Last month in our Community Voice, we highlighted the Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships Adaptive Initiative (http://www.ncpad.org/556/2495/Community~Voice~~~Program~Spotlight~-~Chicago~Indoor~
Rowing~Championships~~CIRC~~Adaptive~Initiative). Within that feature, Concept2 was listed as providing this initiative with various pieces of modified equipment for indoor rowing for people with disabilities. In addition, Concept2 also provides ErgChatter, a free software tool designed for rowers with visual impairments. ErgChatter gives a voice to the performance monitor (PM3/PM4) of indoor rowing machines and announces your performance data at regular intervals during your rowing session. The most recent version also features pre-programmed workouts, support for interval workouts, support for heart-rate monitors, Windows Vista support, and more. This software is installed on your computer, which is then connected to your PM3/PM4.

Concept2 is a privately owned company in Morrisville, VT, that manufactures the Concept2 Indoor Rower and Dreissigacker Oars. For more information, contact Concept2 at rowing@concept2.com or (877) 887-7805 or go to http://www.concept2.com/us/service/software/thirdparty/ergchatter/default.asp.