Photos: Fitness gadgets of the future?

As part of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association's 2009 convention, exhibitors filled two halls at San Francisco's Moscone Center Tuesday with some of the latest innovations and technologies hitting the fitness world.

Pictured is an Ishape vibration machine by Efi Sports Medicine, which with each vibration supposedly forces the body to perform reflexive muscle actions. The underlying principle here is that people can improve stability, strength, or power by applying either more mass or more acceleration to the body.

Expresso Chases is an interactive training game that lets you score points as you chase dragons with your Expresso Recumbent exercise bike.

XRKade describes itself as a "cutting-edge environment and Xperience complete with the most advanced active gaming and entertainment systems where people become a 'human joystick.'"

XRKate believes arcade-style gaming can be used in the fight against childhood obesity. In this game, players score by hitting the part of the wall that lights up--with a ball.

XRKade also makes a flight simulator. You can play solo, or challenge your buddy in a dogfight. You gain speed from pedaling your bike.

SaunaLite's InfraTherapy combines infrared light therapy with training on any cardiovascular device.

SaunaLite says that among other benefits, cells exposed to certain wavelengths of near-infrared light produce more energy to power the muscles. If you exercise while exposed to near-infrared, the company says, you increase metabolism and burn more calories while having increased energy.

SaunaLite also says mild warmth from the system stimulates nitric oxide to dilate the microcirculatory system, meaning more blood and oxygen flows to the muscles without increasing blood pressure.

People testing the system at the treadmill at the IHRSA show got sweaty from the heat. How much of any resulting weight loss comes from water loss the company did not say.

G-Trainer "anti-gravity" treadmills use a specialized air pressure regulation system to reduce individuals' effective body weight by up to 80 percent while allowing them to maintain a normal gait, stride length, bounding, leg kick, and body position, according to maker Alter G. The machine is aimed at people attempting to recover from injury and surgery more effectively or to overcome medical challenges that limit movement.

Polar's FT sports watches let you transfer your fitness data wirelessly just by putting the watch on top of a tray that's connected to your computer. The new Polar FlowLink data interface allows quick data upload from your compatible Polar monitor to the Web site.

The Bodybugg multisensor digital calorie meter notices if a person is sitting, sleeping, jogging, walking, and so on. That makes it a more reliable device for calorie expenditure estimations, and thus for managing weight loss, manufacturer Apex Fitness claims.