Open Access To Exercise Data? 188
identity0 writes "A recent Slashdot discussion about heart-rate monitors in schools got me thinking about getting one for my own exercise. It turns out that the available models have a wide range of features: calorie rate, pedometers, GPS, PC connectivity, etc. Being a geek, I want one that will let me look at my exercise data, and I'm curious what experiences Slashdotters have had with them. Some download data to a proprietary application — are open source alternatives available or is the data format easily readable? Others upload data to an online app — can the data be pulled off the site or is it forever trapped on their servers? While I'm not an open source zealot or a paranoid about my data being shared, I would like to know that I can access my data in the future. Whatever method you guys use to monitor your exercise, I'd love to hear about it."
PolarViewer (Score:5, Informative)
PolarViewer [saring.de] only works with certain monitors, but is under the GPL.
Linux.com had an article [linux.com] in 07 on the subject as well.
Garmin Edge 705 (Score:5, Informative)
I use a Garmin Edge 705 for my training needs. The device shows up as a normal USB Mass Storage Device, and the file format is an easily readable XML type file.
Garmin is reasonable (Score:5, Informative)
I'm quite happy with the Garmin bike GPS I have. It downloads the data in a pseudo-proprietary format, but it's easy to convert into an XML format that's fully documented on their website: http://developer.garmin.com/schemas/ [garmin.com]
Also for those that use linux, here's a couple of scripts that sync down the garmin data, do the XML transformation, and uploads it to garmin connect: http://braiden.org/?p=62 [braiden.org]
Re:Garmin Edge 705 (Score:4, Informative)
I use a Garmin Edge 705 for my training needs. The device shows up as a normal USB Mass Storage Device, and the file format is an easily readable XML type file.
Ditto for my Garmin Forerunner 205 (running watch with good quality GPS). There's some kind of SDK available for it as well, and I've always meant to get round to investigating it but the Garmin Connect website does pretty much everything I'd want to do anyway.
PASCO (Score:4, Informative)
Use the PASCO gear, with their Datastudio app. It's great, and will take all sorts of data wirelessly.
http://store.pasco.com/pascostore/showdetl.cfm?&DID=9&Product_ID=53770&Detail=1
Re:Garmin is reasonable (Score:4, Informative)
runsaturday.com (Score:4, Informative)
You should also look into http://www.runsaturday.com/ [runsaturday.com] this site imports/exports data to a lot of sites and devices if you are feeling vendor locked.
Re:I was just wondering... (Score:2, Informative)
There are already a few available continuous blood glucose meters [diabetesnet.com] available and last time I checked at least a few of them were approved by the FDA (thus covered by medical insurance in the USA).
Being a type 1 diabetic myself, I have fought to get one of these myself but the powers-that-be here in Norway seem to think there are no advantages to having your blood glucose measured every 1-2 to 5 minutes for 3-7 days (depending on which monitor you get), at least not compared to the price of these gadgets. Pretty insanely ignorant, as having this info available would let me easily have perfect blood glucose levels at all times. Hell, some of these meters even come with an optional automatic insulin pump!
Bodybugg (Score:5, Informative)
Bodybugg does not measure heart rate but a few other exercise-related data
(acceleration, heat flux, galvanic skin response, skin temperature)
http://www.bodybugg.com/science_behind_bodybugg.php [bodybugg.com]
The data has been hacked by some guy:
http://bodybugghacks.blogspot.com/ [blogspot.com]
it still requires some work to use it thought
Garmin Edge 305 + Sport Tracks (Score:5, Informative)
I used to run prior to buying my Garmin 305, and I even ran a 10k with decent timing, after deciding last year to leave the couch behind. I had a myriad of foot related injuries and at one point my sports med pretty much told me that all lower extremities will require replacement. I hope he was joking. But the fact was I had no clue as to how I was pushing myself. Even the course around my house I knew as if the back of my hand, I didnt know whether I was doing better one day vs the previous, whether I am pushing myself too hard, how far I was running etc. I would drive my car around the course usually, If I ran different to calculate the mileage, but that became a hassle (found out later that there are other ways such as Mapmyrun which overlays google maps etc.)
My two bit advice to you would be dont buy a gps training device (which is what it is) unless you were training for something. And something bigger than a 5k or a 10k. If you just started running, then run for the fun of it and when you have got that in your blood, get a training device, when you are ready to step up to the next level. A gps device the first time you start running would overwhelm you with all the data (and Garmin 305 buries you with it, and I love it!). You need all the data when you are ready to make sense with it. Initially, you should smell the crisp air outside (or the smog), feel your heart pounding inside the ribcage, see the next hill as you race towards it and its more gratifying than a lot other things, like reaching for the next bag of chips.
A Garmin 305 with its heart monitor will give you tons of data. It will poll your position every 3 seconds, and you can use a tool like SportTracks to overlay that on google maps or Google Earth to see what you burned through. Garmin has its own training tool, like Garmin Connect, which previously sucked, but now is much better. Still I would like to direct you at Sport Tracks as its free and gives you a cumulative representation of your training than other tools. There is nothing better than seeing a month worth of data and see that you have ran 100 miles in the last one month, which days you ran, what your average pace were, your splits/laps. And oh..and graphs, more and more graphs. You can also track as to what parts of the course you were running fast vs slow, your heartbeat zones and the areas of the course where you were about to pop so that you can be better prepared etc. The Garmin 305 does a piss poor job at calculating the calories burned, as it computes it based on the distance covered, not on your heart beat which is a better route. But as long as you burn more than you take in, even if its a rough figure, you would lose weight gradually.
Sure, you dont need Garmin 305 (which is rather bulky, but once its on your hand you dont feel its there) or any other training devices unless you are prepared to take your training to the next level. I am running a half marathon in November and I am treating my training just as I would treat anything else thats important in my life. I have a goal of a set number of hours:minutes before I cross the line and I am not ready to leave that to speculation. I train because I want to be injury free and better prepared. And thats what I have my Garmin. YMMV.