The three winners of the FIBO 2008 Innovation Award have been announced, whittled down from an original 60 applicants.

Winner in the Training Equipment category was Pulse's AbCoaster®, designed for the easy training of the abdominal muscles from a kneeling position.

Other finalists in the sector were the Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT) from Precor, a new category of fitness kit for whole-body training, plus a 3D body scanner developed by Milon Industries GmbH.

In the top spot of the Health Promotion category was the BIA 101 Anniversary by AKERN from SMT Medical GmbH. This is said to be the first device to allow the application of accurate segmental, medical bio-impedance analysis in sports, fitness and nutrition counselling.

Bio-impedance analysis(BIA) is the standard procedure for simple and quick assessment of body composition and in the context of weight reduction and muscle building is considered to be an ideal tool for controlling exercise and nutrition.

The two other finalists in Health Promotion were the AiperMotion Activity Sensor, designed to identify different kinds of motion and record everyday activities by means of a 3D acceleration sensor, and a package offered by xmedio GmbH and ICW which offers a novel method of exercise motivation with online exercise monitoring.

Winner of the Sports Nutrition category was Cell Reloader by Body Attack, a key component of which is the company's Carbo-T4® formula said to provide a sustained energy supply to both the muscles and the brain over an extended period.

Finalists in the sector also included Squeezy Nano, a mineral sports nutrition product claimed to provide more energy, higher concentration and improved performance immediately on consumption, and Duractive® from LSP GmbH, a nutrient complex reported to allow maximum concentration on training and therefore maximum training efficiency.

A special Design category was won by fitness company Gym80.