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Phoenix666 [soylentnews.org] writes:

Major League Baseball [mlb.com] (MLB) has approved two wearable biometric devices for use during games [ieee.org], the organization told IEEE Spectrum this week. Players will be allowed to wear the Motus baseball sleeve [motusglobal.com], which tracks strain on pitching arms, and the movement-tracking Zephyr bioharness [zephyranywhere.com] during the 2016 season says Mike Teevan, an MLB spokesperson. The organization had previously remained silent on the issue. 

Meanwhile, the National Basketball Association [nba.com] (NBA) last week reprimanded a player for wearing the Whoop [whoop.com] wristband, which, along with all wearables, is banned during NBA games. The contrasting league policies, along with some ambiguity about what exactly is allowed, has resulted in a rocky start for the niche market for wearables tailored for elite athletes.  

Outside of official games, the use of wearable biometric devices in professional sports has exploded in the last couple of years [ieee.org]. Teams pay thousands of dollars for high tech gadgets that track physiological measurements so players can optimize performance and avoid injury. These sensors offer far more detailed and accurate data than consumer-oriented fitness trackers like Fitbit, and tend to be backed with analytics tailored for the athletic elite. Professional athletes have been spotted wearing biometric trackers during practice, warm-ups, around town, and even in commercial spots. (Check out LeBron James’ wrist in a recent Kia commercial [youtube.com]).

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