CSR and Bluegiga provide Bluetooth for the Polar Team2 heart-rate monitoring system

Wirelessly monitor up to 28 athletes simultaneously

Cambridge, UK – CSR (LSE: CSR) today announced that its BlueCore Bluetooth silicon provides wireless connectivity for the Team2 heart-rate monitoring system from Polar. The system comprises of up to 28 Bluetooth heart-rate monitors that link up to a PDA, PC or laptop to log and process the data via Bluetooth Access Server platform from Bluegiga. The system is ideal for sports teams, research centres and universities to monitor and improve the performance of athletes.

The Bluetooth connectivity in the Polar Team2 system is provided by Bluegiga’s WT11-A Class 1 module which uses CSR’s BlueCore4 silicon and Bluegiga iWRAP Bluetooth connectivity firmware. Bluegiga’s Access Server which is based on multiple CSR BlueCore4 chipsets, allows the system to wirelessly collect and analyse data from up to 28 players simultaneously. This enables the heart rate monitors to achieve a battery life of up to 30 hours when using Bluetooth and a range of up to 100 metres – ideal for monitoring the players in field sports. The Team2 heart-rate monitors are water resistant down to 30 metres, fully shock resistant and each system comes complete with PDAs and PC software for uploading the data and providing analysis.

“The Team2 system needs reliable and accurate wireless connectivity, CSR’s and Bluegiga’s leading Bluetooth technology was an obvious choice to provide this,” said Mika Laine, Segment Manager Team Sports Polar. “The heart rate monitors need to work under the stress and conditions experienced by the athletes that use our Team2 system, and by working with CSR and Bluegiga we have ensured that the Bluetooth wireless connection is of the highest quality to give the best user experience.”

“The Team2 system from Polar is a fantastic way of constantly and accurately monitoring athletes’ performance,” said Karen Parnell, Marketing Manager of CSR’s Consumer Strategic Business Unit. “Polar had to ensure that the Bluetooth technology it used would work under the stress conditions of track and field sports, and still provide the best wireless performance and battery life. As the industry leader in Bluetooth CSR was in the best position to achieve this.”

“Bluegiga is excited about Polar’s new offering for team sports’ real-time monitoring. The Team2 application demonstrates Bluetooth’s capabilities for creating a secure and reliable network for fitness applications,” comments Tom Nordman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Bluegiga Technologies. “Bluegiga’s long-term development and co-operation with Polar to optimise Bluetooth for real-time monitoring applications has culminated in the Team2, a monitoring system for outstanding team sport experience"

CSR has reduced production costs and time-to-market for manufacturers by making minimal use of external components. BlueCore4-ROM Plug-and-Go is integrated onto a compact module from Bluegiga and is fully compliant with the Bluetooth v2.0+ EDR specifications.

Polar’s Team2 system is available at the of end November.