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The craziest fitness tracker ever is basically a smart band-aid

The craziest fitness tracker ever is basically a smart band-aid

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Look, whatever, I just want one

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Forget about wearing a fitness tracker around your wrist or on your head; if you really want to innovate with a wearable, you find a new place to put one. How about, say, your left abdomen?

A self-contained ECG that also tracks movement and skin temperature

This is the AmpStrip. It's the first consumer-facing product for FitLinxx, a health technology company that's been working through partners since 1993. Functionally, the AmpStrip works like the lead of an electrocardiography (ECG) sensor, attaching to your body to capture heart rate. (According to marketing director Steven Schwartz, the company has been using ECGs to test accuracy.) The device also features an accelerometer to track movement and will additionally measure skin temperature.

The AmpStrip is designed to be worn 24/7 and is waterproof — Schwartz cited competitive swimmers as a potential customer. The adhesive is meant to last up to seven days - as long as the AmpStrip's rechargeable battery. (A wireless charging pad is included in the kit.) Data is sent to a dedicated iOS / Android app via Bluetooth 4.0.

ampstrip promo

Obviously, it's designed to be seen about as often as a nicotine patch (for a decidedly different market), but the aspirational final design does look and feel good, albeit smaller than the functional prototypes. As of this writing AmpStrip's IndieGoGo campaign (yes, there's a crowdfunding element to this story) is just about to hit its goal, but given FitLinxx's history, it seems more ceremonial than essential. The AmpStrip beta launches in March with a public launch in July.

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