4iiii Announces Viiiiva Heart Rate Monitor With Real-Time iPhone Connectivity

4iiii has announced the launch of its Viiiiva, the first heart rate monitor that can talk to iOS devices in real time in addition to the proprietary ANT+ technology. It achieves this using an ANT+ to Bluetooth Smart bridge, enabling interaction with the HRM via an iPhone or iPod Touch. Users can nab the device now from certain retailers, or from 4iiii.com for $79.

In addition to working with the iPhone/iPod Touch, the Viiiiva can also display hear rate information to ANT+ displays, such as Garmin and TIMEX. The unit can pull the data coming from various ANT+ sensors, such as bike speed sensors, and feed it to the mobile device via the Bluetooth Smart bridge. This removes the need for separate adapters to get HRM details on the iPhone.

In addition to displaying heart rate monitor information on an iOS mobile device in real time, the Viiiiva also allows athletes to change settings, get performance feedback, and review summaries via an iPhone/iPod Touch. There's support for many iOS fitness apps, including RunKeeper, Training Peaks, Runtastic, and Endomondo. When used with the accompanying sensors, the device will provide the apps with an array of information, including speed, power, and cadence.

4iiii Innovations' Product Manager Alana Baxter offered this statement. "The Liiiink technology inside Viiiiva turns the iPhone/iPod touch into a cycling computer or running monitor, making performance monitoring smarter, faster and safer. As a group of triathletes we need a system that connects all our devices to our iPhone/iPod providing us with on-the-go monitoring, file saving, and performance review. It was through recognizing this need that we came up with the idea of Viiiiva and created our unique Liiiink technology."