Any fitness enthusiast probably knows that when doing running workouts, we’re required to use all of the major muscles of our body. Moreover, the harder the workout, the harder and more tiring it will be for our muscles. The end result is that the oxygen saturation levels on our muscles tends to get lower. Not only that, but our muscles will also have a buildup of lactic acid that’s generated during our workouts, and the more we use those muscles, the higher that lactic acid buildup will be. Now, the main problem here is that most smart fitness devices on the market are only designed to measure our heart rates and the amount of calories that we’ve burned. As such, there aren’t many solutions available that allow you to measure the oxygen saturation levels in our muscles as well as measure the lactate threshold that’s generated during our workouts. Because of that, runners would obviously require some sort of special equipment to track these metrics, and they’d then also need to draw blood just to measure those values. Nevertheless, by using the recently released OBELAB REPACE, all of those metrics can easily be tracked at all times.
The OBELAB REPACE is a personal and customizable smart fitness device that allows users to check their muscular oxygen saturation levels without requiring them to draw blood, while also providing them with personalized workout solutions.
Not only that, but the REPACE also allows users to measure their lactate threshold without having to draw blood, for which they can then comprehensively analyze their current workout performance capacities.
What’s really cool about this smart fitness device is that all of those metrics are collected without you requiring to spend any money on sports medicine experts, visiting specific facilities, or even having additional expenses from other fitness devices.
Finally, after pairing the REPACE with its Smartphone Companion App, users will be able to get their LT (Lactate Threshold) Test Results and Personalized Workout Done. Based on each LT TEST and each user’s personal workout goals – whether that’s weight loss, physical fitness, exercise abilities, or anything else in between – the REPACE will conveniently provide each user with specific personalized workout solutions so that they can more easily achieve their goals.
Now, let’s have a more detailed look at the OBELAB REPACE and see exactly how this personal and customizable smart fitness device is designed to work, as well as see everything that it has to offer you when it comes to improving your running workouts.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the REPACE’s design, I’d like to note that this personal and customizable smart fitness device works together with a set of two (x2) Elastic Thigh Bands / Straps in order to make the device capable of accurately measuring your muscular oxygen saturation levels as well as your lactate threshold.
Now, these Elastic Thigh Bands / Straps are extremely durable, as they’re made of really high-quality Fitness Wear Materials that are extremely Water-Resistant, and each band also features Anti-Slip Silicone Finishes that prevent them from slipping down your thigh(s).
Moreover, each of these Thigh Bands / Straps is also highly breathable, while also featuring a lot of elasticity. All that makes the REPACE’s dedicated Elastic Thigh Bands / Straps extremely comfortable to wear. Best of all, the bands / straps are also machine-washable.
It’s also worth mentioning that the device’s included set of two (x2) Elastic Thigh Bands / Straps will be available at different specific sizes, for which the company will send out a survey to its backers on Kickstarter to allow them to receive the correctly-sized bands for their REPACE device.
Moving on to the main device. The REPACE unit itself comes at a very compact size, measuring just 2.2 inches long by 1.24 inches wide by just 0.61 inches thick (56 x 31.4 x 15.5 mm), and this smart fitness device is also extremely lightweight, weighing just a measly 0.70 lbs. (20 g).
The REPACE, which, as mentioned before, is designed to work as a personal and customizable smart fitness device, is meant to be placed at the center of either of its included Thigh Bands / Straps by using the set’s included Silicone Holder (designed to fit the REPACE device neatly in place).
Then, it’s just a matter of wearing the corresponding band where you attached the device to against your thigh. That ultimately makes this personal and customizable smart fitness device extremely easy to use.
Now, note that this smart fitness device is capable of measuring each users’ physical abilities by using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), which works based on special fNIRS Sensors that can be found at the back side of the unit. Just like its included bands, the device itself is also Water-Resistant, which basically makes it sweat-proof, and obviously, perfect for any running workout. Additionally, the unit also comes equipped with a 6-Axis Motion Sensor.
By having the device tightened onto a user’s thighs, the REPACE can then calculate the oxygen saturation levels (SmO2) in your muscles as well as automatically calculate the adequate workout duration and intensity through its Smartphone Companion App (which we’ll discuss further ahead in greater detail).
INTERFACE / CONTROL PANEL
For the device’s built-in controls, the REPACE unit features a very, very simple interface, which only consists of one single Power On / Off Button.
Lastly, integrated just below this Power On / Off Button, there’s also a built-in LED Indicator that informs users about the current status of the device.
A White LED Light means that the device is powered On and the unit’s fNIRS Sensors are still warming up.
A Green LED Light means that the device is powered On and the unit’s fNIRS Sensors are finally ready and on Stand-By.
Last but not least, a Blue LED Light means that the device has completed is Bluetooth Pairing and is now Syncing with its dedicated Smartphone Companion App.
CONNECTIVITY
For establishing a Wireless Connection with your Smartphone and its companion App, the REPACE unit also comes equipped with a small Bluetooth chip that boasts BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) 5.0 Connectivity.
BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE
Now, since this smart fitness device is designed to work wirelessly, it also comes equipped with an internal 300mAh rechargeable battery that can offer you around 4 hours of battery life.
Then, whenever the REPACE device is running out of battery-power, all you have to do to recharge the unit is to connect its Magnetic Charging Cable onto the unit’s Magnetic Charging port.
THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The Repace App
As said before, users will also have to pair their REPACE unit with its dedicated Smartphone Companion App (called the Repace App) – which will be available to download for free for Android devices – to be able to check all of their collected data.
As such, right after pairing the REPACE with its App, users will be able to get their LT (Lactate Threshold) Test Results, as well as a Personalized Workout that they can then follow.
As mentioned earlier, based on each LT TEST and each user’s personal workout goals – whether that’s weight loss, physical fitness, exercise abilities, or anything else in between – the REPACE will conveniently provide each user with specific personalized workout solutions so that they can more easily achieve their goals.
Via the App, users can also check their muscular oxygen saturation levels (SmO2) in real-time as well as instantly visualize their upgrading/degrading workout capacities by providing daily, monthly, and yearly statistical reports. The App even saves all of its collected fitness and health data, allowing you to check it at a later time.
Not only that, but this smart fitness device also integrates a Vocal Couch that allows the REPACE to monitor your movements in real-time (via its 6-Axis Motion Sensor) and provide you with Vocal Coaching to help you figure out if you’re performing each of the recommended exercises the right way. Moreover, that same Vocal Coach will also guide users so that they can ultimately reaching their fitness goals, all while always motivating them to keep on running.
Last but least, since it’s already expected that your favorite workouts will end up burning you out someday, to help preventing you from feeling like that as well as to keep you motivated towards reaching your fitness goals, the Repace App will also reward you with medals every time you workout or pass a test.
To put it simply, these medals are rewarded based on the tests performed by the App as well as based on the number of cumulative workouts that you’ve already performed / finished.
Moreover, the OBELAB REPACE also features support to Facebook’s Friends System, which basically allows users to connect with their friends on Facebook and share their workout history. This is a great feature to have around, as it can either allow you to find a workout partner, or maybe even encourage some of your friends to start working out too.
As a first side-note, I’d like to point out that when using the REPACE outdoors, users will also be able to check their running routes via a cellphone GPS, and users can even work out however they want, even if they do not wish to follow the App’s recommended workout solutions.
As a second side-note for all Apple Watch users, know that the REPACE is also pairable with any Apple Watch, which will then allow you to check your heart rate in real-time via your Apple Watch’s built-in Heart Rate Tracker.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside each package users will find: their OBELAB REPACE Smart Fitness Device, two (x2) included Elastic Thigh Bands / Straps, a Silicone Holder for the device, and a Magnetic Charging Cable (used to recharge the unit’s internal battery).
FINAL THOUGHTS
The OBELAB REPACE is a personal and customizable smart fitness device that allows users to check their muscular oxygen saturation levels without requiring them to draw blood, while also providing them with personalized workout solutions.
Not only that, but the REPACE also allows users to measure their lactate threshold without having to draw blood, for which they can then comprehensively analyze their current workout performance capacities.
By using this smart fitness device, you’ll have an easy-to-use solution that allows you to perform Lactate Threshold Tests as well as measure your muscles’ oxygen saturation levels without ever having to draw any blood.
Best of all, the personalized workout solutions provided by the REPACE’s dedicated Smartphone App make this smart fitness device one of the best that’s currently available on the market.
If you’re interested in getting it, all you have to do is to pledge a minimum of $249 to OBELAB’s Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign, which you can access by clicking here.
