One More Digital Fitness Option of the Day - Fashion Friendly CORE 2 from BodyMedia

Wearable body monitoring pioneer BodyMedia today announced the BodyMedia CORE 2, the next generation of the activity/health tracker armband used on The Biggest Loser.

Packing four sensors into a housing smaller than an iPod Nano, the CORE 2 will be the smallest wearable multi-sensor device of its kind as well as the first to offer a choice of interchangeable jewelry- like faceplates, straps and cuffs for a fashion look. It will also feature a new heart rate monitoring option; energy-saving Bluetooth Smart Ready technology enabling live activity updates on your smartphone or tablet as well as longer battery life; and data-rich mobile and online apps that can help users make smart food, exercise and lifestyle-related health decisions every day.

A prototype of the CORE 2 monitor will be shown for the first time at Booth # 26718, South Hall at the 2013 International CES conference that opens today in Las Vegas.

Smallest Multi-Sensor Monitor
Unlike almost all competitive products that use only one sensor to 'read' the body, BodyMedia's monitors incorporate temperature, heat flux, galvanic skin response and 3-axis accelerometer sensors to get accurate measurements of calorie burn, exercise intensity and sleep patterns that affect weight as well as health. Those sensors capture over 5,000 data points per minute, but they take up space. New engineering will shrink the CORE 2 hardware to the size of a quarter for inconspicuous wear.

Fit for Fashionistas
At launch in August, the CORE 2 armband will come with a standard strap. Later this year, BodyMedia will release easy-change faceplates, straps and cuffs that Turn the armband into a fashion accessory. Wearers will be able to personalize their CORE 2 to match their mood, clothing, activity or general style with a snap - literally.

Optional Heart Rate Monitoring
To keep the form factor small but offer heart rate monitoring for fitness purposes to those who want it, the CORE 2 will give consumers the option to purchase an accessory strap with an embedded heart rate sensor. Wearing the armband on a continuous basis will allow minute-by-minute capture of heart rate data, whether you're watching TV or running a marathon. The data will be uploaded to BodyMedia's mobile app and online Activity Manager, providing one-stop information access from a single interface. This also sets the stage for BodyMedia to add other applications such as diabetes or stress management to the same platform.

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