Equimetre is an innovative sensor for trainers. It is the result of several years’ research, which has enabled it to develop ever more innovative functions for trainers. In this article, you’ll discover the fruits of the labours of our researchers at Arioneo, who have gone on to develop our connected solution.
Reading the veterinary chip in EQUIMETRE
The role of the veterinary chip is to make it easy to associate a training session with a horse, making it part of the routine for trainers and riders. Linking the horse’s unique microchip number to EQUIMETRE information enables the training/horse association to be made automatically.
This feature is a simple and easy way for the user to link the EQUIMETRE to a horse every time during a training session, without having to worry about which sensor has been put on which horse. For example, the trainer doesn’t have to say “rider 1 is putting EQUIMETRE 1 on such and such a horse today” and make a note of it.
Whatever sensor is used in the morning, it is automatically associated with a horse and the corresponding training session.
The frequency of the veterinary chip is very special for the horse. It is not easy to read the chip, which is a technical constraint. Our researchers had to find a compromise between the size of the chip reader, the power and the frequency at which we were going to transmit. The most complicated part was to link these three elements with the constraint of having a small enough system in EQUIMETRE that could read deep enough and at the right frequency.
A major difficulty was the design of the antenna and its very precise adjustment. To design an antenna, you have to determine the number of turns the waves will make to reach their target. This is a critical factor in the design of the antenna. You also have to take into account the resistance of the wire used, the overall resistance of the antenna. To include this functionality in EQUIMETRE, we took inspiration from existing systems and created the parts needed to meet our requirements. This process was carried out in Arioneo’s offices.
Equimetre electrodes international patents
After more than 4 years of research and development carried out by our team based in Paris, EQUIMETRE has received the last international Arioneo’s patents WIPO | PCT and US Patent Application Publication. These electrodes are the key to obtain a fine electrocardiogram at full speed. They are a key asset for veterinarians and researchers.
Electrodes, a major technological evolution, can overcome three major obstacles: the horse’s hair, the thickness of its skin, and intense vibration during the exercise. The Equimetre electrodes were created using a fusion of unique materials specially designed for the equine athletes. They are immersed in a foam that’s wipes off the horse’s perspiration while ensuring good conduction of the heart signal by softening the contact with the horse’s skin to avoid injuries.
These electrodes are internationally patented. They allow to capture the horse’s heart signal through the hair throughout the entire effort so that we can obtain an electrocardiogram (ECG) in the box but also while galloping at more than 60km/h.
GPS accuracy in the EQUIMETRE solution
In training monitoring solutions, GPS is a key element. Indeed, it is responsible for the tracing of the workout, the distance covered and above all the speed. When training a racehorse, the calculation of speed must be extremely accurate in order to provide the trainer with reliable data to assist him in his decision making.
On the Equimetre platform, three elements use the GPS: the training map, the key speed parameters, and the intermediate time table. Each of these tools use the performance of the Equimetre GPS to provide accurate and objective data that complements the feeling of the trainer and the rider.
The accuracy of the GPS is therefore essential, which is why the Research & Development teams at Arioneo pay so much attention to it.
Live ECG display
The EQUIMETRE app now has a dedicated function enabling you to follow a horse’s electrocardiogram live from your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth. Easy to use, it’s a real revolution in ECG collection in horses.
Using the Live function to time the performance of trained horses is a great way of ensuring accurate monitoring of their performance levels. Thanks to the GPS located in the EQUIMETRE sensor, the trainer can view all the data relating to the horse’s position and speed in real time during training.
The idea is to have a monitor: the user logs on to the application, registers and associates his EQUIMETRE. The user then has a number of options with the ECG signal collected: pause, rewind, zoom in on amplitude, view the history over time, etc. The functionality has therefore been designed to be easy to use and practical.