The Pros and Cons of Fitness Smart Bands: Unveiling the Tech Behind Your Health Journey

Introduction: 

 In an era where technology seamlessly intertwines with our daily lives, fitness enthusiasts and casual users alike have embraced the era of wearable fitness trackers. Among these, fitness smart bands have gained significant popularity. In this comprehensive exploration, we'll delve into the myriad benefits and potential drawbacks of incorporating a fitness smart band into your daily routine. 

Section 1: The Upsides of Embracing Fitness Smart Bands 

  1.1.1 Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring: Fitness smart bands revolutionize the way we monitor our heart health, offering continuous heart rate tracking throughout the day. This feature provides users with a comprehensive view of their heart rate patterns, not just during workouts but also during rest and various daily activities. The real-time data enables users to identify potential irregularities or variations in their heart rate, acting as an early warning system for potential health issues. 

  Benefits: Early Detection of Abnormalities: By continuously monitoring heart rate, fitness smart bands can detect irregularities or fluctuations that might indicate stress, anxiety, or even potential cardiovascular issues. Optimization of Workouts: Understanding how the heart responds during different activities allows users to optimize their workouts for maximum efficiency. It helps in establishing target heart rate zones for various fitness goals, whether it's weight loss, endurance training, or general well-being. Sleep Quality Assessment: Continuous heart rate monitoring contributes to assessing sleep quality. Changes in heart rate patterns during sleep can offer insights into the different sleep stages, aiding in the identification of sleep disorders and the improvement of overall sleep hygiene. 

  Drawbacks: Accuracy Concerns: While fitness bands have come a long way in improving the accuracy of heart rate monitoring, there can still be variations in readings, especially during intense physical activities. Users should be aware of potential discrepancies and consider using medical-grade devices for precise measurements when needed. Battery Consumption: Continuous heart rate monitoring can contribute to higher battery consumption. Users may need to find a balance between obtaining real-time data and ensuring that the device's battery life meets their daily requirements. 

  1.1.2. Motivation and Goal Setting: Fitness smart bands act as personal coaches, motivating users to achieve their fitness goals by setting targets, tracking progress, and providing real-time feedback. The psychological impact of these features plays a pivotal role in sustaining motivation and fostering a sense of accomplishment. 

  Benefits: Goal Setting and Tracking: Smart bands allow users to set specific goals, whether it's steps walked, calories burned, or active minutes per day. These goals serve as benchmarks, encouraging users to stay consistent and strive for incremental improvements. Visualizing Progress: One of the key motivators for users is the ability to visualize their progress. Fitness bands provide comprehensive data summaries, graphs, and achievements that showcase the milestones achieved, reinforcing positive behavior and dedication. Encouraging Healthy Habits: The constant reminders and nudges from fitness bands encourage users to adopt healthier habits. Whether it's prompting users to move after periods of inactivity or reminding them to stay hydrated, these gentle reminders contribute to a healthier lifestyle. 

  Drawbacks: Dependency on External Validation: While goal setting and achievement can be motivating, some users might become overly reliant on the validation provided by the device. This could potentially lead to stress or disappointment if goals aren't met, affecting one's mental well-being. Potential for Overexertion: Pursuing fitness goals based solely on device-set targets might lead to overexertion or pushing beyond one's physical limits. Users should listen to their bodies rather than solely relying on the smart band's recommendations. Loss of Intrinsic Motivation: Relying too heavily on a device for motivation might diminish a person's intrinsic drive to stay active. It's essential to balance external motivation from the device with personal enjoyment and satisfaction derived from physical activities. 

  1.1.3. Enhanced Workout Experience: Fitness smart bands go beyond basic activity tracking, offering a suite of features that enhance the overall workout experience. From GPS tracking to personalized training programs, these devices aim to make exercise more engaging, efficient, and enjoyable. 

  Benefits: GPS Tracking and Route Planning: Many fitness bands incorporate GPS functionality, allowing users to track their outdoor activities with precision. This feature not only provides accurate distance and speed measurements but also enables users to plan and follow specific routes for running, cycling, or hiking. Workout Summaries and Insights: Post-workout summaries offer valuable insights into the intensity and effectiveness of the exercise session. Users can review data such as heart rate zones, calories burned, and duration, helping them tailor future workouts for optimal results. Personalized Training Programs: Some advanced fitness bands come with personalized training programs based on individual fitness levels and goals. These programs adapt over time, gradually challenging users to push their limits and achieve continuous improvement. Real-Time Feedback: Immediate feedback during workouts is a powerful motivator. Fitness bands provide real-time data on metrics like heart rate, allowing users to adjust their intensity and effort levels to stay within their target zones. 

  Drawbacks: Limited Accuracy in Certain Activities: While GPS tracking is beneficial for outdoor activities, it may have limitations in accurately measuring certain indoor exercises or activities. Users engaging in gym workouts or indoor sports may find the GPS feature less relevant. Reliance on Smartphone Connectivity: Some fitness bands rely on smartphone connectivity for GPS tracking and more advanced features. Users who prefer standalone devices for certain activities may find this dependence on a smartphone less convenient. Learning Curve for Advanced Features: Personalized training programs and advanced features may have a learning curve. Users might need time to understand and adapt to these features, and not everyone may find them suitable for their fitness routines. 

  1.1.4. Integration with Smart Devices: Fitness smart bands are not isolated devices; they seamlessly integrate with smartphones and other smart devices, providing users with a connected and convenient fitness experience. 

  Benefits: Notification Management: Paired with smartphones, fitness bands enable users to receive notifications directly on their wrists. Whether it's calls, messages, or app alerts, users can stay connected without having to check their phones constantly during workouts or other activities. Music Control: Many fitness bands offer music control features, allowing users to manage playback, adjust volume, and skip tracks without reaching for their phones. This hands-free functionality enhances the overall workout experience and keeps users in the zone. App Compatibility: Fitness bands often sync with popular health and fitness apps, creating a centralized hub for health data. This integration allows users to have a comprehensive overview of their fitness journey, combining data from various sources for a holistic perspective. Smart Home Connectivity: In some cases, fitness bands extend their integration to smart home devices. Users may control compatible smart home devices, such as lights or thermostats, directly from their fitness bands, adding a layer of convenience to their daily lives. 

  Drawbacks: Battery Drain: The constant connectivity with smartphones and other devices can contribute to increased battery consumption. Users may need to balance the benefits of connectivity with the need for longer battery life, especially for those who engage in extended outdoor activities. Distraction During Workouts: While notifications and music control are convenient, they might become distractions during workouts. Users may find themselves responding to messages or changing songs, potentially affecting the intensity and focus of their exercises. Compatibility Challenges: Some fitness bands may have limited compatibility with certain smartphones or smart home devices. Users should ensure that their devices are compatible to make the most of the integrated features. 

  Section 2: The Drawbacks of Relying on Fitness Smart Bands 

  2.2.1. Accuracy and Reliability: One of the primary considerations when using fitness smart bands is the accuracy and reliability of the health data they provide, particularly in terms of heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and other health-related metrics. 

  Concerns: Heart Rate Monitoring Discrepancies: Despite significant advancements, fitness bands may not always provide medical-grade accuracy in heart rate monitoring. Factors such as skin tone, device placement, and the nature of the physical activity being performed can contribute to variations in readings. Sleep Tracking Challenges: Sleep tracking relies on movement patterns and heart rate fluctuations to determine different sleep stages. However, the accuracy of sleep data can be affected by factors like device positioning, restless sleep, or sharing a bed with a partner. Comparison with Medical Devices: Users should be aware that while fitness bands offer valuable insights, they are not a substitute for professional medical devices. For precise health assessments, especially for individuals with specific health conditions, consulting with healthcare professionals and using medical-grade devices is crucial. 

  Improvements: Advancements in Sensor Technology: Ongoing advancements in sensor technology contribute to enhanced accuracy. Manufacturers continually refine their algorithms and sensor capabilities to improve the reliability of health-related measurements. User Education: Educating users about optimal device placement, ensuring a snug fit, and understanding the limitations of certain activities can contribute to more accurate readings. Manufacturers often provide guidelines on how to wear the device for optimal performance. Firmware and Software Updates: Regular firmware and software updates from manufacturers often address bugs and improve algorithms, leading to more accurate and reliable data over time. Users should ensure their devices are running the latest software versions to benefit from these improvements. 

  2.2.2. Battery Life and Charging Hassles: The battery life of fitness smart bands is a crucial factor influencing the overall user experience. While advancements have been made in extending battery life, users often face the challenge of maintaining a balance between device usage and the inconvenience of frequent charging. 

  Concerns: Limited Battery Life: Fitness bands, being compact devices, often come with smaller batteries compared to smartwatches. This limitation can result in shorter battery life, requiring users to charge their devices more frequently, especially if they use features like continuous heart rate monitoring and GPS tracking. Charging Time: Users may find the time it takes to charge their fitness bands an inconvenience, particularly when they need to ensure the device is ready for use during their daily activities or workouts. Quick charging features can mitigate this concern to some extent. Dependency on Charging Accessories: Some fitness bands come with proprietary charging cables or docks, making it essential for users to carry these accessories for charging. Compatibility and availability of these accessories may be a consideration for users on the go. 

  Improvements: Advancements in Battery Technology: Ongoing advancements in battery technology aim to address the challenge of limited battery life. Manufacturers continue to explore innovations such as more energy-dense batteries and efficient power management to extend the time between charges. Power-Saving Modes: Many fitness bands offer power-saving modes that disable certain features to conserve battery life. Users can activate these modes when they don't require continuous monitoring, ensuring the device lasts longer between charges. Quick Charging and Wireless Charging: Some devices incorporate quick charging capabilities, allowing users to get a substantial charge in a short amount of time. Additionally, the adoption of wireless charging technology eliminates the hassle of dealing with cables and proprietary connectors. User Habits and Charging Routine: Educating users about optimal charging practices, such as avoiding deep discharges and unplugging the device when fully charged, can contribute to prolonged battery life over the long term. 

  2.2.3. Privacy and Data Security: The constant collection and storage of health data by fitness smart bands raise important considerations regarding user privacy and the security of sensitive information. 

  Concerns: Data Collection Practices: Fitness bands continuously gather data on various health metrics, ranging from heart rate and sleep patterns to activity levels. Users may have concerns about how this data is collected, processed, and whether it is shared with third parties. Cloud Storage and Security: Many fitness bands sync user data to cloud servers for storage and analysis. The security of this cloud storage is a critical aspect, as any breaches could potentially expose sensitive health information. Data Sharing with Third Parties: Some fitness bands integrate with health and fitness apps, which may involve the sharing of data with third-party services. Users should be cautious about the extent of data sharing and understand the privacy policies of both the device manufacturer and associated apps.

  Improvements: Transparent Privacy Policies: Manufacturers can enhance user trust by providing clear and transparent privacy policies. This includes detailing what data is collected, how it is used, and whether it is shared with third parties. Users should have the ability to opt in or out of certain data-sharing practices. Enhanced Encryption Standards: Implementing robust encryption standards for data transmission and storage adds an additional layer of security. This ensures that even if data is intercepted, it remains protected and unreadable without the proper decryption keys. User Consent and Control: Fitness bands should empower users with control over their data. This includes the ability to choose what specific health metrics are tracked, control over data sharing settings, and the option to delete stored data if desired. Regular Security Updates: Manufacturers should commit to providing regular security updates for both the device firmware and associated apps. This ensures that any vulnerabilities are promptly addressed, maintaining the integrity and security of user data. 

  2.2.4. Affordability and Accessibility: The accessibility and affordability of fitness smart bands are crucial considerations, as these factors can significantly impact the adoption of such devices among a diverse user base. 

  Concerns: Cost Barriers: Fitness smart bands come in various price ranges, and some high-end models may be relatively expensive. This can create cost barriers, limiting access to these devices for individuals with lower budgets or those who may not prioritize investing in a fitness tracker. Health Disparities: The accessibility of fitness smart bands may contribute to health disparities, as individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds may not have equal access to these devices. This potential disparity in health-monitoring technology could widen existing gaps in healthcare. Hidden Costs: Beyond the initial purchase cost, users should be aware of potential hidden costs, such as the need for proprietary charging accessories or subscription fees for premium features. These additional costs can impact the overall affordability of using fitness smart bands. 

  Improvements: Diverse Price Range: Manufacturers can address affordability concerns by offering a diverse range of fitness smart bands with varying price points. This allows users to choose devices that align with their budgets while still providing essential health-tracking features. Integration with Low-Cost Devices: Manufacturers may explore partnerships or integrations with lower-cost devices, such as affordable smartphones or feature phones, to enhance accessibility. This ensures that users with more budget-friendly devices can still benefit from health monitoring. Community Initiatives: Public health initiatives, community programs, or collaborations between manufacturers and healthcare organizations could help distribute fitness smart bands to underserved communities. These initiatives may focus on promoting health awareness and education. Transparent Pricing and Features: Manufacturers should provide transparent information about pricing and features. This includes clear communication about any additional costs, ensuring users have a complete understanding of the financial commitment associated with using a fitness smart band.

Mi Band 2 features and functions reviewed

Its been a few days since I have this little gadget attached to my body and the experience has been fairly good. Here I list the features of Mi Band 2.

Time Display

Its marketed with a OLED display. The display is in white with good brightness but may appear  a little dim under the blazing sun. But then again, how much time is one likely to spend under direct afternoon sunlight? Incase of a normal bright daylight, the display has a good visibility with not problems at all.

Its most basic feature is of time display, one can choose between 24 hour time or 12 hour format. A lot people  miss this but hidden in the phone app is a setting that can be used to turn on the date and day display too with the time display.

Open Mi Fit app => Profile => My devices (Mi Band 2) => Time format => select the one with date

In the 'My devices' setting you can find the following features,

Find Band => Use it to check the connectivity of the band with phone by making the band vibrate.

Mi Band display settings => Can turn on additional display options like distance, calories, battery

Lift wrist to view info => This will turn on the display automatically when you lift your wrist. I usually don't use it as its known to drain battery.

Heart rate sleep assistant => This uses heart rate too in monitor sleep. Give more accurate sleep data.

Unpair => Will unpair the device from phone Never EVER click on it. As pairing can be pain.

In the 'profile' page you can also set activity goals (number of steps) per day and also weight goals.

Heart rate monitor

The heart monitor measures heart pulse rate using photoplethysmography. This technology uses red/green light reflection from skin to measure heart rate. The idea is, as heart pumps blood into your arteries, there is a very minuscule change in colour of skin when the heart pressure peaks (systolic stage) and when the pressure is reduced (diastolic stage). The LED lights of the heart rate sensor situated on the opposite side of display measures the rate of this colour change per minute. This gives you you heart beat or pulse rate. The technology used here is similar to the one used in hospital pulse measuring device. If you have noticed those rubber caps that are clipped on to your finger tips to monitor heart pulse rate in hospitals, they too have pulsing lights to measure heart pulse rate.

The green light switches on only when the heart rate mode is selected. The accuracy of pulse monitor sounds fairly good. I tracked the heart rate at normal rested state and it averages around 70 bpm and during high intensity workout it peaked 150 bpm.

One important note, heart rate monitor requires you keep your hand stationary to a reading to show up. If you are continuously moving you hand, it will not be able to measure the pulse. There is also an option to measure the pulse rate while running in the app at the top left corner. Heart pulse rate is also monitored automatically while you sleep to a better and more accurate sleep monitoring. This can be turned on as stated in previous section. Now it is noticed that the latest release of Mi Fit app (2.2.4) is known to give troubles in heart pulse monitoring and hence its advisable to install and older version of the app as recommended in my previous post,  http://everythingmiband2.blogspot.com/2016/10/setting-up-xiaomi-mi-band-2.html.

Pedometer

A motion sensing pedometer that detects the number of steps you have taken the whole day. Based on the steps it calculates the calories burned. Talking about its accuracy, a test with around hundred steps it manged to give a fairly accurate reading of 101. That was indeed very good. Your daily steps are calculated and stored in history. You can compare all your data from past few days to months along with the calories burnt.

The running icon in the top left corner of app homepage allows you to start you run and measure the distance run along with the heart beat rate. You can also set the maximum heart beat rate below which you want to keep running. It will vibrate with an alert as soon as you heart beat crosses this maximum limit. You can also set a vibrate alert to let you know if you are running slow. 

Sleep monitoring

Sleep is in deed one of the most important factors for a good health and also one of the most ignored by a lot of people. Therefore, I think this is one of the most important features of this gadget. All you need to do is wear the band while you hit the bed. There is not need for the phone to be around with blue-tooth ON as the band will store the nights data and sync it to the phone whenever bluetooth sync is available.

The monitor registers the time of sleeping and time of waking up. It also measures the quality of sleep during the entire duration in the form of "light sleep" and "deep sleep". The sleep pattern is given in the form of a graph. You can touch on the bands to seep the time range of deep sleep and light sleep. It also tracks if you wake up in the middle of the night and registers the time and duration of the "awake" state. I tested sleep monitoring with two different people just to make sure if it does give different patterns, and it did pass the test. It generated a unique graph specific to the person's sleep.

      

It is recommended to turn on the feature of measuring heart rate while sleeping from,

My Devices => Heart rate sleep assistant

This will give more reliable and accurate data. Now, about how the band detects the difference between deep sleep and light sleep? It simply uses the accelerometers to sense very minute  movements of the hand while sleeping along with heart pulse rate. If you are still with low pulse rate then you are in deep sleep otherwise in light sleep stage.  You are having a healthy sleep as long as you have at-least 4 stages or bands of deep sleep amounting to a total duration of 2 to 4 hours in a 7 to 8 hour sleep. There are several ways you can try to increase you deep sleep state which I will dwell in my later posts. Experiments are still on.

Other features

There are several other features that are a part of Mi Band 2. Like, auto unlock of phone, call vibrate alert on the band, notification alert on the band for messengers like WhatsApp and an important one is a vibrate alarm that gently wakes you up without startling you. Ability to share you goals and achievements with your friends etc. The battery life has been very good until now, I have lost only 3% of battery in the last 3 days. Going good at 97%. Not bad at all!

Setting up Xiaomi Mi Band 2

So recently was able to grab hold of the much sought after Mi Band 2 through amazon here, http://amzn.to/2ePN8Kl. Finally! Having to set it up and make it work wasn't the smoothest things to do. So without wasting any time, here are the problems I faced and the solutions to them.

Installation  of the sensor on the band

For some reason the picture in the manual that comes with Mi Band 2 shows the sensor tablet as being inserted from the wrong direction.

Frankly I found it more convenient and easier to insert it from the top of the band. 

Now once that is done, wearing it shouldn't be a very difficult process. Initially, the band will display time on touching the circular patch on the display. Moving on to the next step.

Installation of the app : "Mi Fit"

The latest version of this app can be installed from play store in case of an android phone, its called "Mi Fit". Currently the latest app version is 2.2.4 released on 21st October 2016. Here's when the tricky part begins. As on 25th October 2016, this new update of the app has generated a tsunami of bad reviews for the app. Apparently, the new updated app has somehow caused the band to not detect the heart beat. Basically ,the software of the updated app has some bugs. I installed the latest version on my android phone. Mine is a 1st gen MotoG. On running the app and reaching the login page, I tried to register with the app by filling in the email address and password etc. After entering all the details including email and new passwords and confirming the email account, a "signing in" loading icon appears. After 2 minutes it says "Couldn't sign in, try  again". I tried registering 10 to 15 times more with no avail. The same error on all attempts.

Now here's the solution I managed to figure out. First step is to some how manage to have your email registered with the company database without getting into the buggy app. I did this by creating an account at below official Xiaomi forum. Here's the link, http://en.miui.com/forum.php

Once you have a Mi account with registered email and password, try logging in with it in the mobile app and see if it works. If the same error persists (as in my case too) then try using an older version of the app. First uninstall the current version of app from the phone. Now download an older version of the app's apk file from the below website and install it on you phone, I installed version 2.2.1 for my MotoG phone. 

http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/xiaomi-technology/mi-fit/mi-fit-2-2-1-release/mi-fit-2-2-1-android-apk-download/

Again with the previously registered email and password try logging in with the older version of the app. Hopefully, this should work. 

No? it didn't work? still the same error? Okay, here's the final weapon in our arsenal. A VPN is what you need then. Download a free VPN app called "TunnelBear" on you phone from the playstore. The app requires you to resigter your email and do a email confirmation. Once this is done, run the app on your phone and set the country to USA from the dropdown list. Noe click on the slide/toggle button on the top of the screen to connect. This will take a minute or two. Once the bear pops out into USA map making a weird sound, you are good to go. Now, open the "Mi Fit" app on your phone and try to sign in again with the previously website registered email and password. This should most definitely lead you to the next page where you can enter you personal deatils and start using your Mi Band-2. In case it still not works just try a different country in the "TunnelBear" app, Japan may be? Or maybe try an even older version of "Me Fit" app.

Hopefully, this will help you to finally get your Mi Band 2 work and hopefully the makers listen to the voice of reason and update their app to make the process seamless. It shouldn't be so complicated guys!

Charging of Mi Band 2:

So once you have it working, it should be fairly simple to figure out various in-app options and features of the band. Or may be I'll post on it some time later too. But before that, its important to fully-charge the battery. Mine came with a factory charge of 16%. This can be checked through the app and the "battery check" option can also be added to the band, so that you don't have to again and again open the app for checking the battery level. Now to charge the battery, you need to use the charging USB cord set that comes in the box. Insert the sensor tablet into the socket. IMPORTANT!, make sure you insert the sensor tablet in correct position, the display side should be up and visible.

                                                          

It can be plugged into a standard wall charger or into the USB of a laptop. I did my first charge from my laptop USB 3.0 port, it took about 3-4 hours to charge from 16% to 100%. On plugging for charging the display shows a battery icon with a charging animation that slowly fills up once its completely charges. This appears on pressing the button. It vibrates when plugged-in and also when its fully charged. You cannot use the band while its charging. If the charging icon does not appear and the sensor is responding to touch with all its functions while plugged in, this means that it is not charging. This can happen. One needs to make sure the orientation of the sensor into the charging socket is right and then push the sensor into the socket with some force to make sure the charging contact points are in contact with each other and then plug to USB to see if charges. This worked for me. Below is the charging icon that appears on the display,

So that's it about setting up the Mi Band 2. Hope it helped someone. Please leave a comment if you have any queries or even otherwise! Thanks.