FORM and Polar to Bring Heart Rate to Smart Swim Goggles

September 03, 2019 | 4 min read

Vancouver, BC – Today, FORM the sports technology company behind the world’s first augmented reality swim goggles, and Polar, the leader in wearable sports and fitness technology for over 40 years, announced that the FORM Smart Swim Goggles will support Polar heart rate technology starting in November 2019, enabling a level of training effectiveness and precision never before experienced by swimmers.

The FORM Smart Swim Goggles are a pair of premium swim goggles with a see-through, augmented-reality display that delivers performance metrics in real time. The Polar OH1 and OH1+ are optical heart rate monitors that combine versatility, comfort, and simplicity. In November 2019, the FORM Smart Swim Goggles will support the Polar OH1 and OH1+ through a free software update from FORM.

By using the FORM Smart Swim Goggles in conjunction with either the Polar OH1 or OH1+, swimmers will have the unprecedented ability to view their heart rate in their line of sight throughout their swim, enabling them to precisely measure their effort in the moment—something that was previously impossible in the sport of swimming. Completed swims will sync to the FORM Swim App for iPhone® and Android™, which will match up heart rate data to metrics like split times, stroke rate, stroke count, pace per 100, and calories in a single, easy-to-navigate view. Armed with these tools, swimmers and coaches will gain greater insight into each swim, and they’ll be able to design future swim workouts with greater precision than ever before.

“FORM has worked closely with Polar since 2018 to enable this functionality,” said Dan Eisenhardt, 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.”

The Polar OH1/OH1+ will attach to the FORM Smart Swim Goggles strap, where it will sit snugly against the swimmer’s temple, monitoring heart rate using its 6 LED optical sensor and proprietary heart rate algorithm. Real-time heart rate data will be transmitted wirelessly from the OH1/OH1+ to the FORM Smart Swim Goggles, enabling the swimmer to see their heart rate in their line of sight, while they swim. Once the swim is complete, syncing the goggles with the FORM Swim App for iPhone™ and Android® will allow the swimmer and their coach to review detailed workout stats, including heart rate.

“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 Smart 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.”

The FORM Smart Swim Goggles are available now from FORM. The Polar OH1 and OH1+ are available now from Polar and its authorized distributors and retailers. The FORM Smart Swim Goggles will support the Polar OH1 and OH1+ starting in November 2019 with a free software update from FORM.

About FORM

Founded in 2016 in Vancouver, Canada, FORM is a sports technology company with a simple mission: to break down the barriers between what swimming is and what it could be. The company’s founder and CEO, Dan Eisenhardt, swam competitively for 14 years before starting his career as a sports technology entrepreneur. His previous company, Recon Instruments, was founded in 2008, introduced the world’s first smart eyewear for sports in 2010, and was acquired by Intel Corporation in 2015. At FORM, Dan is joined by a team of industry veterans with decades of combined expertise in sports-eyewear design, activity-tracking algorithms, and augmented-reality optics.

About Polar

For over 40 years, Polar has been the innovator of sports technology, helping athletes and coaches achieve peak performance. Polar began with heart rate monitoring, but has since expanded into multiple training solutions for elite athletes, coaches and active fitness enthusiasts. Polar remains the trusted performance partner due to our accuracy, reliability and superior experience. Polar’s award-winning product range includes pioneering sports wearables that work elegantly with Polar training apps and cloud services.