Amazon entered the health and fitness industry on August 27, with the announcement of "Halo," a combination of subscription services and fitness bands. Halo measures a range of health indicators such as activity, sleep, and body fat, and analyzes voice tones to determine how others are hearing.
Provided by: Business WireThe band itself is a lot like a Fitbit tracker without a screen, but with a few different elements. It has a temperature sensor like Fitbit's latest smartwatch, the Fitbit Sense, and a microphone that scans the wearer's voice to determine the tone.
In addition, it is equipped with an accelerometer, heart rate monitor, LED light, and buttons for turning on / off the microphone. Since there is no screen, you need to use a mobile app to check the data, but it has a lot of functions.
In the US, you can apply for Early Access from the 27th, and the price is $ 64.99 (about 7,000 yen) with a 6-month subscription. It usually costs $ 99.99, and after six months you can renew your subscription for $ 3.99 a month.
Measure body fat percentage using a smartphone camera
Many people care about their weight, and the diet industry offers programs, apps, and devices to help them lose weight. However, weight fluctuates daily due to various factors. In addition, muscles are denser than fats, and scales cannot tell the difference. Even if you build muscle, lose fat, and look slimmer, you may not lose weight.
Halo focuses on body fat percentage, not weight. Body fat percentage is hard to change and requires considerable time and exercise to change.
Provided by: AmazonIn the medical industry, the ultimate means of analyzing body composition is dual-energy X-ray absorption measurement (DEXA), which requires paying up to $ 100 to go to a well-equipped facility. Must be. The Halo app uses your smartphone's camera to do all that. When a user takes a picture of themselves, the app automatically removes everything else in the background, calculates body fat percentage from each measurement, and creates a 3D model of the user's body. This process takes only a few seconds.
Amazon promises that the scanned data will remain on the smartphone and will not be shared with others, including the company, unless the user opts in.
Diagnose voice tone
The voice tone analysis feature analyzes subtle differences in tone and shows how it sounds to others.
Two microphones built into the fitness band capture the voice and get emotional clues. According to the company, this analyzes only the tone of the voice, not the content of the conversation. Knowing how your voice is heard by others can help improve communication and relationships.
Microphone can be turned on / off with a button on the side Provided by: AmazonSleep analysis with temperature measurement
The Halo app, like any other fitness tracker, measures your sleep stage time and overall sleep score for a comprehensive sleep analysis. In addition, it tracks body temperature during sleep and sets a reference value for each user. By showing differences from that standard in the morning, you can make it easier to notice changes that may affect your health and sleep quality.
Provided by: AmazonActivity tracking
Halo also provides basic fitness tracking based on information from the band. Score all types of movements and activities, add higher points for more intense exercise such as running, and deduct points for sitting time. It is evaluated based on the points earned on a weekly basis, not on a daily basis.
Provided by: AmazonThis article was edited by Asahi Interactive for Japan from an article from overseas CBS Interactive.