News: Form Adds Support for Heart Rate Tracking via Polar Sensors to AR Swim Goggles

Less than a month after launching its augmented reality Swim Goggles, wearables startup Form is preparing to add a major new feature for aquatic athletes.

On Tuesday, the company revealed that it plans to bring support for heart rate monitors from Polar to its AR wearable, enabling swimmers to see their heart rate along with their performance metrics within their line of sight. The new feature will arrive in November via a free software update.

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"Form has worked closely with Polar since 2018 to enable this functionality," said Dan Eisenhardt, the founder and CEO of Form.

"We've done extensive testing in the pool with swimmers of all levels, including elite competitive swimmers, and we couldn't be more pleased with the results. Polar heart rate monitor tech is trusted by athletes around the world; by adding it to the arsenal of metrics that our goggles already deliver, we'll empower serious swimmers to make their training even smarter and more purposeful. We'll also further empower coaches and enhance the coach-swimmer dynamic."

To enable the feature, users must have the Polar OH1 or OH1+ (the latter of which comes with a swimming goggle strap clip) heart rate monitor, both of which are sold separately from the Form Swim Goggles.

The add-on attaches to the strap of the goggles and rests on the temple of the user, allowing the Polar sensor to deliver heart rate data wirelessly to the on-board computer of the Form Swim Goggles.

Heart rate data, along with the swim speed, stroke rate, lap speed, and other swim metrics are captured by the goggles. The data is then synced with the companion app for iPhone and Android.

"Polar works with companies who, like us, are leaders in their respective fields," said Tom Fowler, President of Polar USA. "Form has built a truly transformative product, and we're proud to have worked with them over the past year to bring Polar heart rate to the Form Swim Goggles. Polar continues to be the gold standard in heart rate technology, with constant advancements in our hardware and software products continually raising the industry benchmarks for accuracy and reliability. Today's announcement takes our leadership to an exciting new frontier."

While the early round of consumer-grade smartglasses or even the more robust market for sports and fitness wearables offer more bells and whistles, Form's unique value proposition — enabling swimmers to see performance data underwater without interrupting their stroke — makes it a compelling purchase for a niche audience despite its limited functionality. The added ability to track heart rate makes Form Swim Goggles an even more tempting purchase for underwater athletes.