Microsoft announces its smart band, Health platform

Microsoft Band

Microsoft has finally announced its entrance to the modern wearable space, as well as its own Health platform which will compete with Apple’s offering.

Microsoft Band

The Microsoft Band integrates no less than 10 sensors, including a UV sensor for sun exposure and a galvanic skin response measurement. Moreover, there’s heart rate monitoring, fitness tracking, sleep quality tracking and more. Notifications on incoming calls, emails and texts come included, and so does access to Cortana voice-based smart assistant.

The Microsoft Band integrates no less than 10 sensors, including a UV sensor for sun exposure and a galvanic skin response measurement.The device comes with its own GPS receiver to allow users to put their routes on a map and later, if they fancy so, analyze their pace, distance and other details. Made out of thermal plastic elastomer, the sweat- and splash-resistant Band measures 0.75 x 0.34 inches (19 x 8.7 mm) and has a weight of 60 grams. The 0.43 x 1.30 inches (11 x 33 mm) color screen is touch enabled to provide an easy to use experience. Inside, we have an ARM Cortex M4 MCU chip along with 64MB of internal storage, and battery that provides up to 48 hours of normal use. Microsoft’s device will sing along iOS, Android and Windows Phone platforms.

Specs

  • Display: 0.43 x 1.30 inches (11 x 33 mm), touch-enabled TFT full-color display
  • Processor: ARM Cortex M4 MCU
  • Memory: 64MB of internal storage
  • Sensors: Optical heart rate sensor, 3-axis accelerometer/gyro, GPS, ambient light sensor, skin temperature sensor, UV sensor
  • Other technology: Microphone, haptic vibration motor
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0 LE
  • Water resistance: Sweat- and splash-resistant
  • Battery: Type: 2 x 100mAh rechargeable Lithium ion with up to 48 hours of normal use
  • Connector: Magnetically coupled connector to USB
  • Compatibility: Windows Phone 8.1 update 3, iOS 7.1 and 8, Android 4.3 or later
  • Band materials: Thermal plastic elastomer
  • Size: 0.75 x 0.34 inches (19 x 8.7 mm); weight: 60 grams

Microsoft Health

Perhaps more important is the Microsoft Health platform that allows consumers and manufacturers to store and combine health and fitness data from different devices and services into a single, secure location. The underlying servers can “cope” with a number of different inputs, including steps, calories, heart rate and more, while offering insights from Microsoft’s Intelligence Engine. These would include such things as information on which exercises burned the most calories during a workout, the recommended recovery time based on the intensity of a workout, and the amount of restful vs. restless sleep.

The Microsoft Health platform allows consumers and manufacturers to store and combine health and fitness data from different devices and services into a single, secure location.The platform is accompanied with an open API that enables other companies to chip-in. Microsoft said it will work with UP by Jawbone, MapMyFitness, MyFitnessPal and RunKeeper, and will also have an option to connect Microsoft Health data to HealthVault to share medical data with medical providers.

The Microsoft Health app is available for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. The Microsoft Band is available in the US in limited quantities from the MicrosoftStore.com for $199, and would hit Microsoft Stores from October 30th.