Contrary to popular belief, fitness monitors and health technology are not just for twenty-somethings with premium gym memberships. The sensor technology that makes today’s fitness bands capable of measuring distance traveled, calories burned, and how well you sleep at night, is also being used in other areas to inform people about the health of their hearts, their body composition, and their children. Unless you were specifically looking for these monitors, you might never know that they were available. Here are three fitness monitors that will give you a better understanding of just what is available these days in terms of health technology.
Smart Baby Monitors
If you are looking for a gift for soon-to-be parents, or if you are a parent yourself, smart baby monitors are a great addition to any nursery. Withings has created a smart scale that allows you to measure and track your baby’s growth, and compare that data to benchmarks for age and gender. The Withings smart baby monitor gives parents the ability to see and hear their child, as well as measure the temperature and humidity of the baby’s room. Smartphone enabled features also allow for parents to adjust lighting effects, play soothing music, and talk to their child.
Smart Phone ECG Heart Monitor
ECG heart monitors have been recently adapted for personal use and smartphone integration, making it easy for anyone with a heart condition to monitor their heart rate, track the data, and send it digitally to their doctor. Of course, the information doesn’t have to be shared with anyone, and some users find the information useful just for their own peace of mind.
Body Fat Analyzers
Did you know that some of the latest wireless scales allows you to measure and track your body fat percentage? While this device is most closely related to the typical fitness monitors, it lives in your home as opposed to on your person. Traditionally, body fat could only be calculated with the aid of a medical professional. Electrodes in the scale send out low-grade electrical signals to measure your fat to lean ratio. Knowing your body fat percentage can help to inform future diet and exercise decisions.
Fitness technology is undoubtedly helpful for frequent exercisers. In fact, about 57% of people 30 and under use smartphones and tablets when they workout. Armband monitors and fitness bracelets are innovative and helpful, but there have been other advancements in health and fitness technology that are worth paying attention to. As easy as it is to wear a fitness band, it is now just as simple to monitor a baby’s health and environment, the health of your own heart, or your fat to lean ratio, with the aid of technology. If you want to take advantage of new health technology, but you thought that you had to be an avid exerciser to do so, then you’ll appreciate that there is much more to the fitness gadget world than you previously thought.