Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Amazon unveiled Thursday its Halo fitness band, which comes without a screen, but tracks physical and mental health measures, including body fat and emotion.
Halo Band uses artificial intelligence-powered health features similar to other smartwatches and fitness trackers, but sets itself apart because it doesn't have a screen for notifications, a statement shows. The band has a small sensor capsule to deliver data to the app, such as an accelerometer, temperature sensor, a heart rate monitor, two microphones, an LED indicator light and a button to turn microphones on or off.
Amazon said in the statement that it's also trying to take a more holistic approach to health by measuring "not just physical, but also social and emotional well-being."
The app uses the microphone and "machine learning" to measure whether the tone of the user's voice sounds stressed or energetic and the app has Halo Labs, which are science-based experiments to improve lifestyle habits, according to the statement.
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Instead of an at-home smart scale, the app allows users to measure their body fat through using their smartphone camera to capture a 3D scan of their body.
The app also rewards points on the intensity and duration of movement instead of just the number of steps taken. It also has a sleep score based on the app measuring motion, heart rate and temperature to figure out time spent in various phases of sleep.
"Despite the rise in digital health services and devices over the last decade, we have not seen a corresponding improvement in population health in the U.S.," Amazon Halo Principal Medical Officer Dr. Maulik Majmudar said in a statement. "We are using Amazon's deep expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning to offer customers a new way to discover, adopt, and maintain personalized wellness habits."
The Amazon Halo Band and Halo membership for six months became available Thursday to U.S. customers upon request to early access for a limited time price of $64.99.
