8 Hot Wearable Devices To Get You Healthy In 2016
Now that the Thanksgiving food coma has faded, the winter holidays, along with the associated parties and feasts, are upon us. That makes the task of staying fit and healthy a bit daunting. But there is some high-tech help available. Here are eight wearables designed to help you jump-start your New Year's resolution.
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With the winter holidays in full swing and tables laden with lots of rich and fatty foods, along with calorie-packed wines and champagnes, we're afraid to think about the fallout from all the feasting.
Donning a wearable that's geared toward health and fitness might seem attractive. Apparently, an increasing number of people have the same idea.
The wearables industry is expected to grow 27% to 170 million units worldwide this year, over the previous year. Revenue is also set to spike 70% to $20 billion, according to Shane Walker, principal analyst of digital health and wearable technologies at research firm IHS.
Health and fitness wearables are predicted to account for 28% of the industry's $20 billion in sales this year, Walker said. Between 2012 to 2019 the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for health and fitness wearables revenue is expected to increase 25%, he added.
The health and fitness wearables industry got its start in 1982, when Polar introduced theĀ first wireless wearable heart rate monitor called the Sport Tester PE2000.
The growth in this segment of wearables is being driven by an increased interest in fitness, combined with greater use of Bluetooth andĀ ANT+ technologies on smartphones. Users can now glean useful information about their workouts, compare that information with archived data, review how many calories they burned, and keep track of their cardio performance.
[See 10 iPhone Healthcare, Fitness Apps That Actually Work.]
"This is how people use it now. There is a wealth of information on your activity," Walker said. He added that future demand of health and fitness wearables and the ways these devices are used will likely be shaped as smartwatches increasingly become the product type of this segment of the wearables industry.
Here's a look at eight health and fitness wearables that may provide the wealth of data Walker referred to. Take a look and let us know what you think of these in the comments section. Would you use any of these to help you reach your health and fitness goals? If not, what wearables would you recommend?
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Health and fitness wearables are moving beyond wrist-based devices and taking on a more fashionable look. Oura developed a wellness ring that tracks and analyzes a user's rest and sleep. One of the differentiating features of the Oura ring, according to Wearable Technologies, is that the device does not need to transmit the data back to a mobile phone continually, but rather shares the data once it is within range of the smartphone. Oura began shipping the devices this month. The rings are priced between $279 to $449, depending on the style.
Ear-O-Smart is another fashion-forward health and fitness wearable device. BioSensive Technologies, the maker of Ear-O-Smart, equipped the earrings to monitor heart rate, calories and activity. The design of the earrings can be switched out to match a user's attire, while keeping the sensor technology in place.
Ear-O-Smart earrings are still under development and not yet on the market. Interested buyers can reserve a pair by providing their email to receive updates on the company's progress. Last year, when the company ran an unsuccessful campaign on crowd-funding site Kickstarter, it raised $12,015 of the $30,000 it sought. But it noted at the end of last year that its partners have pledged enough to get the earrings to market.
The earrings are expected to have a starting price of $110, according to a report in Gizmag.
Users who are concerned about potential back ailments may want to take a peek at Hocoma's Valedo, a digital back therapy that's designed for home use. The system incorporates gamification in having users run through the exercises to strengthen their backs. The system includes two motion sensors and 100 medical tape strips, as well as a USB charging cable. The price of Valedo is $359.
Fitbit, which rolled out its Charge HR fitness bracelet roughly a year ago, recently updated the software for the device, according to a CIO report. Charge HR received a boost with automatic exercise tracking features for such activities as running, sports, aerobic workouts, and outdoor biking. The Charge HR, which tracks heart rate and activities, carries a retail price of $150.
Jawbone, archrival to Fitbit, recently revised its Jawbone Up2. The health and fitness wearable improved its battery life and made its device water-resistant, allowing it to be worn in the shower, according to a CNET report. Jawbone also includes smart coaching with its mobile app, which can also work with other third-party apps, according to the report. The device is priced at $99.99.
Apple's Watch incorporates high-fashion in its technology in this digital wearable that runs from $349 to a whopping $17,000. The Watch offers health and fitness features such as tracking walks and counting steps, but, of course, the breadth of its offerings is much wider than that. Users can also use the Apple Watch as a payment system via the company's Apple Pay, and for a number of other tasks.
Valencell PerformTek technology offers health and fitness tracking, such as heart rate monitoring, with the assistance of biometric sensors embedded in earbuds, wristbands, and other devices. The company's technology is licensed to its partners and can be found in such biometric earbuds as Jabra's Sport Pulse, which sells for $199.99, and SMS Audio's BioSport, which retails for $149.95. The company does not market its own version of biometric sensors directly to consumers, but instead distributes its technology through its partners' products.
TomTom's Cardio + Music fitness tracker packs in a variety of features, such as monitoring heart-rate and recording workouts. The wrist band can also play music without needing a smartphone nearby. The device retails for $249.99.
TomTom's Cardio + Music fitness tracker packs in a variety of features, such as monitoring heart-rate and recording workouts. The wrist band can also play music without needing a smartphone nearby. The device retails for $249.99.
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