Health & Fitness 2.0: Nike+ FuelBand

A while back we featured a product by Jawbone called the “UP“. The device is worn on the wrist and is hardware and software system that tracks your eating, sleeping and movements to give you a reading on your general health.

Now Nike has decided to enter the fold and announce the Nike+ Fuelband.

Designed in part with Nike‘s mantra, “If you have a body, you are an athlete.” the Nike+ FuelBand is a furthering advancement between the physical world, its virtual counterpart, and the way we move between both. Set to update on four metrics – time, calories, steps, and NikeFuel, a new measure on athletic activities. Not only will it keep track of all the movements from your daily routines and broadcast in a comparable format. It also motivates you to become more active by rendering each daily activities into mini-games. Now, reaching a set goal becomes a personal triumph or an “in-your-face” moment when competing among friends.

Deceiving simple on appearance, a complex array of electronics, including a three-axis accelerometer, record all movements. An user-friendly interface, like 20 red to green LEDs (like that on the Nike M.A.G.), gives you instant feedback on your performances. Connectivity to the Nike+ network is done through built-in USB and works with Mac OS v10.4 or later, Windows 7, Windows Vista (SP2), or Windows XP (SP2) computer platforms. You can also upload via Bluetooth wireless protocol onto an Apple iPhone app.

The Nike+ FuelBand is now available for pre-order at NikeStore.com for a retail price of $149 US. In the meantime, see video series on the new product after the click…

Athletes at all levels of fitness — from the elite to the everyday — now have a way to measure progress toward their goals and compare with others: the NIKE+ FuelBand. It’s an innovative wristband that tracks movement throughout the day, designed to motivate and inspire users to be more active.

“The NIKE+ FuelBand is a way for Nike to further evolve the exciting possibilities of merging the physical and digital worlds,” said NIKE, Inc. President & CEO Mark Parker at the NIKE+ FuelBand launch event in New York. “Nike has always been about inspiring athletes, and the NIKE+ FuelBand will help motivate them in a simple, fun and intuitive way.”

NikeFuel: A new metric to measure movement
The ergonomic NIKE+ FuelBand captures and displays four different metrics: time, calories, steps and NikeFuel – a new metric that will be the ultimate measure of your athletic activity. NikeFuel is a proprietary technology that measures your activity through the movement of your wrist. NikeFuel motivates athletes to do more with a NikeFuel score that makes movement fun, meaningful and comparable, letting you compete with athletes of all levels in most activities. The more you move, the more NikeFuel you earn, whether you’re playing basketball, throwing a Frisbee or going for a run.

Nike worked with some of the world’s top experts in science and sports to engineer NikeFuel algorithms based on oxygen kinetics. Unlike calorie counts — which vary based on someone’s gender and body type — NikeFuel is a normalized score that awards all participants equal scoring for the same activity regardless of their physical makeup. A user can also choose to also receive a calorie count to understand how many calories are burned versus how much NikeFuel is earned.

How the NIKE+ FuelBand makes it count
As you wear the FuelBand throughout the day, the built-in three-axis accelerometer measures your motion and translates it into NikeFuel. Each day you can set your goal for activity and the level of NikeFuel you want to achieve. As you move closer to your goal, the band’s series of 20 LED lights go from red to green. The user-friendly interface provides encouragement and motivation as you hit and exceed your goals.

The NIKE+ FuelBand experience doesn’t end on your wrist. All of the data you capture on your wristband connects to a rich web and mobile experience. It syncs with the Nike+ website, through a built-in USB, or wirelessly through Bluetooth to a free iPhone app to record activity each day and track progress.

The NIKE+ FuelBand will be available for preorder starting January 19 in the U.S. at Nikestore.com for a suggested retail price of $149 (U.S.).

To use Nike+ FuelBand, the following is needed:

- A Macintosh or PC with built-in USB. Mac OS v 10.4 or later, Windows 7 or Windows Vista (SP2) or Windows XP (SP2).

- Internet access. Broadband is recommended.

- Optional mobile app available in the iTunes App store; for updates on compatible mobile devices, visit Nikeplus.com.

Health and fitness are two things most people desire to have at optimum level. Now with software and hardware like this, its possible to keep track like never before. Check out the videos below which demonstrate how the Nike+ Fuelband works.