually get their own equivalent of the Trace as athletes and coaches continue a quest for more accurate data that can improve their game. Are there any stones still left unturned in this industry?

Spotted by: Murray Orange