Garmin has officially opened an advanced Firstbeat Analytics Lab in Jyväskylä, Finland, setting the stage for significant enhancements to its wearable devices. This follows a soft launch of the lab in 2022.
The facility is equipped with custom fitness apparatus and sophisticated systems. All of this will serve as a creative hub for Garmin’s team of experts. Here, physiologists and data scientists will work hand-in-hand, leveraging proprietary monitoring technology to innovate and refine the company’s product range.
The Role of Firstbeat Analytics
Under the Garmin umbrella, Firstbeat Analytics plays an instrumental role in the transformation of raw data into actionable insights. It specialises in interpreting heartbeat and other statistics from consumer devices, providing valuable recommendations to enhance athletic performance and wellbeing.
These types of metrics are pivotal in providing a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s health and fitness. They assist users in determining optimal times for activity and rest, tailoring workouts based on performance and recovery, and understanding their body’s adaptation to various environments. It is the type of information paves the way for more efficient training and improved overall health.
Among the key metrics developed over the years are the Body Battery, estimating current energy levels, and the Endurance Score, assessing the ease of maintaining prolonged efforts. The system also suggests daily workouts that adapt to performance and recovery, and monitors heart rate variability during sleep for a holistic view of health. Additional metrics encompass real-time stamina tracking, recovery time estimation, sleep tracking, and VO2 max tracking, which evaluates overall cardiovascular fitness and aerobic performance capacity. These are just a few examples.
Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets
Undoubtedly, the coming years will witness the emergence of innovative new metrics, partly a result of expected advancements in sensor technology. Development is underway for sensors capable of analysing sweat, glucose, hydration, and even measuring blood pressure from the wrist. They might not land in 2024, but will certainly become reality soon.
Garmin and Firstbeat Analytics: A strategic acquisition
Garmin acquired Firstbeat Analytics in 2020, recognizing the potential of its unique approach to health and fitness data. The acquisition allowed the company to integrate Firstbeat’s advanced metrics into its own products, providing users with more comprehensive and personalised health and fitness insights. Garmin performance and recovery metrics have come a long way as a result of this linkup. The new modern lab will ensure advancements will continue in the years to come.
Like this article? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out!
